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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- A layup with five seconds remaining pushed Central Oklahoma past the 25th-ranked Lady Blues 65-64 in a South Central Regional First round game on Friday night at Dobbins Fieldhouse. Washburn had one last chance at the end, but after a lengthy review, referees ruled that a Central Oklahoma foul had occured after the buzzer, ending Washburn's season at 22-7.

The Lady Blues (22-7) had rallied from four down to grab a two point lead on a Laura Kinderknecht three with 2:04 to play. Washburn had opportunities to extend the lead in the final minute, including free throws with 20 seconds left, but WU missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and UCO (21-9) gained possession to set up the final sequence.

The Bronchos jumped out to an early 13-6 lead as the Lady Blues went cold to start the game. UCO led by as many as seven at 16-9 with 8:44 to play in the first half, but Washburn rallied and tied the game at 20 on a three from Megan Lassley with 4:26 remaining in the opening period.

The teams went back-and-forth with Washburn grabbing its first lead of the game at 24-23 on a jumper by Dana Elliott with 2:32 to play. The Bronchos went right back in front and led by a pair before Cassie Lombardino sank two free throws with one second left in the half to tie the game at 29-29 at the intermission.

Central Oklahoma led by two in the early minutes of the second half when Stevi Schultz came alive. She hit a three and followed it up with a bucket in transition to put the Blues in front 36-33. After UCO regained the lead, Schultz and Kinderknecht hit back-to-back threes to give Washburn its biggest lead of the game at 42-38 with 15:23 to play.

The Bronchos once again battle back to retake the lead, but Schultz followed a Lassley jumper with another trey to put WU back in front by four at the 10:56 mark. An 8-0 run by the Bronchos put UCO in front 54-50 with eight and a half to play as the game see-sawed back-and-forth toward the controversial finish.

Schultz led Washburn with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season. Lassley and Lombardino finished with 10 points each. Alyssa Mullen finished out her Washburn career with eight points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

The Lady Blues shot 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the field and 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from three-point range, but were just 11-of-22 for 50 percent from the foul line.

Ashley Beckley and Alex Richardson had 18 points apiece to lead the Bronchos, who shot 45.3 percent (24-of-53) from the floor and 30 percent (3-of-10) from beyond the arc. UCO was 14-of-20 from the charity stripe for 70 percent.

Washburn out-rebounded Central Oklahoma 46-38 and forced 15 turnovers compared to 13 of their own.

This is Washburn's first loss in the South Central Regiona first round since a 63-50 setback to Southeastern Oklahoma on March 7, 2002.