Box Score | Season Stats

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The No. 9 ranked Washburn Lady Blues shot a blistering 58 percent from the field scoring a season-high 99 points in a 99-93 win over Southwest Baptist. Washburn (21-3, 14-3 MIAA) will be back in action on Thursday when they play host to Missouri Southern as part of the WBCA's Pink Zone night when the Lady Blues will put on pink uniforms beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Lee Arena.

The Lady Blues used a 20-6 run to start the second half over the first eight-plus minutes and would stretch their lead to as many as 20 at the 10:34 mark of the second half. The Bearcats used back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers pulling with 11 at 6:20 left in the game. Two of the three long range shots were by Mia Gilreath for Southwest Baptist. After a pair of lay ups by Jessica Mainz, the Bearcats hit a 3-pointer cutting the lead back to 11 at 87-78. With Washburn holding an 89-78 lead, Janice Bright hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 2:30 to play giving Washburn a 92-78 lead.

The Lady Blues turned the ball over on their next possession and Courtney Heady hit her third 3-pointer of the game pulling SBU back to within 11 at 92-81 with 1:42 to play. Heady hit another 3-pointer pulling them to 92-84 with 43 seconds left. After back-to-back free throws by Rachel Graves, Washburn's Bright went to the line with 34.9 seconds remaining and hit both free throws stretching the lead back to eight. SBU missed their next field goal attempt and Bright went back to the line hitting both giving Washburn a 96-86 lead with 27.4 seconds in the game.

Washburn finished 5 of 6 from the free throw line to finish the game and SBU's Graves hit a jumper in the paint to cut the final margin to six to end the game and securing their seventh straight win.

Washburn jumped out to an 18-8 lead on a 3-pointer by Karla Tailele, but the Bearcats came back to take a 32-30 lead. The Lady Blues took the lead for good in the first half on a lay up by Stanceica Graham at 34-32 with 3:13 to play. Washburn stretched the lead to as many as seven before taking a 47-42 lead into the break after shooting 17 of 31 from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Washburn hit 5 of 11 3-point attempts. The Bearcats were 13 of 24 from the field (54 percent) and hit 13 of 14 free throws compared to 8 of 10 for the Lady Blues.

Bright led the Lady Blues with 27 points with 14 coming in the opening period. Bright was 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Graham scored 15 off the bench on 6 of 10 shooting. Kalee Silovsky recorded a career high 13 points. Jessica Mainz had 12 points with seven assists and five rebounds. Dayna Rodriguez had 10 points and six rebounds.

Gilreath led five Bearcats in double figures with 19 points. Graves had 18 and Heady and Creed each had 12.

Washburn finished 36 of 62 from the field and 8 of 17 from 3-point range. Washburn was 19 of 31 in the second half hitting 61 percent. The Bearcats were 31 of 61 hitting 51 percent. The Bearcats were 12 of 26 from 3-point range.

Washburn outrebounded the Bearcats 34 to 19. The Lady Blues turned 12 offensive rebounds into 14 second chance points.

Notes:
• Washburn leads the all-time series 27-11 and have won 18 of the last 19 meetings.
• Washburn has won 10 of the last 11 in Bolivar over the Bearcats.
• Ron McHenry is 18-3 overall against Southwest Baptist.
• Washburn is 716-330 all-time in the program's history.
• Washburn is 9-4 in the program's history on Feb. 14.
• Under McHenry the Lady Blues are 71-0 when they score more than 81 points in a game and 1-1 when their opponents score at least 90 points.