By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After an impressive start to the 2025-2026 season with a pair of double-digit wins in Florida, No. 2-ranked Washburn University men's basketball will end a layoff of nearly two weeks when it plays back-to-back games in the Central Regional Challenge Friday and Saturday at Pittsburg State.
Sophomore Dillon Claussen is averaging 22.5 points and 12.5 rebounds through Washburn's first two games entering this weekend's Central Regional Challenge in Pittsburg. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods will face Minnesota State-Moorhead at 7 p.m. Friday before taking on Winona State at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Both WU foes advanced to the NCAA Central Regional Tournament last season, with the Ichabods taking a 93-65 win over the Dragons in the NCAA Central Regional Championship in Lee Arena to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight.
"Going 2-0 was definitely the goal,'' said Washburn 6-foot-8 sophomore standout Dillon Claussen. "We wanted to come back 2-0 and against Dallas Baptist we got down early, but our coaches preach that it's a 40-minute fight down, so we stayed with it and got the job done.
"Augusta was a litle short-handed, but DB is definitely a super good team and to be able to beat them like that is big.''
Washburn coach Brett Ballard also felt that the Florida trip was a solid showing for the Ichabods.
"Augusta was great because we got out to a great start and then didn't let our foot off the gas and got to play a lot of guys, so that was awesome,'' Ballard said. "And then Dallas Baptist, although you don't want to dig yourself a hole, it was a really good opportunity for us to see how we were going to react to that with a new team.
"I thought we didn't really ever flinch and loved how we had some guys off the bench come in and help us and then how we just responded to that challenge and rose to the moment. It's early, but I think that's a really positive time for this team.''
In Washburn's win over Augusta Ichabod junior newcomer Jeremiah Jones had eight steals and he followed that performance with seven steals against Dallas Baptist, setting a Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic record.Following the conclusion of the Hall of Fame Classic, Claussen, Jones and junior Jack Bachelor were named to the 10-person all-classic team.
Junior Jack Bachelor is averaging 20 points with eight 3-pointers and 13 assists for 2-0 and No. 2-ranked Washburn. [File photo/TSN]Ryan Heise joins Winona State following a strong redshirt freshman 2024-25 campaign for Upper Iowa University, where he averaged 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds for Upper Iowa.
Washburn will get its first home game of the season in the newly renovated Lee Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19, hosting Rockhurst at 7 p.m.
