Williams' last-second shot lifts Ichabods in MIAA opener

Dec. 9, 2006

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Senior guard Michael Williams hit a game-winning jumper with 1 second left to lead the Ichabods to a 77-76 win over Missouri Western State in both team’s MIAA opener at Lee Arena Saturday night. Washburn improved to 4-3 while the Griffons dropped to 6-2. The Ichabods will return to action next Saturday as they complete a home-and-away series with Cameron at 3:30 p.m. at CU.

Senior forward Frank Phifer and junior forward Brady Sisk each had double-doubles. Phifer led all scorers with a season-high 26 points and had 11 rebounds while Sisk had 12 points and led all players with 12 rebounds. Williams also reached double figures for Washburn with 12 points.

MWSU’s senior guard J.R. Reed, who led the Griffons with 22 points, hit a 3-pointer with seven seconds left to put his team up 76-75. After a timeout Williams ran the ball up the court and hit a pull-up jumper just inside the free throw line to give the Ichabods a 1-0 start to the conference season.

Washburn started the game on a 7-0 run and built a nine-point lead at 15-6 with 14:20 left in the first half. The Griffons fought back and took a 20-19 lead at the 6:59 mark and then built their lead to five before going into the locker room with a 34-31 lead.

MWSU shot 45 percent in the opening 20 minutes while the ’Bods shot 35 percent. Reed and junior center Jay McFarland each had 11 points.

Phifer was held to just six points in the first half. In the second half he exploded for 20 points off 6-of-8 shooting and eight made free throws. He finished the night 7-of-10 from the field and 12-of-14 from the line.

The Griffons held off the Ichabods for the first 10 minutes of the half, leading by as much as nine. Sophomore forward Paul Byers scored five straight points for WU off a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to cut the lead to four, 55-51 at 10:02. Phifer then made two more free throws to cut it to two before Reed hit a 3 to put the Griffons back up by five.

MWSU kept the lead until a pair of free throws from Phifer followed by a jumper from Williams gave WU a 71-67 lead at 1:56.

Down by two points with 34 seconds left, the Ichabods came out of their final timeout and Williams hit a 3-pointer to put WU up 74-73. Prior to making that basket, he was 0-for-5 from 3-point range in the game. After a missed shot from the Griffons and then a quick foul, WU’s junior guard Andrew Meile hit one of two free throws to put the Ichabods up by two.

Reed followed with his three and then Williams came back with the basket at the end to give the ’Bods the win.

Washburn shot 48 percent in the second half and finished the game shooting 42 percent. The Griffons shot 53 percent. Washburn made up the difference by out-rebounding MWSU 37-27 and going 25-of-37 from the free throw line while the Griffons were 10-of-16.

Junior guard Grant Hargett, making his first start of the year, led WU with four assists while Meile led with three steals.

NOTES: Washburn started junior guard Grant Hargett in place of injured junior forward Kyle Snyder. Hargett had four assists and a pair of rebounds…junior forward Dylan Channel played in his first game of the year after starting the season with an injury. He had one rebound and one assist in eight minutes…Washburn started the MIAA season 1-0 for the first time since 2003-04. They beat MWSU that year in the conference opener…Phifer has reached double figures every game this year and he had his second double-double of the year…Sisk had his second double-double of his career.The game was the second earliest start to the MIAA season. The Ichabods played on 11/30/96 against Central Missouri to start MIAA play that year...Washburn moved back over .500 on the season and has alternated wins and losses all season long since opening with a win.