TOPEKA, Kan. – Hunter Bentley drained a three-pointer with 11 seconds left in the game to give Washburn the lead, but Rockhurst responded with a three-pointer of its own with four seconds on the clock to put the Hawks on top 71-69 and secure the victory on Saturday afternoon. Washburn will open conference play on Wednesday hosting No. 1-ranked Fort Hays State at 5:30 p.m.
 
After the game started with back-and-forth scoring, the Ichabods (1-4) put together a 10-0 run to take a 12-4 advantage. Washburn ended the first quarter with a 24-16 lead and shot 56.3 percent from the field.
 
Washburn extended its lead to double-figures in the second period and closed out the first half with 9-3 run to take a 41-28 lead into the break.
 
Rockhurst (2-1) scored the first seven points of the second half and continued to chip away at the deficit, pulling within four points at 51-47 at the close of the third period.
 
With 5:11 on the clock in the fourth, Rockhurst's Daly Sullivan hit a three-pointer to put the Hawks on top 61-60 and give them their first lead of the game since the six minute mark in the first quarter. Washburn trailed 68-66 with 17 seconds left in regulation when Rockhurst turned over the ball during its possession after Abby Oliver battled for a jump ball. Coming out of the Washburn timeout, Aubree Dewey found Bentley, who promptly drained a three-point shot to give the Ichabods a 69-68 leads with 11 seconds to go. The Ichabods were unable to hold on to the lead, though, as Sullivan hit her seventh triple of the afternoon with four seconds to complete the Hawks' second half comeback.
 
Washburn finished with a 44.6 field goal percentage while Rockhurst shot 42.9 percent. The Hawks went 8-for-19 from deep and the Ichabods made 5-of-17 shot attempts from behind the arc. Both teams grabbed exactly 37 rebounds and Rockhurst had just one more offensive board finishing with 12. Rockhurst forced 19 turnovers and turned those into 20 points. 
 
Bentley led the Ichabods with 16 points and tied for a team-high in rebounds with six. Dewey was 4-for-5 from the field and Lauren Cassaday made 5-of-7 as both contributed 11 points. Nuria Barrientos contributed seven points, six rebounds, three assists, and three blocks.
 
For Rockhurst, the Sullivan sisters led the way as Daly Sullivan had 33 points and Keegan Sullivan finished with 16 points and a team-best four assists.