TOPEKA, Kan. --- Taylor Blue's last second heroics lifted the Washburn Ichabods to victory Saturday afternoon as the women's basketball team topped Truman State, 68-67, in the Parrish Hotels Thanksgiving Classic overcoming a late double-digit deficit for the second game in as many nights.
 
Trailing 62-49 with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter, Washburn (6-0) used a 12-0 run slicing the Truman State (3-2) margin to one. Alexis McAfee sparked the stretch for the Ichabods knocking down a three-pointer before Reagan Phelan followed suit as both contributed five points each during the run while Blue added two.
 
A Bulldog attempt from deep with 2:28 remaining nudged Truman State to 65-61. Phelan immediately responded for Washburn as her drive down the lane was good giving her 22 points. With just 0:25 left on the clock, Blue gave the Ichabods a narrow 66-65 advantage, however it was short-lived as TSU answered with a layup with 16 seconds to go.
 
Following an Ichabod timeout, a Truman State foul late allowed Washburn to check in the ball from the baseline. With 0:02 left, Blue tossed the ball to Axelle Bernard where she handed back allowing Blue to drain the long jumper from just inside the arc for the game winner.
 
The Ichabods started the afternoon flat as Truman State opened the contest with a 9-0 run before eventually found their rhythm with a 10-4 stretch during the latter stage of the first period and early into the second.
 
With the Bulldogs leading 27-15 at the 5:55 mark in the second, Washburn rallied back by scoring 13 unanswered taking its first lead of the game, 28-27, with 2:38 left in the first half, before leading at the break 35-33.
 
Possession see-sawed throughout the third as the teams played through five ties and two lead changes while Truman State's 5-0 run before the end of the quarter provided the largest margin of the period. The Bulldogs outscored Washburn during the third, 17-10, despite the Ichabods tallying a four steal during the stanza.
 
The Washburn offense was led by Phelan who's 22-point performance was a game-high. McAfee followed with 17 points while Blue and Bernard finished with eight each. Bernard also finished with a game-high as she pulled down 15 rebounds.
 
Collectively, the Ichabods outshot Truman State from the line, .833-.692, and edging out the Bulldogs from the field, .442-.420, while each shot .368 from three-point distance.
 
Washburn returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Wichita to take on Newman. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 pm.