EMPORIA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods fell behind by 18 points in the first half then rallied to tie the score with 10 seconds to play before ESU hit a 35-foot shot off the backboard at the buzzer for the heartbreaking 62-59 Washburn loss. 

The Ichabods (11-13, 6-7 MIAA) held the Hornets (11-11, 4-9 MIAA) without a field goal for the final 9:08 of the game until the winning before the winning heave by the Hornets. 

Washburn trailed 22-4 with 10:13 to play in the first half helped in part by a 12-0 start by the Hornets who held the Ichabods scoreless the first 5:34 of the game.

The Ichabods shot 9 of 24 in the first half overall while the Hornets shot 14 of 34 from the field in the frame.

To start the second half, the Ichabods used a 7-0 run to cut the Hornet lead to five with 16:51 to play in the game, but the Hornets repsonded with a 12-2 run of their own over the next 2:51 to push the lead back to 15 at 50-35 with 11:34 to play.

Washburn cut the lead back to eight with 7:50 to play after a pair of free throws by Algie Key as he scored six-straight points for the Ichabods over a 56-second time frame trimming the Hornet advantage to 52-44.

The Hornets went back up 11 with 7:21 to play halting the Ichabod run after an ESU player was fouled on a 3-point attempt at 55-44. 

After two more free throws by Key with 6:30 to play, the Ichabods trailed by nine at 55-46. Both teams came up scoreless on their next possessions, but a free throw by Kevin House with 5:04 cut the Ichabod deficit down to eight at 55-47.

Two free throws by Alex North with 4:26 pulled Washburn within six at 55-49. Washburn would go and cut the lead down to five after a 3-point play by Key with 2:58 to play at 57-52 and then to 57-53 after a free throw by North with 2:00 remaining.

A free throw by Kyle Wiggins with 1:40 trimmed the Hornet lead to three at 57-54 and after a timeout by Emporia State and a missed 3-pointer, Washburn went to the line with 29 seconds remaining and Key hit both free throws cutting the lead to 57-56.

The Ichabods fouled coming out of the timeout sending ESU to the line with 25 seconds as Terrence Moore hit both free throws pushing th lead back to three at 59-56.

Key hit one of two free throws with 20 seconds to play and the Ichabods fouled the Hornets with 10 seconds to play.

The Ichabods tied the score after an ESU miss but Jay Temaat hit a 3-pointer with one second left for the winner.

Key finished with 21 points to lead the Ichabods hitting 11 of 14 free throws and North and House each had 10. Korey Fisher had nine.

Temaat had 14 to lead the Hornets.

The Ichabods held the Hornets to seven field goals in the second half in 24 attempts and finished 21 of 58 overall. Washburn was 19 of 46 after going 10 of 22 in the second half.

The Ichabods will be back in action on Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney.