SHANE WILSON

They did it.

The Emporia State women’s basketball team, in epic fashion, took home the crown jewel of the nation – the National Championship trophy.

I’ve said it in the past, believing myself for the most part, but it turned out to be true. This team had the potential to do extraordinary things, and they did just that last Friday night in St. Joseph, Mo.

Big time players come up with big time plays late into March, and that certainly was the case for this Emporia State team over the course of the six-game 2010 postseason. Brittney Miller, Cassondra Boston and Alli Volkens all made the Elite Eight All-Tournament team, with Volkens capturing the MVP award.

Each player contributed something special to ESU’s magical run to the National Championship. Miller provided excellent on-ball defense and, with her ability to create around the basket, allowed her team to score in more ways than usual. Boston, the natural leader of the team, was nearly lethal when driving to the hoop – something those who have followed her throughout her tenure as a Hornet will surely miss. Boston’s efforts throughout the season earned her several All-American selections from various outlets across the country.

Volkens was on an entirely different level. She was in the zone. She was a forced to be reckoned with on the low block. After looking at her stat sheet (and the MVP award), it’s hard to argue that even her presence in the paint changed the course of the game.

Volkens was unreal.

Needless to say, these three women couldn’t have done the job alone. A truly gifted supporting cast stepped up and made big plays when they needed to in every facet.

For instance, Rachel Hanf’s three consecutive three-pointers all but sealed the deal for the Hornets on their way to defeating Ft. Lewis in the final game of the season. While Boston was forced to sit on the bench due to foul trouble, Lacy Corker provided steady production and reliability at the point. Even Jocelyn Cummings, who had seen sparse minutes throughout the season, came off the bench and provided a spark for the Hornets when they needed it in both the quarters and the semis.

It should also go without saying that the key players and the supporting cast couldn’t have gone as far as they did without leadership and a great game plan from the head coach. In the Elite Eight, Brandon Schneider coached three masterpieces in a row – always knowing when to substitute, who to substitute, who to call on for a big play. It was evident that Schneider’s experience and preparation with this team paid off in a big way.

The Emporia State faithful even played a significant role in the domination of Ft. Lewis. The Civic Arena in St. Joseph was packed with ESU students, faculty, alumni and just plain fans of the game to see the Hornets win.

The place was so loud due to the fans’ chants and cheers, rants and raves that I think both teams got the message: Emporia State isn’t leaving Missouri without a championship.

I think we know how the rest goes.

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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – It took an extra period for the Emporia State women’s basketball team to defeat #1 Gannon in the Final Four last night. The Hornets’ 97-94 overtime victory catapulted them to the NCAA Division II National Championship at 7 p.m. this Friday in St. Joseph, Mo.

Gannon started off on a 4-0 run in the opening minutes until sophomore guard Brittney Miller hit two free throws to set the score at 2-4. It wasn’t until just over 16 minutes in the half remained that the Hornets tied the game with a jumpshot, then took the lead, 7-4, on a three-pointer from senior guard Jamie Augustyn.

The Knights went on a 7-0 run to pull the score out to 11-7 until a three-pointer from freshman guard Rachel Hanf set the score at 14-10 in favor of GU with just over 12 minutes in the half.

Out of a media timeout, senior guard Cassondra Boston nailed a trey to cut the Knights’ lead to three.

Another media timeout paused the action with ESU trailing the Knights 19-22 with 7:55 to play in the initial half.

The Hornets finally took the lead, 29-28, off of a drive to the lane from Hanf. The final timeout on the floor saw Emporia State trailing Gannon 29-32 with 2:55 remaining in the half.

ESU went into the half leading GU, 40-39.

The Knights started the second half off hot, going on a 3-0 run until a three ball from Augustyn gave ESU a one-point advantage, 43-42.

After several lead changes, a timeout on the floor stopped the action at the 15:05 mark with the Hornets behind Gannon by two, 47-49.

Following the timeout, GU went on an 8-0 run that put them up by 10 over the Hornets, which forced ESU Coach Brandon Schneider to call timeout. The timeout didn’t seem to focus the Hornets, as Gannon went up by as much as 16 until junior forward Alli Volkens converted on a traditional three-point play.

