TOPEKA, Kan. ---- Paced by the double-figure scoring of Erika Lane, Reagan Phelan and Tatiana Grant, the Washburn women's basketball downed Minot State 77-61 in its season opener on Friday afternoon at Schendel Court at Lee Arena.
 
A slow start by Washburn in the first quarter allowed Minot State to control the tempo earlier and lead by as much as nine midway through the period. The Ichabods then turned a 10-4 run before Lane knocked down a shot from three-point distance to tie it 17-17 with 1:03 left. MSU then reacted by posting seven of the final nine points to take 24-19 before the end of the period.
 
In spite of outscoring the Beavers 16-8 in the second, the Ichabods did not control the scoreboard until the final 48 seconds when Phelan capped a 7-2 run to make it 35-32 at the half.
 
Aside from a brief 21 seconds stretch with the sides tied at 39, Washburn controlled the third period outscoring the Beavers 20-13. Following the tie, the Ichabods regained the lead with a 6-2 spurt as Cara Donley, Phelan, and Lane each converted on their attempts from the charity stripe. Lane then dropped in a three-pointer at the 2:04 mark to give WU a 52-43 advantage before it closed out the period 55-45.
 
A Minot State a layup and three-point by Minot State trimmed the to WU lead to six but that was the closest it got as the Ichabods then registered 15 of the next 19 points and claim its largest lead of the game at 72-55 with 2:21 to play. MSU chipped at the lead down the stretch but were unable to get below double-figures as Makayla Vargo and Macy Myers closed out the WU scoring to bring the game to its 77-61 final.
 
Lane led all scorers with 20 points while Phelan and Grant tallied 15 and 10 points respectively in their first game as an Ichabod. Lane also finished with a team-best seven rebounds. Felisha Gibbs had eight points and three boards. Phelan and Erin Dohnalek combined for six assists.
 
Collectively, Washburn outscored MSU in points off turnovers, 24-13, second chance points, 13-8 and controlled in the paint scoring 38-21. The Ichabods completed 30 of 57 attempts from the field, good enough for 52.6 percent compared to the 34.5 percent shooting by Minot State.
 
The Ichabods return to action Saturday morning as they play host to Mary at 11 a.m.