Box Score | Season Stats | Photos

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The No. 2 Washburn lady Blues opened the MIAA season with a 61-52 win over Nebraska-Omaha in Lee Arena. Washburn improves to 6-0 on the season while UNO dropped to 1-3 overall. Washburn will play host to Northwest Missouri on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Washburn trailed by as many as six points in the game as they missed their first five field goals and were held scoreless until the 14:02 mark of the game when Stanecia Graham hit a free throw while UNO jumped out to a 6-0 lead prior to the charity stripe. Dayna Rodriguez connected on Washburn's first field goal with 13:29 to go in the first half when she hit a 3-pointer cutting the Maverick lead to 6-4.

The Lady Blues and Mavericks would trade leads five times in the opening frame with Washburn taking a 23-19 lead into the break when Jessica Mainz hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left in the half.

Washburn held UNO to six field goals in the opening 20 minutes on 21 attempts. Washburn was 9 of 21 from the field.

In the second half, jumped out to a seven-point lead at 33-26 on a Hope Gregory 3-pointer. After a pair of jumpers by UNO's Alyssa Green which cut the lead to one at 35-34, Washburn's Brette Ulsaker hit a couple of free throws putting Washburn up 37-34. UNO cut the lead back to one on two more ocassions, but 3-pointers by Mainz and Janice Bright kept the Mavericks at bay as Washburn went on to the 61-52 win.

Graham led the Lady Blues with 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field. Kalee Silovsky had a career-high 10 points hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Green led UNO with 18 points.

WU shot 48 percent in the game hitting 21 of 44 from the field including a 12 of 23 effort in the second half. UNO shot 40 percent on 19 of 48 shooting. Washburn was outrebounded for the first time this season 27 to 24. Washburn was also outscored in the paint 28 to 20 and committed 24 turnovers leading to 21 Maverick points.

Notes:
* Washburn improved to 2-1 all-time against UNO with the first meeting since an 84-59 win on Dec. 6, 1986 in Topeka.
* Washburn is now 9-5 all-time on Dec. 3.
* Washburn is now 108-6 in the last seven seasons under Ron McHenry.
* Washburn is 13-6 all-time in MIAA openers since joining the MIAA.
* The win improved Washburn to 701-327 all-time in the program's history.