The 17th-ranked Lady Blues will host No. 18 Emporia State Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Lee Arena in this year’s first edition of the Turnpike Tussle. Both teams enter the game with just one MIAA loss and half a game out of first place. The game will be carried live on 106.9 FM and links to live stats, video and audio are available on wusports.com.

Washburn defeated unbeaten and 10th-ranked Pittsburg State 65-51 on Wednesday. The Lady Blues were down by five at halftime and opened the second half on a 13-0 run to take the lead. They improved to 14-3 overall and 7-1 in the MIAA with the win. The Lady Hornets defeated Lincoln 81-68 on Wednesday to move to move to 11-2 overall and 7-1 in the league.

The Lady Blues enter the game having won five straight while the Lady Hornets have won six of their last seven with a loss last Saturday against Pittsburg State.
Ebonie Williams leads the Lady Blues with 12.9 points a game and she’s one of three Lady Blues scoring in double figures. Williams was 19th in the nation shooting 55 percent from the field and Washburn is third as a team shooting 48 percent from the field and fourth in scoring margin with a +23.6 advantage. Emporia State is led in scoring by Heather Robben with 12.6 points a game, 14th best in the nation.

Last Time Out: Washburn 65, Pittsburg State 41
PITTSBURG, Kan. - The Lady Blues out-scored No. 10 Pittsburg State 42-23 in the second half to lead to a 65-41 win Wednesday night in John Lance Arena.
No. 17 Washburn improved to 14-3 overall and 7-1 in the MIAA. The Gorillas suffered their first loss and dropped to 14-1 and 8-1 in the league. Washburn will return home for its second straight top-25 battle with a 1:30 p.m. game Saturday against No. 18 Emporia State in Lee Arena.

Laura Kinderknecht started her second straight game and had a season-high 14 points. She went 5 of 11 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers. She also had five rebounds and three assists. Ebonie Williams also scored 14 points with a 5 of 12 performance from the field.

Stevi Schultz had nine points with eight rebounds and four assists. Cassie Lombardino and Tiara George each had eight points.

The Lady Blues were down by five at halftime but they opened the second half on a 13-0 run to take a 36-28 lead. Kinderknecht opened the run with a jumper and then later hit a 3-pointer. Lombardino capped the run with a basket in the paint and then the Gorillas finally got on the board in the second half with a jumper at the 16:14 mark.

Kinderknecht’s 3 at the 13:44 mark gave Washburn a 10-point lead and the Gorillas never got within eight after that. They got it to nine points, 58-47 at the 5:27 mark but George hit a lay-up to push it back to 11 and William’s jumper later made it 12. A free throw from Kinderknecht at the 1:07 mark was the final point of the night, giving Washburn a game-high 14-point lead.

The Lady Blues shot just 30 percent in the first half, making 9 of 30 shots. PSU also made just nine shots in the first half but four of them were 3-pointers while Washburn went just 1 of 4 from long range in the opening half.

The Lady Blues scored the first four points of the game but a 3-pointer from Lizzy Jeronimus later gave the Gorillas a 12-10 lead and they held it the rest of the half.

Washburn shot 55 percent in the second half while the Gorillas were just 26 percent. PSU made just one 3-pointer this time while Washburn was 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. The Lady Blues ended the game shooting 42 percent from the field while Pittsburg State was 31 percent.

The Lady Blues were beaten in rebounds, 42-35, for just the second time this year. They tied a season low with just seven turnovers while the Gorillas had 17. Jeronimus led PSU with 15 points and Larissa Richards had a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.

McHenry reaches milestone 300th win
Ron McHenry began his 12th season with the Lady Blues in 2011-12 and his 87-63 win on December 17 against Missouri Western gave him the 300th win in his career, all at WU. McHenry now has a 304-63 (.828) record.

McHenry entered the season second in NCAA Division II history with an .829 winning percentage (among coaches with at least 10 years) and second among active coaches in winning percentage (among coaches with at least five years). Thirty-six active DII coaches had reached the 300-win level and McHenry became the 37th. Among coaches who have at least 300 wins, only Lloyd Clark (Delta State 1984-2002) has a betting winning percentage (.834).

McHenry has had at least 23 wins in every year but his first. He’s reached the 30-win mark three times. After a 13-14 record in his first season, 2000-01, McHenry has brought the Lady Blues to the NCAA tournament 10 straight times.

McHenry, a national champion in 2004-05, is the Washburn career leader in winning percentage among the five coaches since the program started in 1969-70. He is second in career wins at WU behind Patty Dick with 431 from 1977-00.

Lady Blues jump 3 spots to 17th in USA Today ESPN national poll
The Lady Blues continued their climb in the poll, this time jumping three spots to 17th in the latest USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll released Tuesday.

