TOPEKA, Kan. -- Strong defense helped the Washburn women's basketball team capture a 59-43 victory at home Saturday afternoon as the Ichabods held the Northwest Missouri Bearcats to just 26 percent shooting from the field. With the victory, Washburn moves up to 8-6 on the season and 2-3 in MIAA play while the Bearcats fall to 8-7 and 3-3 in the MIAA.

The Ichabods out shot the Bearcats by 21 percent as Washburn finished at 47.1 percent (24-for-51). The home team also dominated on the glass, pulling down 44 rebounds to the Bearcats' 23. Northwest Missouri was 5-for-25 from three-point land, accounting for over half of its points in the game, while scoring just 10 points in the paint to Washburn's 30.

Redshirt freshman Katie Glatczak made her first career start and got things rolling for the Ichabods in a hurry as she hit a jumper for first collegiate points just seconds into the game. The Bearcats evened the score at 3 and then 9, but a made shot by Hayley Thompson with 20 seconds left in the opening period gave Washburn an 11-9 advantage.

Washburn rattled off six unanswered points to start the second half and then put together a 7-0 spurt in the middle of the quarter to go up by double-figures, 24-10. Northwest Missouri clawed back in the final three minutes with a 6-2 run to head into the locker room down 26-20. The Ichabods were 7-for-13 (53.8 percent) from the floor in the second quarter while limiting the Bearcats to three made buckets (3-for-12; 25 percent).

The two teams exchanged buckets for a majority of the third before Shelbe Piggie went on a 4-0 run for Washburn, starting with an old fashioned three-point play followed by another free throw at the 1:48 mark to put the Ichabods in front, 36-29. Northwest Missouri hit a pair of free throws with six seconds left and Washburn in-bounded the ball to Thompson who connected on a half court heave at the buzzer to send the Ichabods into the final period with a 39-31 lead.

The Ichabods continued to add to their lead throughout the fourth quarter, going up by as many as 18 points with 4:59 on the clock after a jumper from Thompson. Sabela Reigosa added the final points of the game on a made layup with nine seconds left to cap off Washburn's 59-43 victory.

Hunter Bentley notched her third double-double of the season as she led the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds while also grabbing two steals.  Piggie and Thompson each chipped in 11 points. Thompson finished the day 5-for-6 from the field, including her first career three-pointer. Reagan Phelan dished out five assists and contributed nine points.

Erika Schlosser paced the Bearcats with 16 points and Mallory McConkey pulled down six rebounds.

The Ichabods head west next week to take on Nebraska-Kearney (Jan. 16) and No. 13 Fort Hays State.