A media timeout came with 6:35 remaining in the contest, Emporia State trailing Gannon 65-76. Like the game versus Michigan Tech, the momentum swung in the Hornets favor late in the game as ESU saw themselves down only by five, 71-76, with 5:10 left in the game. Thanks to a three-pointer from Augustyn, the Hornets cut the deficit to two when the final media timeout stopped the game with the Hornets down 76-78 with 3:58 to play.

Emporia State cut the lead to one at 78-79, but the Knights went on a 5-0 run to slightly pull away from the Hornets. With 17.8 seconds on the clock and ESU trailing Gannon 85-87, Schneider called timeout to call one final play for his team.

On the inbounds, Boston took the ball and hit senior guard Lacy Corker on the left wing who in turn passed it to Volkens. Volkens took it to the rim and scored, tying the game at 87-all with 7.8 seconds left before GU Coach Cleve Wright called timeout.

The Knights couldn’t come up with a basket, so the game went into overtime.

A pair of free throws from Miller tied the game up at 92-all with two and a half minutes to play in the overtime period.

With just over 21 seconds remaining, Corker drove the lane and came up short on the basket but was fouled on the way there – Corker drained both shots, putting ESU up by two, 96-94. Another Gannon timeout came with 17.8 seconds remaining.

The Knights ended up throwing the ball away with five seconds remaining and fouled Lenard on the ensuing inbounds, giving her the chance to shoot two. Lenard made the second shot, leaving GU less than four seconds to score.

Gannon could not convert as the Hornets went on to win the contest 97-94.

Schneider said that a quick change to a zone defense late in the game played a big part in the win for the Hornets.

“We had to play a zone defense, and guys, we never practice zone defense,” Schneider said. “(We) made some mistakes in it obviously, but I’m not so sure that it didn’t win us the ballgame.”

Boston led the Hornets in scoring with 21, followed closely by Volkens with 20 and Miller with 18. Miller also nabbed eight rebounds.

According to Boston, patience was a key to getting back into the game after going down by double digits.

“Brandon (Schneider) told us that we were starting to shoot ourselves out of the game,” Boston said. “We were trying to be more patient and get it into Alli (Volkens) so she could put it in right under the hoop.”

Corker agreed.

“You have to have patience,” Corker said. “In a situation like this, when you’re trying to go for a championship, we have to be focused and have faith in each other and we did tonight.”

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Senior guard Cassondra Boston attacks the MTU defense Tuesday night in the St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph Mo. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

With a trip to the Final Four on the line, the Emporia State women’s basketball team rose to the occasion and beat Michigan Tech University Tuesday night, 91-85.

The win gave the Hornets a birth in the National Semifinal for the first time since 1999.

Senior guard Lacy Corker drove the lane to give the Hornets their first points of the contest. Following a Tech three pointer, sophomore guard Brittney Miller hit a trey of her own, bringing the score to 5-3.

Michigan Tech went on a 9-2 run that was halted by the first media timeout of the game with 15:48 left to play in the half and a 12-7 lead. After the timeout and another Huskies basket, senior guard Sophia Lenard earned her first two points on the night on a slashing move to the basket.

Senior guard Lacy Corker takes a three point shot Tuesday night against MTU in St. Joseph Mo. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

Another Michigan Tech three pointer led to another Lenard drive – this time, she was fouled and made the free throw, converting on the traditional three-point play which cut the Huskies’ lead to three, 17-14.

Junior forward Negesti Taylor scored on the low block, getting the Hornets within one, until on the ensuing Hornets possession, Lenard knocked down a three-pointer in transition which gave ESU a 19-17 lead with11:46 remaining in the first half.

A timeout on the floor stopped the action with 7:58 left in the half, the Hornets trailing the Huskies by one, 23-24.

A basket on the low block from junior forward Alli Volkens tied the game at 27-all with just over five minutes remaining in the half.

The final media timeout saw Emporia State down by one point, 31-32, with 3:18 left in the half.

Both teams traded points back and forth until a timeout from ESU Coach Brandon Schneider paused the action with 32.7 seconds on the clock and a 35-37 deficit. The half ended with the same score.

