TOPEKA, Kan. --- The Washburn women's basketball improved to 2-0 in conference play on Saturday evening as it clipped Nebraska-Kearney, 57-39 at Lee Arena. With the result, the Ichabods also improved to 8-1 on the season.
 
The Ichabod defense limited UNK (8-2, 2-2 MIAA) to 26.4 percent shooting from the field for the game including a 1-for-9 clip in the fourth quarter. Washburn meanwhile completed 23-of-47 attempts the floor, good for 48.9 percent while it also went 7-for-17 from beyond the arc.
 
Washburn took control of the contest early and never let go outscoring UNK 15-7 during the opening period of play before heading into the halftime break with a 30-19 advantage.
 
Taylor Blue led all scorers with 13 points during the first two periods including seven in the second quarter, while Alexis McAfee finished the half with seven points and three steals. The Ichabods converted 6-of-11 attempts in the period and 6-of-12 during the second.
 
In the third, the Lopers pieced together a 10-2 run during the latter half of the period to cut the Washburn advantage to four making it 39-35 with 2:07 left in the quarter. Cara Donley then helped double the Ichabod margin with consecutive layup pushing the score to 43-35.
 
Washburn regained its double-figure margin early in the fourth as Denesia Smith found an open alley and drove the lane for layup making it 47-36 with 9:17 left. UNK's lone bucket of the period came with 4:52 period. The Ichabods closed out the contest with a 6-0 run giving them their largest lead of the evening as it won 57-39.
 
Blue finished with a game-high 18 points with Reagan Phelan following with 10 points while adding a game-best four assists. McAfee and Axelle Bernard each collected seven rebounds. Donley chipped with a career-high eight points.
 
The Lopers edged out Washburn in the rebound battle, 34-31. The Ichabods however outscored UNK in the paint, 24-14, while finishing with a 20-9 margin in turnover points.
 
Washburn returns to action next week with a trip to Lindenwood on Saturday, Dec. 16 before visiting Lincoln on Monday, Dec. 18.