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EMPORIA, Kan. -- A late-game rally by the Lady Blues fell short as No. 7 Washburn fell 85-78 at No. 9 Emporia State Saturday night in White Auditorium in Emporia. The loss drops Washburn to 14-3 and 7-3 in the MIAA. Washburn will not play their next game until next Saturday, Jan. 24 at Nebraska-Omaha at 5:30 p.m.

The Lady Blues trailed by as many 16 in the second half at 49-33 with 15:44 to play before cutting into the lead. Washburn pulled within single digits with 1:13 to go at 76-67 on and to six with 1:05 to play on four straight free throws by Janice Bright. But ESU was perfect from the line on their next two possessions keeping the margin at nine. Washburn trimmed the lead to five at 81-76 with 20 second to go, but ESU hit their last four free throws to put the game away.

Washburn led by as many as five points in the opening period and held an 18-14 advantage with 8:58 to go in the half, but Emporia State rolled off a 13-0 run over the next 4:25 taking a 27-14 with 4:33 to go in the first half. Washburn was held without a field goal from the 9:33 mark to the 1:18 mark of the first half when Janice Bright hit a lay up. After a pair of free throws by Cassondra Boston with three seconds left in the half, ESU took a 36 to 26 lead into the halftime locker room.

Washburn hit 8 of 30 attempts in the first half for a 27 percent average and was 1 of 7 from 3-point range. The Lady Hornets hit 36 percent from the field going 13 of 36. Washburn was 9 of 11 from the free throw line and ESU hit all eight attempts.

Bright led the Lady Blues with 31 points go over 30 for the first time in her career at Washburn. She was a perfect 15 of 15 from the free throw line. Her 15 free throws tied the Washburn single-game record of Shelley Foster who hit 15 of 16 against Pittsburg State on Feb. 18, 1995. The 15 of 15 is also an MIAA single-game record besting a 14 of 14 performance by four others. Dayna Rodriguez scored a career-high 17 points in her first start at Washburn following up a 15-point performance against Pittsburg State last time out. Stanecia Graham scored 10 off the bench. Bright also had a team-high seven rebounds before fouling out.

Cassondra Boston led ESU with 24 points. Ida Edwards had a double double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Lady Blues raised their shooting percentage in the second to 46 percent hitting 16 of 35 attempts. For the game, Washburn was 27 of 33 from the free throw line. Emporia State shot 41 percent for the game hitting 25 of 61 shots and they were 32 of 36 from the charity stripe. Emporia State outrebounded Washburn 41 to 39.

Notes:
• The Lady Blues used their fourth different starting line up on the season going with Kalee Silovsky, Dayna Rodriguez, Hope Gregory at forward spots and Jessica Mainz and Janice Bright at the guard spots. It was the first start of the season for Rodriguez.
• Washburn is 9-2 on Jan. 17th in the program's history with the only loss coming at Missouri Southern in an 87-69 loss during the 1985-86 season.
• Washburn has kept opponents under 100 in 301 consecutive games.
• Washburn had their four-game winning streak over ESU snapped and now trail in the all-time series 40-36.
• Wasburn has won 16 of the last 22 games and falls to 13-21 all-time in games played in Emporia.
• The 15 free throws by Janice Bright were the most in a single game by a Washburn player since Bojana Samardziska hit 12 of 12 against Panhandle State on Nov. 30, 2005.
• The 27 free throws by the Lady Blues were a single-season high for Washburn as were the 33 attempts.
• The 85 points scored by ESU were the most Washburn has given up this season.
• The three 3-pointers tied a season-low for the Lady Blues (vs Truman, 12/13/08).
• Washburn had three players foul out, one was Jessica Mainz who fouled out of a game for the first time in her 105-game career at Washburn.