TOPEKA, Kan. – Seventh-seeded Washburn saw its 2015-16 season come to an end in the MIAA Tournament Opening Round on Monday, Feb. 29 as it fell to 10th-seeded Central Missouri, 74-70.
 
WU closes the year at 15-14 overall, having earned the No. 7 seed after going 11-11 in MIAA play.  Washburn shot 50 percent from the field in the game, nearly matching the Jennies who finished 50.9 percent on field goals.  From beyond the arc, Washburn outshot the Jennies, 7-6, but it was a 14-3 free throw deficit that stung the Ichabods in the loss.
 
The Ichabods looked good early, going on a 9-0 run in the games opening five minutes to lead, 17-6 near the five-minute mark, but saw the Jennies answer over the next few moments to cut the lead to five (21-16) just moments into the second quarter.  From there, WU again stretched out its lead thanks to another string of nine unanswered from 3:48 to 0:59 in the second quarter, taking a 42-35 lead into the half.
 
It was all UCM early in the third as the Jennies outscored Washburn, 17-4, for the first 5:17 of the second half to built a six-point lead (52-46), but the Ichabods settled down and regained their control, even stretching the lead back to five (60-55) at 9:21 in the fourth thanks to a 12-2 WU rally.  Down the stretch, however, the Jennies hit shots where WU couldn't as the Ichabods were hurt by 7-0 and 6-0 runs in the game's final six minutes.
 
 Erika Lane paced the Ichabods with 22 points and six assists on the evening, dropping a team-high four three-pointers as one of three Ichabods in double figures.  Alyxis Bowens just missed a double-double as she recorded 19 points and nine rebounds, while Erin Dohnalek dished out five assists to go with 10 points.  Jayna Smith pulled down 10 rebounds and had six points as well.