TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn Women's Basketball held Northeastern State to single digits through nearly three quarters, rolling to an 85-27 win on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Lee Arena.
WU (14-11, 10-9 MIAA) scored the first 20 points of the game, not allowing a RiverHawk basket until the 48 second mark of the first quarter, and the Ichabods allowed only four points in the second and third quarters, leading 41-7 at halftime.
NSU nearly matched the Ichabods scoring in the fourth quarter (21-16), but WU's 50-plus scoring margin held to the end. In addition to WU's 20-0 run to open the game, the Ichabods had unanswered scoring bursts of seven, 19, 13 and nine over the final three quarters.
The 27 points is the fewest Washburn has ever allowed in an MIAA contest, and is just four points over the MIAA record for fewest points in a conference game. WU also just missed a 60-rebounding effort with a season-high 59 boards. The Ichabod defense stifled the RiverHawks throughout the night, limiting NSU to a 17.2 percent field goal percentage and just a 4-of-29 effort from beyond the arc.
Five Ichabods scored in double-digits, led by
Haley Pfau who was 6-of-8 from long range and finished with 20 points.
Jharian Bowen reached double-digits for the third consecutive game and was second on the team with 19 points while
Alyxis Bowens finished with 15 points and
Felisha Gibbs and
Erin Dohnalek each had 10. It is was the second time this season Washburn has had five players score in double-digits, with the previous time occurring on Jan. 4 against Lincoln.
Bowens had her first career double-double on the night by grabbing 10 rebounds in addition to her scoring total, matching
Jayna Smith for the team-lead on the boards.
Erin Dohnalek dished out a career-high seven assists as well.
The win moved Washburn into a three-way tie with Central Oklahoma and Missouri Southern for fifth in the MIAA standings, one and a half games ahead of Southwest Baptist and Nebraska-Kearney. MSSU and SBU play each other while UNK travels to Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 18.
UCO, which comes to Topeka on Saturday, Feb. 20, fell at Emporia State on Wednesday, 68-59. The matchup between the Ichabods and Bronchos is set for 5 p.m., and is Senior Night for the Ichabods.
