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TOPEKA, Kan. -- The 15th-ranked Lady Blues rallied from a nine point deficit in the second half, but fell in overtime 61-59 to Emporia State on Wednesday night at Lee Arena. Washburn closes out the regular season on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln at 1:30 p.m.

Emporia State scored the first four points of the game and controlled the action early on. The Lady Blues (20-5, 16-5 MIAA) were able to close within a point at 8-7 with 14:18 in the half, but the Lady Hornets (17-8, 14-7 MIAA) responded with an 11-2 run and opened a 10-point cushion with 11:17 to play in the opening period.

Washburn responded with a 10-0 run of its own to tie the game at the 7:09 mark only to see ESU go on another 10-0 run to lead 29-19 with 4:09 remaining. A 7-2 run to close the half cut the lead to five and WU trailed 31-26 at the intermission.

The Lady Blues scored the first seven points of the second half to grab their first lead of the game at 33-31 with 15:39 left in the contest. The Lady Hornets responded yet again with an 11-0 run to regain a nine-point advantage.

The lead was still nine at the 12:22 mark when Washburn went on a 6-0 run to pull within three at 6:57. WU closed to within a pair on a jumper from Stevi Schultz, but ESU quickly pushed the lead back to five. The teams traded free throws the next four possessions and the lead was still five after a pair of freebies from Alli Volkens.

A lay-up from Laura Kinderknecht and three from the charity stripe by Schultz tied the game at 53-all with 2:04 left in regulation. Both teams made a pair of free throws on their next possessions and the game was still tied at 55-55 with 1:20 left. After a miss from each team, Emporia State turned the ball over giving the Blues the final shot of the game, but Schultz's shot at the buzzer was short and the game went to overtime.

Volkens gave ESU the lead early in overtime, but a bucket from Alyssa Mullen tied the game at 57. After another Lady Hornet bucket, Megan Lassley calmly hit two free throws to knot the score yet again at 59-59 with 2:59 to play. ESU would score on the next possession to grab the lead and neither team would score again. The Lady Blues had the ball in the closing seconds, but were unable to get a shot off.

Schultz and Mullen led Washburn with 15 points each, while Schultz added a team-high nine rebounds. Cassie Lombardino chipped in 14 points for WU.

Washburn shot 31.3 percent (15-of-48) for the game, but went a combined 6-of-24 in the second half and overtime. The Lady Blues were 6-of-20 for 30 percent from three-point range and 23-of-31 for 74.2 percent from the foul line.

Volkens led ESU with game-highs of 23 points and 15 boards. Kelsey Balcom had 14 points and Jocelyn Cummings chipped in 13.

Emporia State shot 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the field and 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from beyond the arc. ESU was 12-of-17 for 70.6 percent from the charity stripe.

The Lady Hornets out-rebounded Washburn 37-35 and committed 19 turnovers, while the Blues finished with 17 miscues.