To start the second half, a pair of free throws from Taylor tied the game at 37-all, which was followed by a layup from senior guard Cassondra Boston that gave the Hornets a two point lead.

After a series of trading baskets, a three-pointer from Boston gave ESU a two point edge, 46-44, with just over 15 minutes in the game.

Junior center Nejesti Taylor shoots over a MTU dfender Tuesday night in St. Joseph Mo. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

Following a media timeout, two more free throws from Volkens pushed the Hornets’ lead to four, 48-44. A basket down low and another pair of charity points from Volkens led the Hornets to a 52-46 lead with 12:30 left in the contest.

Momentum on their side, Emporia State went up by 10, 64-54, with 8:30 left to play thanks to a traditional three point play from Volkens that was followed up by a three-pointer form senior guard Jamie Augustyn. However, the Huskies came back with a 5-0 run that forced Schneider to call timeout with 7:21 to play and the score at 64-59 in favor of ESU.

Out of the timeout, the Hornets put together a small run of their own, getting score to 70-59 with just over six minutes in the game.

The final media timeout of the game came with 3:46 remaining and Emporia State commanding an eight point lead over Michigan Tech, 76-68.

In the end, the deficit couldn’t be overcome by the Huskies as the Hornets went on to win the contest, 91-85.

Schneider commented on his team’s efforts after the game.

“I’m obviously really proud of our guys because I think we just beat a really, really good basketball team,” Schneider said.

Volkens led the Hornets in scoring with a career high 28-point outing on 10-11 shooting from the field, along with eight rebounds and three blocks.

Boston believed that it was Volkens’ time to shine.

“Alli just had a great night tonight,” Boston said. “It was her night tonight. She was on.”

Volkens said that she was in the zone throughout the contest.

“I guess I was feeling it a little bit,” Volkens said. “They were kind of sagging off, and I was open so I just shot it.”

Lenard contributed 22 points off the bench, and Boston added 19 of her own along with eight assists to round out the Hornets in double figures.

Up next for the Hornets is a trip to the Final Four where the team will play #1 Gannon University (37-0) at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in St. Joseph, Mo.

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Senior guard Sophia Lenard shoots over a FHSU defender Thursday night during the first round of the MIAA Tournament. The Hornets beat the Tigers 72-66.

After a rough start, the Emporia State women’s basketball team was able to pull together and defeat Ft. Hays State 72-66 in the first round of MIAA Tournament action.

A trio of three-pointers late in the game from senior guard Jamie Augustyn led the Hornets to come back from a large deficit.

“I just did what I do,” Augustyn said. “My teammates did a really good job of finding me open, so I just shot it.”

Freshman guard Jocelyn Cummings was the first to score for the Hornets on a slashing move to the basket. With just over 17:30 to play in the first half, the Hornets found themselves down 3-7 thanks to a pivotal Ft. Hays three-pointer.

The first media timeout of the half stopped the action at the 15:56 mark with ESU trailing the Tigers 5-7. Following the timeout, the Tigers went on a 4-0 run until senior guard Sophia Lenard made a basket in the paint.

Another media timeout saw the Hornets still trailing Ft. Hays State, 9-15, with 11:20 remaining in the half.

ESU Coach Brandon Schneider was forced to call a timeout when the Tigers’ lead extended to 11 with 8:09 left in the half.

Senior guard Lacy Corker made a three-pointer following the timeout, cutting Ft. Hays State’s lead to eight, 12-20. Two straight treys from Ft. Hays’ Naomi Bancroft put the Hornets behind by 14 with just over six minutes to play in the half. The final timeout on the floor of the half saw the Tigers with a 29-17 lead over Emporia State with 3:27 remaining.

Senior guard Lacy Corker puts up a 3 point shot Thursday night in Kansas City.

A well executed offensive play by the Hornets saw Cummings take it to the rim and score, cutting the lead to 10. A pair of free throws from Lenard and a slashing basket by Boston saw the Hornets pull within six of Ft. Hays’ lead, 23-29, with just over a minute to play in the opening period.

A three-pointer from the Tigers gave them a nine point cushion going into halftime with a 32-23 lead over ESU.

Schneider said that Hays’ effort in the first half proved to be formidable.

