Box Score | Season Stats

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Brette Ulsaker scored 14 of her career-high 17 points in the second half as the eighth-ranked Lady Blues held off Central Missouri 76-66 on Saturday afternoon at the UCM Multipurpose Building. Washburn will return to play on Tuesday at Southwest Baptist. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Bolivar.

The Lady Blues (12-0, 6-0 MIAA) jumped out to an early 10-4 lead keyed by an Amanda Fessenden three-pointer. UCM (6-6, 2-3 MIAA) responded with an 8-0 run to take a two-point lead, but Washburn scored seven quick points to regain the lead with just under eight minutes to play.

After UCM knotted the score at 17, Rose Hammond gave WU the lead for good with a short jumper. The basket ignited an 8-0 run and the Lady Blues led 32-26 at the break.

The lead was four in the early goings of the second half when Ulsaker started a 23-11 run with a trey. When the run ended WU had a 61-45 lead with just under nine minutes to play in the game. The Jennies slowly chipped away at the lead, however, and brought the lead to within six on three occasions, but Ulsaker and Hammond responded with buckets at each turn and Hammond closed the game with a steal and layup to give the Lady Blues the 10-point win.

Ulsaker led Washburn with her career-high 17 points, including four threes. Hope Gregory recorded her second double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Dayna Rodriguez added 12 points, while Fessenden and Stevi Schultz each had 11.

Ana Migueres led UCM with a game-high 19 points, while Meghan Waggoner and Rebecca Roberts had 11 and 10, respectively.

Washburn shot 48 percent, 26-of-54, for the game, including 12-of-22 for 55 percent from behind the arc. Central Missouri shot 44 percent from the field (23-of-52), but made just 4-of-14 from the three-point line.