TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn held No. 12 Emporia State to a season-low 53 points, but couldn't pull off the rivalry win in a 53-41 loss at home on Saturday, Jan. 23.
 
WU (11-7, 7-5 MIAA) shot just 30.8 percent on the day and was hurt by a 5-of-25 effort from the field in the second and third quarters, while limiting ESU (15-3, 9-3 MIAA) to a 22.2 percent effort from long range and holding them to 33.9 percent from the field on the night.
 
Washburn fell behind 6-0 in the opening two minutes of the game before scoring seven unanswered to lead 7-6 at 5:41.  The Ichabods led 11-9 at the end of the quarter after Alyxis Bowens hit a pair of free throws with 30 seconds to go, and stretched the lead to four (13-9) in the opening seconds of the second quarter, but the Ichabods couldn't stop an ESU attack that regained the lead and pushed it to eight (25-17) at the end of the half with a 12-2 run to end the quarter.
 
Washburn brought it back within five (25-20) after a three-pointer from Julie Ravn early in the third, but that was as close as things came before ESU took the lead to 18 (42-24) headed for the final period.  Over the final ten minutes, WU closed the gap to 11 but it was too late in the loss.
 
Bowens (14 points) and Erika Lane (13 points) each hit double-digits in scoring while Bowens and Jayna Smith finished with seven rebounds apiece.  Erin Dohnalek added five rebounds and Haley Pfau had a team-high three assists.  Ravn finished with seven points.
 
Washburn hits the road next week for two games, traveling to Central Missouri on Wednesday, Jan. 27 and Southwest Baptist on Saturday, Jan. 30.