“In the first half, Hays was really good,” Schneider said. “I really felt like the difference between the two halves (was) Hays’ seniors played like they wanted to play another game. They out-competed our seniors.”

Boston led the Hornets in their comeback effort with seven early second half points. A timeout on the floor stopped the action at the 11:33 mark with the Hornets trailing the Tigers 38-47.

Augustyn sparked the comeback by the Hornets, who cut the Tigers lead to four at 43-47 with just under 10 minutes to play. Junior forward Alli Volkens followed up Augustyn’s basket with one of her own on the low block, setting the score to 47-45 in favor of FHSU. Another three-pointer from Augustyn that led the Hornets to within one of the Tigers’ lead, 48-49, led to a timeout by Ft. Hays Coach Tony Hobson.

Senior guard Cassondra Boston attacks the FHSU defense Thursday night in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.

Following the timeout, ESU finally took the lead thanks to yet another Augustyn three-pointer. The Hornets went on a 7-2 run after the timeout by Ft. Hays, bringing the score to 55-51 in favor of Emporia State with just over five minutes remaining in the contest.

Boston said that it was at this point the seniors realized it was time to step up.

“We knew we had to pick it up right then and there,” Boston said. “I just kept stressing that every possession mattered. We couldn’t take any possessions off.”

Ft. Hays went on a small run of their own to tie the game up at 55 with 4:08 left to play.

The final media timeout saw ESU leading FHSU 58-57 at the 3:37 mark.

A myriad of lead changes occurred in the final few minutes of the game until a hard earned basket on the low block by Volkens stretched the Hornets’ lead to three, 66-63, with 1:04 remaining in the half.

Following a FHSU timeout, a trip to the charity stripe for Boston led to two more points, extending their lead to five, 68-63 with under a minute to play.

Boston gave the Hornets four more free throw points as the team left the court with a victory over the Tigers, 72-66.

Boston led all scorers with 23 on 6 of 18 shooting. Augustyn chipped in 11 points, while Volkens and senior guard Lacy Corker added 10 points each.

The Hornets will now face Central Missouri in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:15 on March 6 at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

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SHANE WILSON

It’s all or nothing from here on out.

That is what’s probably on the mind of every Emporia State men’s basketball player right about now. If I were in the same predicament, it would definitely be in the forefront of my mind. Let me reiterate.

It’s all or nothing from here on out.

In the most epic of circumstances, this team came through to get to postseason play. With a trip to the MIAA Tournament on the line, ESU beat hated rival Washburn – in overtime, no less. The stakes were high, and this team shined like it hadn’t all season long.

So now what?

You’d think after a game like the last one against Washburn, this men’s team could just go home and relax. Take a break. Think about something else. Maybe even wax nostalgic about what a great game that was.

Not hardly.

It should be every apparent that a trip to the MIAA Tournament is serious business. The winner of the tournament receives the conference’s automatic bid to play in the regional tournament – and a chance to continue their season.

I’d have a hard time believing anyone involved in the MIAA Tournament is taking it easy in light of the implications. Don’t be fooled – this Emporia State men’s basketball team is probably preparing like their livelihood depends on it.

That’s because it does.

One loss in the tournament signifies the end of the road. The hopes and dreams for that team, particularly the seniors, will be dashed with a single blemish on the tournament bracket. The winner, however, will have the opportunity to fight another day.

I think the “win or go home” attitude can’t possibly be overstated.

I know many of you are thinking that this team is not prepared to do battle in the conference tournament. With a loss like the team had against Ft. Hays State less than a week ago (47-94), it’s hard to imagine a successful outcome for the Hornets come Friday when they face – you guessed it – Ft. Hays State.

What people don’t realize is that it is very difficult for a team to beat another team more than once in a season, let alone three times. Don’t let the recent 3-0 run from the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys over the Philadelphia Eagles lead you to believe different.

When the Hornets face off against the Tigers of Ft. Hays State, it will be quite the skirmish. Hays is playing for the right to continue on in the MIAA Tournament, too. The game will be close, and when you see the look in an Emporia State player’s eyes, you might just know what it is now: determination. Determination and fear. Not the kind of fear that turns your head away from a scary movie, the kind of fear that pushes you to the edge of excellence. Or failure.