Washburn is one of three ranked MIAA teams. Pittsburg State moved from 13th to 10th and Emporia State moved from 19th to 18th. Fort Hays State and Central Missouri are getting votes but no ranking.

The Lady Blues were 20th in the previous poll and they have been ranked in all seven polls this year. They were left out of the final poll last year but have been ranked in 147 of the last 148 polls, dating back to week three of the 2002-03 season.

MIAA coaches and media pick Lady Blues first
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Lady Blues were picked as the team to beat in the MIAA’s coaches and media preseason polls released during the MIAA Virtual Media Day. Washburn was a unanimous pick in the coaches poll and earned 12 of 16 first place votes in the media poll.

The Lady Blues, second-place finishers last year with a 22-7 overall record and a 17-5 MIAA mark, were picked in front of Emporia State in both polls. Defending regular season and tournament champion Northwest Missouri was picked third in the media poll and tied for fifth in the coaches poll.

Lady Blues remain near top of several NCAA statistical categories
The Lady Blues are in the top 11 of six different statistical categories in the January 8 NCAA report. Washburn is third with with a .482 field goal percentage and 11th with a .329 field goal percentage defense. The Lady Blues are third with a +23.6 scoring margin and second with a +15.1 rebounding margin.

The Lady Blues are fourth in the nation and third in the MIAA with a .399 3-point field goal percentage. The Lady Blues are 11th in the nation with 18.0 assists a game.

Ebonie Williams ranks 19th in the nation with a .565 field goal percentage. Stevi Schultz is 30th in the nation making 2.7 3-pointers a game.
Schultz takes over 2nd in career 3-pointers at Washburn

Senior guard Stevi Schultz moved into second in school history, now with 181 3-pointers in her career. Earlier this year she passed Lora Westling, who had 144 from 2001-05. Brooke Ubelaker (2003-07) is the career leader with 236 at WU.

This year she’s shooting a career-high 41 percent from 3-point range. Schultz’ 82 3-pointers last year was the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
December 7 at FHSU she went without a 3-pointer for the first time since the end of the 2009-10 season. She made one in all 29 games last year and the first 10 this year.

Schultz nears 1,000 points
Stevi Schultz has 885 career points in her four years at Washburn and her 11.2 points a game this year has her on average to pass 1,000 points before the regular season ends. She would become the 21st Lady Blue to reach 1,000 career points. Corkey Stiger was the last to reach that milestone, scoring 1,047 in two seasons from 2006-08.

After sitting at least a year, pair of DI transfers going strong for Lady Blues
Senior guard Ebonie Williams was named the Disney Tip-Off West Coast Classic MVP as she made her Washburn debut after sitting out a year. The Seton Hall transfer leads Washburn with 12.9 points a game hitting double digits in 13 of the 17 games this year. She had a Washburn season-high 23 points January 3 at Southwest Baptist. She’s 19th in the nation shooting 57 percent from the field and she’s 46 percent from 3-point range. Williams scored 1,123 for the Division I Pirates and was an all-Big East second team pick in 2008-09, her sophomore year. She transferred to WU after her junior year and sat out last year.

Junior forward Sierra Moeller played in her first regular season games since 2008-09 and leads the team and is seventh in the MIAA with 7.7 rebounds a game, getting to double figures seven times. She’s scored in double figures four times and averages 6.9 points a game. She played her freshman year in 2008-09 at Boise State, scoring 3.8 points with 3.7 rebounds and then sat out at Washburn in 2009-10 after transferring. Last year she played in two exhibitions before a knee injury kept her out of the regular season.

Season Flash Backs: Don’t Forget...
Four in a row over 50: The Lady Blues topped the 50 percent mark in field goal shooting in four straight games, all MIAA contests, from December 10 to January 3. They averaged .562 field goal percentage during that stretch.
Keeping ‘em under 40: The Lady Blues kept their first 13 opponents to under 40 percent shooting. Central Missouri’s .469 effort on December 31 was the first to top 40 percent. Prior to that game, teams were shooting just 32 percent against Washburn.
300th win for McHenry: Lady Blues coach Ron McHenry got his 300th career win, all at Washburn, on December 17 against Missouri Western.
400 straight under 100: The Lady Blues 67-60 win at Fort Hays State on December 7 marked the 400th straight game Washburn has kept opponents under 100 points. The last time was on January 27, 1999, at Emporia State.
School-record margin of victory: Washburn’s 92-point win over Tabor on November 14 is the highest in school history. The previous largest was by 87 on November 25, 1983 to St. John’s (Kan.), 113-26. This was Washburn’s 11th 100-point game in school history and first since winning 102-43 to Southwestern on November 23, 2009.
Another 100-point game!: Washburn made it back-to-back 100-point games for the first time in school history with a 108-60 win over Southwestern on November 16. The Lady Blues had record triple-digit games twice in the same season in 2005-06 and 1983-84 but never in consecutive games.
Happiest Place on Earth: The Lady Blues went 3-0 in the season-opening Disney Tip-Off West Coast Classic to claim the trophy. Ebonie Williams earned MVP honor.
Near DI Upset: A last-second lay-up spoiled Washburn’s exhibition upset bid, 52-50, at Kansas State on November 8. Ebonie Williams led WU with 15 points.

