28 January 2024
KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNT) – Washburn basketball played two polarizing games against the Lopers.
The women went to overtime, and narrowly lost 75-74. The men put together a big margin of victory, 89-68.
Men’s recap:
The Ichabods (13-6, 9-4 MIAA) led for all but 67 seconds. UNK led 3-2 to open the game, but Washburn came back with seven-straight points. The ‘Bods led 9-3 before the Lopers tied the score at 10 with 13:11 left in the first half. Washburn responded with a 10-0 run, including eight points in a row from Brayden Shorter. The team never let go of the lead after.
Washburn led by as many as 25 points in the second half, and eventually won by 21.
Andrew Orr led the Ichabods with 21 points, plus six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Shorter finished with a career-high 20 points on 7-9 shooting, hitting 4-5 3-pointers. Brady Christiansen recorded his second career double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Jack Bachelor and Jake Schadegg each added 10.
Women’s recap:
Washburn and Nebraska-Kearney needed more than 40 minutes to decide a winner Saturday afternoon.
The Lopers put together an early seven-point lead, but Washburn battled back. The Ichabods (11-8, 6-7 MIAA) and Lopers traded scoring runs, and the lead, until Aubree Dewey hit a jumper as time expired to give Washburn a 32-29 lead at the half.
The trend continued in the second half. In the final five minutes, there were five lead changes and four ties. With four seconds left, Dewey found Aniah Wayne under the basket for a layup to tie the game at 53.
In overtime, UNK sunk a jumper with 18 seconds left to go up by three. Yiibari Nwidadah hit an extra-chance layup to get within one, but it ended up being the last shot of the game.
Next, the men’s and women’s teams continue their road trip at Rogers State on Feb. 1.