It’s all or nothing from here on out.

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Emporia State's first baseman Kenny Burkhead eye's in a throw from the pitcher to get the second out of the inning against Wayne State Tuesday. The Hornets fell to Wildcats 3-7. Kenny Thompson/The Bulletin

A rough outing on the mound for the Emporia State baseball team led to a 7-3 loss to the Wildcats of Wayne State last Tuesday. The loss marks the Hornets’ second of the season.

Coach Bob Fornelli said he was unhappy with his team’s lack of competitiveness on the field.

“We didn’t throw strikes, we didn’t compete at the plate, we had one miscue defensively that really cost us,” Fornelli said. “Again, we’ve got to play every day, the right way, and that’s to compete and play hard. We’ve played nine games now…and I don’t know if we’ve done all that stuff. It’s my job to figure out how to get them to compete, and I promise you before it’s all said and done we are going to compete.”

Junior pitcher Spencer Blades got the start for the Hornets on the mound. Blades had a fairly productive day, pitching four innings while allowing no runs, two hits and striking out four batters.

While Blades had a productive outing, several other Hornets pitchers did not take part in similar success. Junior pitcher Keith Spreckles followed Blades’ performance with three earned runs and no strikeouts in two thirds of an inning.

Senior pitcher Brett Mize relieved Spreckles of his duties but did not fare much better. Mize allowed three runs to score with no strikeouts in one third of an inning.

Blades believed that walks might have been the major problem in the outing.

“We had a lot of walks today,” Blades said. “I think that was the biggest part to them scoring all of their runs”

The Hornets also struggled mightily at the plate. Junior infielder Kevin Wempe scored twice for ESU on a 1-3 day, while senior outfielder Jeremy Francis scored once on a 0-4 performance.

In fact, only two Hornets connected with multiple fair balls the entire game. One of whom, junior outfielder Travis Whipple, was frustrated with his team’s inability to play to their own strengths.

“I think we underachieved a lot today,” Whipple said. “We have to come out early and put pressure on guys. Everybody’s coming out to give us their best, for sure, because of our ranking. Right now we’re not playing up to our capabilities.”

The most evident point of the game which showed how much the Hornets were truly struggling came in the top of the fifth inning. A fly ball was hit directly above Wempe near third base, and while junior infielder Andy Cotton came to Wempe’s aid, neither of the players caught the ball as it hit the ground untouched. The play resulted in an easy on-base for the Wayne State batter.

“I think Wempe lost control maybe a little bit, and Cotton gave up because he thought Wempe was going to catch it,” Fornelli said. “We’ve made too many miscues in the infield. No excuses – we’ve got to get better.”

The Hornets will next face Ft. Hays State on the road. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 5 in Hays.

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SHANE WILSON

Where’s the love for Division II?

It’s pretty easy to find information on virtually every NCAA Division I team in the country. The Entertainment Sports Programming Network (ESPN) has a bevy of information, stats and otherwise, readily available for anybody who wishes to view it. In-depth analysis, previews, reviews and even live coverage are at the fingertips of every sports lover who has a television or the internet.

Why is that sort of information harder to access for Division II?

There’s really only one answer I could think of – money.

Division I schools are typically the more high profile institutions with high enrollment numbers and big time sports programs. These colleges bring in big bucks when it comes to sports revenue – ticket sales are just a portion of the thousands of dollars these schools bring in. With a larger alumni pool, there’s more of an opportunity for donors contributing to a program’s facilities, scholarships, etc.

It’s simple when you first think about it. Larger schools who are members of bigger conferences like the ACC, SEC, Pac 10 or the Big XII bring in the big bucks.

Does that mean these schools hold more entertainment value?

I think not.

The obvious differences in competition aside, Division II sports provide an excellent opportunity for athletes and fans alike to participate in the art of sport. Athletes who did not have the opportunity to participate in the upper echelon of their respective sports have the chance to be a part of something bigger than themselves, albeit on a smaller stage.

Sports enthusiasts who enjoy a more “pure” form of the game can marvel at the sights and sounds of Division II sports. Athletes who engage in this competition are less likely to be centrally motivated by money or fame.