Last time out against Emporia State
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues couldn’t overcome a cold shooting night for the second consecutive game and fell 61-52 to Emporia State on March 5 in the MIAA tournament semifinal at Municipal Auditorium.

Washburn shot just 30.2 percent (19 of 63) from the floor and 19 percent (4 of 21) from behind the three point line. WU was 10 of 16 for 62.5 percent from the charity stripe.

Laura McMullin led Washburn with her first career double-double. She had career-highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Lassley finished with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Allli Volkens led Emporia State with a double-double of 18 points and 10 boards, while Kelsey Balcom had 16 points. The Lady Hornets also out-rebounded Washburn 41-36.

ESU shot 41.2 percent (21 of 51) from the field and 29.4 percent (5 of 17) from beyond the arc. They were 14 of 17 from the foul line for 82.4 percent.
The loss was Washburn’s first to Emporia State in the MIAA tournament. WU was 4-0 against the Lady Hornets in the postseason tournament heading into the game. The loss also snapped the Lady Blues’ seven game winning streak in the tournament.

Up next for the Lady Blues
The Lady Blues will return to the road on Wednesday, January 18, to play Lincoln at 5:30 p.m. The Blue Tigers’ four MIAA wins already surpasses their total of one last year, their debut season in the league.

Blue Notes: Player-By-Player Tip-Ins
#1 Katie Moyer • 5-5 Jr. G • Olpe, Kan. • Independence CC
Had first WU career points with 6 against Tabor...played in first eight games this year and seven total..averaged 7.3 points as a sophomore at Independence CC last year.
#3 Casyn Buchman • 5-9 Fr. G • McPherson, Kan. • McPherson HS
Has played in all 17 games...had career-high four assists November 28 against Evangel...scored career-high eight points twice, first against Southwestern November 16 and second on November 28 against Evangel...scored five straight for Washburn during second-half 8-0 run in win over St. Martin’s at Disney...scored 14.0 points a game her senior year at McPherson High School.
#4 Lindy Arndt • 5-11 So. G • Emporia, Kan. • Emporia HS
Has played in 11 games this year...had her first points of year with season-high four November 14 against Tabor...scored 21 points in 11 games last year.
#5 Laura Kinderknecht • 5-7 Jr. G • St. Mary’s, Kan. • St. Mary’s HS
Has played in all 17 games this year and has started the last two games...averaging 4.9 points and 2.0 rebounds a game...averaging 1.8 assists a game...had season-high 14 points January 11 at PSU with 5 of 11 performance from the field...had a career-high eight rebounds January 7 against MSSU...averaged 10.7 points a game last year, starting all 29.
#10 Dana Channel • 5-10 So. G • Rossville, Kan. • Rossville HS
Had five points twice this year (Tabor and East Central) to tie career high...set a career high November 28 against Evangel with five rebounds...has played in 10 games with 13 points and 12 rebounds...played in 23 games last year scoring 33 points.
#11 Alyssa Nikkel • 5-8 Fr. G • Goddard, Kan. • Cheney HS
Has played in 11 games this year with nine points and three assists...scored five points against CSUDH with a 3-pointer...had her first points in MIAA action with a 3-pointer January 3 at Southwest Baptist...led Cheney High School in scoring, assists and steals as Cardinals went undefeated with a state title her senior year in 2010-11.
#15 Sami McHenry • 5-8 So. G • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights HS
Has played in four games this year with three rebounds and two points in 10 minutes...scored her first field goal of the year January 7 against MSSU...played as a libero/defensive specialist on the No. 5-ranked Washburn volleyball team that ended its season in the NCAA South Central Region final last weekend...scored two points in eight games last year...father is head coach Ron McHenry.
#20 Dana Elliott • 5-11 Jr. F • Wamego, Kan. • Rock Creek HS
Started the first eight games this year and has played in all 17...averaging 4.6 points, 2.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds...had a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds December 7 at Fort Hays State...had a career-high six assists November 14 against Tabor and matched that December 17 against MWSU...played 28 games off the bench last year and averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds.
#21 Cassie Lombardino • 6-3 Sr. C • Bonner Springs, Kan. • Basehor-Linwood HS
Has started every game this year...has reached double figures in 10 games this year...third on the team averaging 10.4 points a game...second on team averaging 5.4 rebounds and leads team with 1.5 blocks a game...had season-high 18 points December 3 at NWMSU off 8 of 11 shooting...had career-high six blocks November 19 at Midwestern State...just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds November 6 against Hawaii Pacific...started every game last year and tied for team lead with 15.0 points a game...earned second team all-MIAA.
