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Date: January 24, 2018
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Topeka, KS

Bolivar, Mo. - Southwest Baptist (12-6, 4-5 MIAA) heads out on the road to Topeka, Kansas to play a conference pair of games starting with Washburn, (13-5, 5-4 MIAA).

Previewing the Bearcats
The Bearcats hold a 12-6 (4-5 MIAA) record on the season. They recently won a home game against Lincoln by a final score of 79-49. Over their 18 games, the Bearcats boast the second highest points per game in the conference with 77.2 ppg and the highest free throw percentage in the conference of 84.1%. Megan Rosenbohm and Caylee Richardson make the Bearcats go. Rosenbohm is the 22nd best scorer in the NCAA and the 1st leading scorer in the MIAA with 19.6 points per game. She also collects 5.6 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, a conference leading 2.7 steals per game, and makes 90.8% of her free throws. Caylee Richardson averages a near double double with 16.2 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game on 58% shooting from the field and 87.3% at the line.

Previewing the Ichabods
Washburn enters the matchup with a record of 13-5 (5-4 MIAA). The Ichabods are coming off a 77-59 defeat at the hands of Pittsburg State. Reagan Phelan is averaging 14.6 points per game on 40.6% shooting from the field and 77.4% at the line. Alexis McAfee chips in 10.7 points per game, 2.1 assists per game and makes 86.4% at the line. Axelle Bernard is near a double double scoring 9.3 points per game and 8.4 rebounds average. As a team, Washburn scores 69.9 points per game on 42.6% shooting from the floor. They let up 60 points per contest, which ranks 4th in the MIAA. They also turn the ball over 15.8 times a game but force 17.2 turnovers a game.

The Coaches
SBU head coach Kelsey Keizer is in her fourth season on the Bearcat bench after leading SBU back to the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City for the first time in three years. Coach Keizer led the Bearcats to back-to-back winning seasons (16-14, 7-12 MIAA last year) in 2015-16 and 2016-17. A feat that had not been done since the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. Coach Keizer holds a career coaching record of 55-50 and a 26-42 mark in the MIAA.

Ron McHenry will begin his 18th season at Washburn in 2017-18 looking to improve on his impressive resume and return the Ichabods to the top of the MIAA and region. McHenry, a national champion in 2004-05, has gone 406-120 in his first 17 years, all at Washburn since 2000-01. He's 236-85 in his career in MIAA games and 208-44 coaching in Lee Arena.

All Time Series
Washburn leads 38-15 in the all time series against Southwest Baptist. The Bearcats won their last two games in the 2016-17 season against the Ichabods by a score of 68-56 and 69-65.

Last Time Out for SBU
(1/20/18) - Bolivar, Mo. - Coming off the bench, Bailey Rezabek had a career day for Southwest Baptist in 79-49 convincing win over Lincoln. The win moves SBU's record to 12-6 (4-5 MIAA) and is the fourth straight victory in conference play. Meanwhile, Lincoln falls to 3-15 (0-10 MIAA). 

Rezabek's previous career high was 13 points and she blew that away with 19 points. Rezabek was three of six from the field including two threes, and she made 11 of her 12 foul shots. Rezabek also added three rebounds, two assists and three steals. Despite not even playing the fourth quarter because of the score, Megan Rosenbohm still stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers. Caylee Richardson continued her stellar play with 12 points and seven rebounds in only three quarters of game action. For the game, SBU shot 39.3% (22-56) from the field and made a remarkable 91.2% (31-34) of their free throws. The Bearcat defense put the clamps on Lincoln all game as they forced 18 Blue Tigers turnovers, limited to just 21.4% (15-70) shooting from the floor, and owned the glass by a 49 to 42 margin. 

SBU came out of the gates sprinting as they used a 12-2 run, finished off by a Rosenbohm trey, to take control early. They would take a commanding 23-10 lead into the second quarter. Quickly into the second quarter, SBU held a 33-13 lead on a Morgan Henderson layup. Two free throws from Ray'Shionne Smith would stretch the Bearcat advantage to 22 with 4:49 left in the half. Lincoln got the deficit under 20 once but SBU took a 47-27 lead into the break.

In the third quarter, SBU held Lincoln to a measly seven points in the quarter. By the 3:03 mark, on two free throws from Rezabek, SBU's lead had grown to 27, 59-32. The lead was 63-34 at the close of the third. Behind strong bench play, the Bearcats used predominatly free throws in the fourth to grow their advantage to as large as 36 points. The Bearcats ended up leading wire to wire to take home their fourth straight win, 79-49. 

Last Time Out for Washburn
(1/20/18) - Pittsburg, Ks. - The Washburn women's basketball slid to 13-5 on the season and 5-4 in the MIAA as it fell to Pittsburg State, 77-59, Saturday at John Lance Arena.

A strong opening period highlighted by a 10-point margin midway through looked like a promising day for the Ichabods which began the game with a 6-0 run during the opening 1:55. Washburn, which made 7 of 15 from the field in the first quarter, took a 14-4 advantage at 4:29 of the first as Reagan Phelan and Taylor Blue teamed for a 6-0 run.

The Gorillas (14-5, 7-3 MIAA) though quickly trimmed the margin to two before a three-pointer at the buzzer knotted the game at 19 as they closed the first period on a 15-5 run.

Despite shooting 6 of 14 in the second, Washburn found itself behind as PSU completed 5 of 8 from behind the arc to take a 38-35 lead into the break.

Cold shooting in the third period saw the Ichabods make just two of 2 of 12 allowing PSU to stretch its lead to 14, as it outscored Washburn, 18-7.

The Ichabod offense thawed in the fourth as they shot 6 of 12 from the field, however the effort was not enough as the Gorillas continued to knock down shots pushing their leading to as much 25. A late 10-2 rally from Washburn narrowed the margin 17 inside two minutes before settling at the 77-59 final.

Alexis McAfee led all Washburn scorers with 17 points as she pulled down eight rebounds. Axelle Bernard finished with a double-double as she tallied 11 points and had a game-highs with 11 rebounds and five blocks.