It’s really too bad that ESPN, the self proclaimed “Worldwide Leader in Sports,” doesn’t have a good pulse on Division II. There are rankings and the occasional story or two on the Web site, but it just isn’t good enough.

The argument is similar, in part, to the market debate in professional sports. Take a large market team like the Philadelphia Eagles, who have seen their ups and downs over the past few decades, and compare them to a small market team like the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Eagles play in a larger market than most, allowing them more consistent coverage and exposure. The Chiefs, on the other hand, play in a small market, hampering their ability to consistently bring in big name free agents and gain a steady dose of national exposure.

Philadelphia represents Division I. Big money markets, big money schools – same difference. The small-market Chiefs are similar to Division II. Less exposure and revenue usually equals less highly-touted recruits.

The assumption is a smaller school can’t produce entertaining, highly competitive sporting events.

I’d like to hear someone who has watched an MIAA basketball game say that.

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The Emporia State women’s basketball team fell short of capturing the #1 seed for the upcoming MIAA Tournament as they fell to rival Washburn 63-51

Shooting was a major concern for the Hornets – ESU only shot 28.8 percent from the field.

“We just didn’t hit shots when we needed to,” said senior guard Cassondra Boston. “Obviously we didn’t shoot very well tonight. Usually we do shoot pretty well here. Tonight that wasn’t the case.”

ESU Coach Brandon Schneider concurred.

“We just didn’t make enough baskets and finish enough plays in the first half to take advantage of their foul situation,” Schneider said.

The Ichabods started off hot, jumping out to an early 11-4 lead with just over 16 minutes to play in the first half. The first media timeout of the half stopped the action with the score still the same with 14:38 to play.

Emporia State’s scoring drought was finally ended after the media timeout by a drive to the basket by Boston.

The Hornets closed to within three of Washburn’s lead, 8-11, with just over 11 minutes in the half thanks to a banked jump shot from senior guard Sophia Lenard. After an easy bucket from Washburn’s Dayna Rodriguez, senior guard Jamie Augustyn answered with a three-pointer, bringing the score to 11-13 in favor of the Ichabods.

Following a timeout on the floor, sophomore guard Brittney Miller tied the game at 13 with a layup. The teams were neck and neck at 15-all until a Washburn three-pointer gave the Ichabods a three point lead.

With under two minutes to play in the first half, the Hornets trailed the Ichabods 15-20. Another Washburn three ball gave the Ichabods an eight point advantage over the Hornets with 1:22 remaining in the first half.

The Hornets went into the locker room at the half trailing Washburn 21-25.

Washburn started out the second half much like they did the first with an 8-3 run that set the score at 24-33 in favor of Washburn. The first timeout on the floor of the half paused the action with the Hornets still trailing the Ichabods, 26-35, with 14:24 to play in the contest.

The Hornets, however, would not go away easily, as an offensive surge in the paint led by junior forward Alli Volkens brought ESU within one point of Washburn’s lead, 34-35, before the Ichabods called a timeout with 11:22 left to play.

Schneider called timeout at the 8:19 mark when the Ichabods’ lead stretched to six at 37-43 to regroup the shaky Hornets.

The final timeout on the floor saw ESU trailing Washburn 41-50 with 4:23 left to play in the contest.

Thanks to two quick baskets, the Hornets cut Washburn’s lead to five, 45-50, before WU called timeout with 2:40 left. Following the timeout, the Ichabods went on a 9-0 tear to pull away from the Hornets.

The Hornets eventually fell to Washburn, 51-63.

Volkens said that the team’s focus was probably on games in the future.

“We might have looked ahead a little bit too far,” Volkens said. “Our motto is ‘take it one day at a time’…we didn’t do that.”

Boston led the Hornets in scoring with 13, followed by Lenard with 11 and Volkens with 10 points.

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Senior guard Lamar Wilbern races against a Washburn defender Wednesday night at White Auditorium. Wilbern scored 21 points helping the Hornets beat the Ichabods 71-62.

It was do or die time for the Hornets of Emporia State – thanks to senior guard Lamar Wilbern’s 21 points, the Hornets outlasted the Washburn Ichabods in overtime, 71-62

ESU Coach David Moe was pleased with his team’s performance.

