Welcome to Top Sports News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The No. 3-ranked and top-seeded Washburn Ichabods delivered a wire-to-wire rout Sunday, overwhelming Rogers State 91-59 to capture the 2026 MIAA Tournament championship at Municipal Auditorium.

MIAA Tournament MVP Jack Bachelor hoists the championship trophy after Sunday's 91-59 win over Rogers State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

The Ichabods never trailed, controlling all 40 minutes and improving to 31-1 on the season while securing the MIAA's automatic bid and surpassing their 30-win total in 2024-2025.

"I'm really proud of our guys,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "We came out ready to play. I thought our intensity and our focus to start that game was at a really high level. That first half was about as good as you can play basketball.

"We probably caught Rogers on a little bit of an off night. They obviously weren't on their 'A' game. I think we had a lot to do with that, but they clearly didn't play as well as they're capable and sometimes that happens.'' 

Washburn will host the NCAA Central Regional Tournament for the second year in a row starting Saturday in Lee Arena. WU will host Minnesota-Duluth (21-11) on Saturday, with game times to be announced as soon as available.

"I just love the way our guys have approached the daily process to this,'' Ballard said. "Our shoot-around this morning was good and every part of the process has been good and when you prepare that way it gives you a chance to play at a high level.'' 

Washburn senior Bryson Smith opened the game with a hoop and junior Jeremiah Jones followed with a 3-pointer, setting the tone for the day with an early 5-0 burst.

Washburn dominated the glass from the outset, piling up 15 offensive rebounds in the first half alone while holding Rogers State to zero.

Washburn junior Jack Bachelor received the MIAA Tournament MVP award Sunday after Washburn's 91-59 win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN] 

Junior Jack Bachelor, who was named the tournament most valuable player, connected on multiple threes in the opening minutes and a transition trey by Smith pushed the Ichabod lead to 22-10 just before the 13-minute mark.

Washburn senior Brady Christiansen cuts down the nets after a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double in Sunday's 91-59 win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Senior Brady Christiansen was a force, collecting 12 first-half rebounds -- eight on the offensive end – and his follow shot at the 6:39 mark pushed the Washburn margin to 36-20 and the Ichabods carried a huge 49-25 margin into the halftime break.

Rogers State (21-10) never had an answer as Washburn opened the second half with a 14-1 run.

Christiansen drilled a three to make it a 54-25 game, and moments later a Jones tip-in extended the lead to 31 points.

Bachelor scored on a fastbreak layup with 8:19 remaining to give Washburn its largest lead of the afternoon at 77-38, a 39-point cushion. 

Smith led the Ichabods with 21 points, knocking down two threes and adding five rebounds.

Christiansen, an all-tournament pick, registered a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds for his second double double in as many games.

"It's championship Sunday and I was going to give it my all,'' Christiansen said. "I just think from the start, that first offensive rebound that I got kind of set the tone for the game.

"We had 52 rebounds and I don't know if that's a season high but that's incredible. It wasn't just me, it was everyone and I just couldn't be more proud of the team.''

Bachelor added 14 points, with four 3-pointers, and dished out nine assists.

All-tourney pick Jones recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and three steals while sophomore Tyson Ruud, making his second straight start in place of injured Ichabod standout Dillon Claussen, scored 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting.

All five Ichabod starters reached double figures. 

Washburn finished with a huge 52-25 rebounding advantage and the Ichabods shot 46.5 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from three, while holding Rogers State to 38.8 percent shooting overall and 33.3 percent from outside the 3-point arc. 

The Ichabods won their first MIAA Tournament title since the 2021 season and the first in Kansas City since 2012.

Bachelor was named the MVP after games of 24, 27 and 14 points while also dishing out 22 assists with only two turnovers and hitting 16 3s during the three games.

"Dudes have been locked in,'' Bachelor said. "Like coach said, we were very focused this week. We got here Wednesday and that's a long trip and it could be easy to get your eyes off what the goal is, but our guys were locked in and that's what we showed tonight.

"We'll get locked back in this week and ready for that national tournament.''

Christiansen was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 14.3 points and 10 rebounds in the tournament while hitting 50 percent of his 3-point shots (7 of 14).

Fellow all-tourney pick Jones set an MIAA single-game tournament steals record with eight  in the semis against Missouri Western.

The Ichabods recorded the largest margin of victory in an MIAA Tournament game, with the 32-point win topping the previous mark of 29 set in 2019.

Washburn's men's title followed a championship by the Ichabod women in the first game of the day, a 53-44 win over Central Missouri.

It was the first time since 2012 that a school had won both MIAA Tournament titles, when Washburn also accomplished that feat.

"I'm really happy for coach Wes (Lora Westling) and her ladies,'' Ballard said. "I've watched coach build this program the last few years. She's done it the right way, she works really hard at it, she's organized, she's detailed.

"She's brought this senior group of girls up along with her and you could see them get better year by year and they're playing at a really high level, so we were really excited and happy for them.'' 

WASHBURN MEN 91, ROGERS STATE 59