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KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Cassie Lombardino had a double-double, leading four players in double figures as the Lady Blues defeated Missouri Western 80-63 Thursday afternoon in the first round of the MIAA Basketball Championships. Washburn, the No. 1 seed in the tournament will now play Saturday at noon against against the winner of the No. 4 Central Missouri/No. 5 Fort Hays State game.

The Lady Blues won their 11th straight opening game in the MIAA tournament and improved to 26-4. The Griffons, the No. 8 seed, finished their year 7-20.

Lombardino had a season-high 19 points and added 10 rebounds for her third career double-double. She went 7 of 11 from the field and 6 of 8 in the second half. Ebonie Williams and Stevi Schultz each hit three 3-pointers. Williams finished with 18 points and Schultz had 13 and a career-high nine assists. Laura Kinderknecht had 10 points and Dana Elliott had a career-high 11 rebounds, reaching double figures for the first time.

The Griffons led 18-7 after the first six minutes. Jessica Koch hit three 3-pointers in those opening minutes and ended with a game-high 25 points. Washburn answered its slow start by scoring 23 straight points to go up 30-18. The Lady Blues hit six 3-pointers during that stretch as they gained the lead and kept it for good.

Washburn went into the locker room up 43-34 after surviving nine 3-pointers from the Griffons. Koch made five of them and had 18 points. The Lady Blues held a 30-16 advantage in rebounds at the half and made 10 of 15 free throws while MWSU made just 1 of 2.

The Lady Blues kept a double-figure lead for all but one possession in the second half. Washburn gave up a lay-up at the 9:44 lead to cut its lead to eight before Williams scored two and Lombardino scored four straight to put Washburn back up by 14. The Griffons got no closer than 11 after that.

Washburn shot 44 percent in the game and 50 percent (10 of 20) from 3-point range. The Griffons shot 38 percent and 42 percent (10 of 24) from long range. The Lady Blues held a 46-31 advantage on rebounds.

Koch ended up going 6 of 10 from long range. Ashleigh Curry scored 10 points with a game-high seven rebounds and Kallie Schoonover had 11 points. Abby Stone blocked six Washburn shots.




Notes: Washburn improved to 47-38 all-time against MWSU and 7-5 against the Griffons in the MIAA tournament but 7-0 against MWSU in Kansas City...the Lady Blues have won 11 straight MIAA tournament first round games and are now 16-6 all-time in the opening round...the Lady Blues enter the semifinal round with a 1-0 record all-time against FHSU and 3-1 record against UCM in the tournament...Washburn is 10-5 all-time in the MIAA semifinal round...Dana Elliott's 11 rebounds is a career high after having seven three different times, the last coming last Saturday against Lincoln...Stevi Schultz' nine assists is a career high after having seven on November 16 against Southwestern.