TAHLEQUAH, Okla. --- In a tale of two halfs, four double-figure scorers and a pair of career-highs helped the Washburn women's basketball team outlast Northeastern State in the regular-season finale on Saturday with a 72-62 decision. 

Leading by as much as a 27 points, the Washburn (19-9, 11-8 MIAA) offense operated as a well oiled machine during the opening 20 minutes as it blitzed the RiverHawks (10-16, 6-13 MIAA) early. The Ichabods conceded the opening points of the afternoon but retaliated by accounting for 19 of the next 21 points to assume a double-figure lead with a little over a minute remaining in the first period.  

The Washburn dominance carried into second period action where it converted 10 of 17 attempts from the field with four of seven from three-point range. While Alexis McAfee's 10 points led the charge during the first period, it was Taylor Blue who paced the scoring in the second, netting 15 of WU's 27 points during the 10 minute stanza.

A 5-0 spurt gave Washburn its largest lead of the game, 46-19,  just inside 90 seconds remaining in the half, before a late NSU flurry though trimmed the advantage to 48-25 as the teams headed back to the locker rooms.

Blue finished the half with 18 points, while McAfee had 17. Collectively, Washburn was 19 of 29 shooting with seven of 11 from behind the arc, and an efficient 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. Defensively, the Ichabods forced 13 turnovers with nine steals while holding the RiverHawks to nine of 21 shooting and four of 12 from deep.

In the second half, Washburn's offense sputtered as it shot four of 15 in the third and went five for eight in the fourth, though continued to be successful at the line where it converted six of seven.

After chipping away at the halftime margin throughout the third, Northeastern State eventually narrowed the WU advantage to single-digits as a result of a 15-0 run midway through the fourth to made it 58-51. Consecutive buckets from Washburn however did little to slowed the RiverHawk attack as they pulled within four with 1:33 remaining. The effort from NSU however fell short as Blue and McAfee sealed the victory, by accounting for the final six points. 

McAfee ended the day with a new career-high, 23 points as she made 6-of-11 field goals, was 3-for-5 from distance, and 8-for-8 from the line. Blue followed with 20 points as she went 8-for-10 and drained 4-of-5 three-pointers. Phelan notched her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 assists, also a career-high. Bernard chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds

The Ichabods won the rebound battle, 31-21, and outscored NSU in the paint, 34-22, while registering 13 steals.

Washburn now enters postseason play beginning on Monday when it hosts Southwest Baptist in the first round of the MIAA Tournament at Lee Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm. Tickets for Monday's contest will be available at the Washburn Box Office window or by calling 785-670-BODS.