TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn women's basketball team held Missouri Southern to just 17 second half points as the Ichabods cruised to a 68-48 victory Thursday night in Lee Arena. Washburn wins its fourth-straight home game and improves to 12-9 overall this season and 6-6 in the MIAA while the Lions fall to 7-13, 4-8 MIAA.

After the Ichabods scored the first points of the game on a Reagan Phelan layup, the Lions answered by making four of their next five shots with three triples to take an 11-4 lead at the 6:20 mark. Down by five, Alexis McAfee started an 8-2 run to knot up the score at 17-all. Phelan hit a three-pointer with 30 seconds in the opening quarter to give Washburn a one point lead, 20-19.

It was back and forth scoring to start the second quarter as the Lions reclaimed the lead and went up 31-27 with 3:56 left in the first half after another made three-pointer. Washburn rallied and closed out the half on a 9-0 run in the final 2:42 to take a 36-31 advantage into the break.

Washburn quickly went up by double-digits with a 7-0 run in the first 77 seconds of the second half. Missouri Southern trimmed the deficit to seven, 47-40, at the end of three. That would not last long, however, as Phelan drained another three just seconds into the fourth quarter. The Ichabod defense held Missouri Southern scoreless for nearly four minutes as they increased their lead. The Lions scored just eight points in the frame while the Ichabods poured in 21 and ended the game on a 5-0 run.

Washburn finished the night shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 36 percent (9-of-25) from behind the arc while Missouri Southern shot 32.1 percent from the floor and 32 percent (8-of-25) from three-point land. The Ichabods out rebounded the Lions, 44-29, with 14 offensive boards that they turned into 11 points. Even though the Ichabods hit nine triples, they pounded the paint as well and scored 26 points there to the Lions' 14.

Phelan led all scorers with 20 points and went 4-for-6 from distance. McAfee shot 5-of-11 from the field on her way to tallying 14 points and recorded a double-double after pulling down a team-high 13 rebounds. Piggie also contributed double-figures with 12 points.

The Ichabods close out the week hosting Pittsburg State (12-8, 8-4 MIAA) on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 1 p.m.