“In the end I thought it was a great win for us,” Moe said.

The Ichabods lit up the scoreboard first with a traditional three point play, which was quickly followed by a three-pointer from senior guard Jeremiah Box. A timeout on the floor stopped the action with the Hornets leading WU 9-5 with 14:55 left to play in the first half.

Washburn battled back to tie the game at 9-all until a fade away jumper from Wilbern separated the teams by two points, 11-9. Another media timeout saw the Hornets trailing the Ichabods 11-13 with 9:38 to play in the half.

With the Hornets trailing WU by five, Wilbern stepped up and hit a big time three-pointer to bring Emporia State within two, 16-18 with just under four minutes to play in the half.

A Washburn timeout stopped the game with 17.2 seconds remaining in the half. The Hornets trailed the Ichabods by four, 21-25, heading into the locker room at halftime.

Box scored first for the Hornets to start the second half on a layup down the middle of the lane.

After a small run by Washburn, Emporia State started hitting shots that cut the lead to one at 28-29 – Washburn Coach Bob Chipman called timeout with 16:12 left to play in the contest.

The Hornets took the lead, 35-34, at the 11:21 mark courtesy of a trey from Wilbern. A media timeout stopped the game with Emporia State trailing WU 35-36 with 9:57 remaining in the contest.

With the game tied at 37-all, senior guard Dustin Andrews took a pivotal charge with just under nine minutes to play, giving the Hornets the opportunity to take possession. Senior guard Tim Niles hit a three-pointer to give the Hornets a three point lead, 40-37, before Moe called a timeout. The final media timeout saw the Hornets with a 46-44 edge over the Ichabods with 3:22 left to play in the second half.

A charging violation against Washburn led to a WU timeout by a frustrated Chipman, with the Hornets leading 48-46 with 1:44 remaining. After the timeout, junior forward Adam Holthaus hit a shot in the paint, which was followed by a Washburn three-pointer, setting the score at 50-49 in favor of ESU with under one minute to play.

With the game tied at 52, Washburn took possession with 15.6 seconds left in the game, which led to a missed shot by forward De’Andre Washington. The missed shot sent the game to overtime with the score tied at 52.

After winning the possession on the jump ball, Wilbern stepped up immediately and hit a three-pointer, giving the Hornets a three point advantage, 55-52. Wilbern followed his trey with two made free throws, padding the Hornets lead to five. Following one made free throw from Washburn,

Wilbern struck yet again, this time on a slashing move to the basket. Moe took a 30 second timeout with 3:03 remaining in the extra period with Hornets leading 61-55.

With under one minute remaining, the Hornets led the Ichabods 65-60. In the end, Emporia State walked away with a decisive victory over the Ichabods, 71-62.

Wilbern made a concerted effort to step up his game for the extra period.

“I just wanted to be aggressive in overtime,” Wilbern said. “It worked out for me.”

For Andrews, the game was a special experience.

“It’s a rivalry game,” Andrews said. “It’s always going to come down to the wire. It was a great game. It was fun to play in. It was just a great thing to be apart of.”

Holthaus scored 15 points for the Hornets, and Niles and junior guard Matt Boswell scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Hornets finish out the regular season on the road against Ft. Hays State. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Feb. 28 in Hays.

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SHANE WILSON

The basketball season is coming to a swift end. The final few games of the season are within mere weeks and talks about postseason play are becoming abundant. The MIAA Tournament is inching closer, which begs a few questions.

Will the ESU women get the number one seed for the tournament?

Will the men even make the tournament?

The women almost seemed destined for the number one seed, as they solely control their destiny in doing so. The only possible hiccup, in my mind, for the Hornets in getting the top seed could be the Feb. 24 game against Washburn – luckily for ESU, the game is at home.

The number one seed would secure the easiest route for the Hornets to play through to the championship game, which could have huge implications for ESU and other teams, alike. The winner of the conference championship game earns the MIAA’s automatic bid to the South Central Regional – and a step closer to nationals.

I’m not saying these last few games for the ESU women should be overlooked, by any means. Higher ranked teams have often overlooked lower ranked teams and paid the price for it. This could be costly, in more ways than wins and losses, for this team.

