The Missouri Western women's basketball team travels to Topeka on Thursday as they play Washburn at 5:30 p.m. inside Lee Arena.  MWSU wrapped up its three-game homestand on Tuesday with a 71-54 win over Newman and they went 3-0 in those games at home.  It's the Griffons first three-game winning streak since they won three in-a-row to wrap up the regular season last year.

After trailing 31-24 at halftime on Tuesday, Missouri Western used a 24-5 run to end the third quarter and they outscored Newman in the second half 47-23.  Mychaell Gray led four Griffs in double figures with 14 points.  Mary Fultz and Asia McCoy added 12 each, while Brionna Budgetts scored 10. 

This will be the second meeting between the Western and Washburn this season as WU defeated MWSU 61-49 on January 9.  The Ichabods raced out to an 18-2 lead before the Griffons rallied to make it a 30-24 game at halftime, but they never got closer than four points the rest of the way.  Logan Hughes and Brionna Budgetts led the way with 10 points each for the Griffons.  Hunter Bentley had 27 points and nine rebounds for WU.

The Ichabods are 7-10 this season as they had a game at Northwest Missouri State postponed on Tuesday.  Washburn has lost two straight and four of its last five.  They fell at Central Missouri their last time out, 62-56, on Saturday.  Bentley leads WU in scoring as she's averaging 16.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.  Nuria Barrientos is their second leading scored at 11.2 points and leads the Ichabods in rebounding at 8.4 per outing.  Ron McHenry (461-162, 279-116 MIAA) is in his 21st season as the head coach at Washburn.

Missouri Western leads the all-time series 56-42, but Washburn is 35-14 in games played in Topeka.  The Griffons did win at Lee Arena last season, 58-47, and are 2-2 in their last four games there.  Prior to that, WU had won seven straight at home and 10 of its last 11.

FINDING THEIR OFFENSE
The Griffons are averaging 72.3 points per game in their last three games, which is their best three-game scoring stretch of the season.  They shot over 45% in two of the three games and shot 45.3% (82-181) during the homestand.  That's also their best three-game shooting stretch of the season.  MWSU has also made 37.9% (22-of-58) of their three-point field goals in their last three games despite shooting just 29.5% from behind the arc this season.

DEFENDING THE 3
The Griffons are now second in the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage defense (27.4%).  Only three opponents have shot better than 40% from three this season.  Western has held 11 teams to under 40% shooting overall and they've held 12 opponents to 67 points or less this season.

FORCING TURNOVERS
Missouri Western has forced 19 or more turnovers six times this season and 14 or more in 11 games.  They rank second in the MIAA in turnovers forced per game (16.7) after forcing Newman to commit 28 turnovers on Tuesday.

ON THE GLASS
MWSU is third in the MIAA in offensive rebounds (12.5) this season.  They are sixth in the league in rebounds per game (38.0).  MWSU has had at least 38 rebounds in ten games and they've added 11 or more offensive rebounds in 11 games this season. 

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Missouri Western is relying on many young players this season after graduating six seniors and losing all five starters off their 21-8 team last season.  The Griffons have nine first-year players and just six that played in a Griffon uniform prior to this season.

MINUTES PLAYED PER CLASS
Freshman - 1442 (42.4% of teams total minutes)
Sophomore - 661 (19.4%)
Junior - 395 (11.6%)
Senior - 902 (26.5%)

MINUTES PLAYED PER YEAR OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PROGRAM
1st Year – 2075 (61.0% of teams total min. played)
2nd Year – 1241 (36.5%)
3rd Year – 84 (2.5%)

POINTS SCORED PER CLASS
Freshman - 404 (39.0% of teams total points)
Sophomore - 280 (27.0%)
Junior - 126 (12.2%)
Senior - 226 (21.8%)
 
POINTS SCORED PER YEAR OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PROGRAM
1st Year – 646 (62.4% of teams total points scored)
2nd Year – 365 (35.4%)
3rd Year – 25 (2.4%)