Men's Basketball | 1/1/2013 12:30:00 PM
TURNPIKE TUSSLE TIME
Emporia State travels to Topeka for a non-conference match-up with #8 Washburn. This is the first non-MIAA meeting between the two in the regular season since 1990-91
THE COACHES
Shaun Vandiver is 14-22 in his second season at Emporia State. A first round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1991 spent ten years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level. As a player he led Hutchinson CC to the 1988 NJCAA National Championship before earning first-team All-Big 8 honors at Colorado. He is 0-3 against Washburn.
Bob Chipman is 728-297 in his 34th season at Washburn. He is 50-23 against Emporia State.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State started their Holiday Break with a resounding 110-69 victory over Southwestern. Kaleb Wright scored a game high 25 points and was joined in double figures by Terrence Moore with 19, Paul Bunch with 14 points, Tre Boutilier with 12 and Michael Harris with 11 points. The Hornets shot .597 from the field for the game including a blistering .658 in the second half. Taylor Euler, Moore and Micha Swank each had five assists as Emporia State dished a season high 27 assists. They also connected on a season high 14 three pointers.
SCOUTING EMPORIA STATE
The Hornets are 5-4 on the season after playing six of their first nine on the road. Kaleb Wright is averaging 17.8 points per game to lead Emporia State. Paul Bunch is averaging 10.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
SCOUTING WASHBURN
The Ichabods are 7-1 on the year and 1-0 in the MIAA. They had won their first seven games by an average of 24.9 points before losing by 17 at Newman in their last game. Washburn’s first seven opponents have a combined record of 32-41. WU leads the MIAA in scoring, scoring margin, steals, turnover margin and assist to turnover ratio. Will McNeill is the leading scorer in the MIAA at 21.9 points per game and leads the league in steals with 3.8 per game.
SERIES HISTORY
According to Emporia State records this will be the 200th meeting between the two schools with Washburn holding a 100-99 advantage since the first meeting in 1905. The two teams have met every year since World War II. WU records indicate a 102-98 advantage for the Ichabods. Both schools agree that in the last ten years the series is tied at 12-12.
LAST TIME VS. THE ICHABODS
With the all-time series between long-time rivals Emporia State and Washburn tied at 99 games apiece entering the MIAA Tournament, it was fitting that the score at the half was tied at 26-26. Twelve second half turnovers spelled the end for the Hornets in a 67-51 loss to the top-seeded Ichabods. ESU was led by Taylor Euler with 12 points and was joined in double figures by Simmons with 11 and Antonio DiMaria with ten points.
UP NEXT
Emporia State will play their MIAA home opener against Ft. Hays State on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off against the Tigers is set for 3:30 p.m.