The ESU men, on the other hand, have an entirely different scenario before them. They currently sit at ninth in the league, with only Pittsburg State and Truman having worse conference records than Emporia State. The kicker is this – only six teams are allowed to play in the MIAA Tournament.

This set of circumstances doesn’t bode well for the ESU men.

As it stands now, Missouri Western is the last team to get the invite to the conference tourney with an 8-8 record. Three other teams – Northwest Missouri State, Washburn and Emporia State – have seven conference wins.

This bulge in the middle of the MIAA only means that we will have to wait until the end of the season to find out who gets to go to the MIAA Tournament.

Emporia State, it seems, probably has the toughest road to travel in order to get to postseason play. A home game against Washburn and an away game against nationally-ranked Ft. Hays State separate ESU from that opportunity.

Hopefully for the Hornets, the taste of the 73-42 loss at Washburn earlier this season is gone.

Perhaps the Hornets can make it happen. Their recent play looks like a step in the right direction. The ESU men look like their in a groove – most of the roster is healthy and in good form, something that had been missing earlier in the season. The key will be for all of them to play collectively as one unit, one team. When that happens, this team can do some pretty spectacular things.

Only time will tell.

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For junior rehabilitation education major Deja Jackson, throwing is a passion unmatched by few others. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

For junior rehabilitation education major Deja Jackson, throwing is a passion unmatched by few others. The Topeka native participates in the hammer and weight throw, javelin and shot put for the ESU track and field team and has already provisionalled for nationals. A graduate of Topeka West High School, Jackson surrounds herself with good company in her throwing companions and uses the strength and inspiration from her grandmother to push her self to her goals.

Q: Since you’re from Topeka, why did you choose to come to Emporia State when you could have attended Washburn?
A: I chose to come to ESU because I wanted to get away from home and Washburn did not have a track program, and my grandmother attended ESU.

Q: What has been the most memorable meet you have participated in?

A: I would have to say the most memorable meet that I participated in was the Texas Arlington Invitational meet last year because I was not expected to make finals, and somehow I ended up throwing a 40-foot personal record in the hammer.

Q: What are the challenges of having a new throwing coach?
A: Trying to build a new coaching relationship was probably the most difficult because as an athlete you get comfortable with what you have, and when you get someone new you kind of want to play the wait and see game.

Q: What are the major differences between high school track and Division II track?

A: The big difference from DII and high school would be that it really does not matter where you place in a meet unless it is conference or another team point meet. Everyone is just trying to get a big mark in DII to hopefully get the chance to go to nationals.

Q: What is your relationship like with your teammates? Are there “cliques” or anything like that between throwers, sprinters, etc.?

A: The throwers are a family, one unit. We naturally surround ourselves with one another, just like the sprinters and jumpers do. When the throwers are in the room you know it. We all react off of each other, and that is a good thing to have in track.

Q: What is your favorite part about throwing?

A: The thing I love about throwing is that it is so unpredictable. There could be someone that comes in with a gigantic mark and does not even come close to it in competition, or someone could have a fairly descent mark and throw a bomb. Another thing I love is that there is a sense of passion in throwing. I can’t explain the feeling when you hit a position, and you just launch it. The true throwers know exactly what I am talking about.

Q: How do you expect to do this year?
A: My expectations for this year would be to personal record in all my events and score points in conference.

Q: How do you expect your team to do this year?

A: I expect everyone to give their best every time they go to compete. That is really all you can ask for. I think both the guys and the girls team will surprise some schools in our conference.

Q: What’s the hardest part about being a thrower?

A: The hardest part about being a thrower is having to be so technical. You can be the strongest thrower out there, but without technique it means nothing. A lot of people do not get that until they attempt a throw.

Q: Who have been your biggest influences in your life?

A: The biggest influence in my life would have to be my grandmother. She is one of those people that have fought the odds of having a significant disability and still being successful at the same time. She knows what it means to push yourself to your full potential, and that is really inspiring. She is the reason I am where I am today, and I will never forget it. I really can’t put into words how much she means to me.

Q: What’s it like being a student-athlete at ESU?

A: Being a student-athlete here at ESU is great. You get to do what you love and get an education. Sometimes it is a struggle balancing academics and your sport, but I make it work.

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