#22 Megan Lassley • 5-4 Sr. G • Wichita, Kan. • Seward County CC
Made her first start of season November 28 against Evangel and had started seven straight before missing the last two games with an injury...shot 5 of 6 November 14 against Tabor for 14 points, one off her career high...scoring 4.3 points with 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists this year...hit three 3-pointers against Hawaii Pacific for nine points...had three steals against St. Martin’s to tie a career high...was an every-game starter last year, averaging 7.1 points and a team-high 3.5 assists a game.
#23 Stormye Everett • 5-9 Jr. G • Aurora, Colo. • Western Neb. CC
Has played in 12 games...averaging 3.6 points and 2.0 rebounds...had 11 points at Disney against Hawaii Pacific in just nine minutes...hit 5 of 7 shots in that game...averaged 13.7 points a game in 2009-10 as a sophomore at Western Nebraska CC.
#24 Ebonie Williams • 5-8 Sr. G • Hagerstown, Md. • Seton Hall
Has started all 17 games...shooting 55 percent this year, which was fourth best in the MIAA and 19th in the nation in most recent reports, and 47 percent from 3-point range...has scored in double figures in 13 of her 17 games this year...leads Washburn with 12.9 points a game...set a team season-high with 23 points January 3 at Southwest Baptist...had 15 points against Hawaii Pacific off 6 of 7 shooting...went 3 for 3 from 3-point range that game...named Disney Classic tournament MVP...a DI transfer from Seton Hall where she scored over 1,000 points in her three years there, leading her team every year.
#25 Stevi Schultz • 5-9 Sr. G • Neodesha, Kan. • Neodesha HS
Second in career 3-pointers at Washburn with 181...had first double-double of the year with 12 points and 13 rebounds at FHSU on December 7...has reached double figures in 11 of 17 games...second on team with 11.2 points a game while averaging 3.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds...tied a career high with six assists against Hawaii Pacific and then set a career high with seven November 19 at Midwestern State...scored 15 points in exhibition at Kansas State...tied for team lead in scoring last year with 15.0 points a game and earned first team all-MIAA and second team all-region.
#30 Brittney Lynch • 6-1 Fr. F • Omaha, Neb. • Elkhorn HS
Reached double figures for second time this year on December 17 against Missouri Western with 11 points...went 4 of 5 from the field that game...had breakout game with team-high 16 points and nine rebounds November 14 against Tabor...shot 6 of 10 from the field that game...has played off the bench in every game and is averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds...shooting 55 percent from the field...in high school she averaged 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds her senior year.
#32 Sierra Moeller • 6-1 Jr. F • Pierre, S.D. • Boise State
Has started all 17 games in her Washburn debut after sitting out two straight years...leading the team with 7.7 rebounds a game getting double figures seven times...scored season-high 16 points November 28 against Evangel while going 5 of 8 from the field and 6 of 9 from free throw line...second on the team with 18 blocks...missed last year after a knee injury in an exhibition game and missed 2009-10 after transferring from Boise State the year before...scored in double figures for first time with 11 points November 14 against Tabor and then added 15 against Southwestern the next time...averaging 7.4 points a game this year...as a freshman at Boise State in 2008-09 she averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds a game.
#33 Tiara George • 6-1 Jr. F • Baton Rouge, La. • Angelina CC
Played her first game in over a year on December 17 against Missouri Western...went 8 of 9 from the field for game-high 17 points...her second game, December 31 at UCM, she went 5 for 5 for 10 points and has scored double figures in three of her four games this year...is 23 of 30 (.767) from the field this year...transferred to Washburn midway though last year after playing junior college from 2008-09 to 2009-10...averaged 10.1 points and 8.7 rebounds a game and shot 56 percent in 2009-10 at Angelina CC (Texas).
#42 Ashley Timm • 5-10 Fr. G • Pratt, Kan. • Skyline Hs
Had her first collegiate action November 14 against Tabor, playing four minutes without a point...has played in three games for eight total minutes with a rebound...she helped Skyline High School to a sub-state runner-up finish three straight years.
#44 Laura McMullin • 6-1 Jr. F • Sedalia, Mo. • Sacred Heart HS
Has played in 15 games and is averaging 5.6 points and 3.5 rebounds...had a double-double November 18 against East Central with 10 points and 11 rebounds, the first double-double of the year for Washburn and second of her career...scored 11 points in opener against CSUDH off 5 of 7 shooting...also had six rebounds that game...shooting 48 percent from the field this year...averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds last year off the bench.