KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Washburn Ichabods reached their first MIAA Tournament Championship game since the 2004 season with a 56-43 win over Missouri Western in Municipal Auditorium. The Ichabods will take on Nebraska-Omaha on Sunday at 4 p.m.

The Ichabods fell behind by six after the Griffons opened a 9-3 lead 2:54 into the game as the teams would trade leads three times in the opening 20 minutes. The Ichabods took the lead for good in the half on a 3-pointer by De’Andre Washington at 25-24 at with 3:54 remaining in the half. Neither team would score the remainder of the frame as the Ichabods took the one-point advantage into the halftime locker room.

Each team was 9 of 25 in the first half from the field as the Ichabods hit four 3-pointers compared to two for the Griffons.

In the second half, the Griffons took a quick lead at 27-25 on a 3-pointer by Quentin Noblin but a lay up by Logan Stutz knotted the score at 27. After a 3-point play by Stutz put the Ichabods up 30-27 with 18:19 to play in the game, the Griffons hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 30.

A jumper in the paint by Washington put the Ichabods up for good at 32-30 with 14:06 to play and they would not look back as they built a lead as many as the final margin of 13 with 48 seconds to play in the game.

Stutz finished with a game-high 19 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field and Washington recorded his 11th double double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Marcus Rhodes led the Griffons with 17 points.

Washburn held the Griffons to 19 points in the second half limiting Missouri Western to 5 of 20 from the field and a combined 14 of 45 for the game for a 31 percent average. On the other hand the Ichabods were 10 of 16 in the half for a 63 percent average while shooting 19 of 41 for the game for a 46 percent average. The Ichabods outscored the Griffons 28 to 16 in the paint.

Notes:

* The win was the 29th win for Bob Chipman in the MIAA Tournament – the most in the tournament’s history.

* The Ichabods improved to 3-4 all-time against the Griffons in the MIAA Tournament and improved to 9-7 all-time in the semis of the MIAA Tournament.

* The Ichabods are 4-4 all-time in MIAA Tournament championship games.

* The last MIAA Tournament championship for the Ichabods came in the 2000-01 season.

* In the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City, the Ichabods are 9-5 all-time.

* In MIAA Tournament Championship games in Kansas City, the Ichabods are 0-2.