TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn women's basketball team closed out its non-conference schedule with a 71-50 victory over Bethany College in Lee Arena on Wednesday evening. The Ichabods are slated to ring in the new year at Central Missouri on Saturday at 1 p.m.
After Bethany (11-5) scored the opening basket 20 seconds into the game, Washburn responded with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes. The Ichabods (4-7) limited the Swedes to just five shot attempts in the first quarter while Washburn made 8-of-14 from the floor for a 57.1 field goal percentage.
Mackenzie Gamble hit a pair of free throws to close out the frame with Washburn on top, 20-10.
Both offenses struggled in the second quarter as Washburn scored nine unanswered points and held Bethany scoreless until the 3:08 mark.
Hunter Bentley snapped a 9-0 run by the Swedes with a three-pointer with just under a minute left in the first half. The Ichabods went into the break holding a 32-21 advantage.
Bethany put together an 11-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half to pull within four points, 36-32, but it would get no closer as a layup from
Aubree Dewey sparked a 15-0 tear to push Washburn's advantage to 51-32 at the end of the third. During the run,
Macy Doebele recorded seven points and Dewey tallied six.
Washburn led by double-figures for the remainder of the game and drained four of its six three-pointers in the frame, all from different Ichabods. Making her official Washburn debut,
Jaden Newfarmer hit a three-pointer on her first career shot attempt to close out the home victory.
Washburn finished the night shooting 48.2 percent while Bethany was close behind with a 44.2 field goal percentage. The Ichabods won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Swedes by more than double, 36-17. WU also grabbed 14 offensive boards and made 18 second chance points. The two teams combined for 40 turnovers with 32 occurring in the first half. Washburn capitalized on Bethany's 22 miscues and turned those into 23 points with 14 happening in the first quarter.
Seventeen Ichabods competed in the game with 12 different players scoring at least two points. Doebele led team with 14 points and went a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line.
Abby Oliver finished with 11 points and scored nine in the opening quarter. Bentley led the team with seven rebounds and added eight points.
Autumn Garrett led the Swedes with 10 points, shooting 3-for-3 from the field and making all four of her free throw attempts.
