WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Washburn women's basketball team played well for three quarters, but was unable to overcome a sluggish second quarter and fell at No. 20-ranked Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon, 62-56. The Jennies remain atop the MIAA standings and improve to 16-2 on the season while the Ichabods fall to 7-10.
Washburn got off to a hot start and rattled off eight unanswered points and held Central Missouri scoreless until the 5:45 mark in the first quarter. UCM put together a run of their own, outscoring WU 12-4 over the final 4:42, to even the score at 14-all. Washburn shot 50 percent in the first 10 minutes, making 6-of-12 from the field.
The start of the second quarter looked similar to the first, but this time it was Washburn who did not score a bucket until midway through the frame and Central Missouri putting up seven unanswered points. The Ichabod offense scored just three layups while the Jennies made 6-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-6 from deep to head into the locker room in front, 31-20.
The Jennies held a game-high 15 point lead after scoring the first two baskets of the second half, but the Ichabods went on an 14-5 run in four minutes of action to get within five, 45-40.
Trailing 54-42 with 6:09 left in regulation, a layup by
Hunter Bentley started an 8-0 run to get within four with 3:24 on the clock. The Jennies ended the Ichabod run with a huge three-pointer and held on for the win making 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
Washburn shot 43.8 percent from the field and made 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) from beyond the arc while Central Missouri had a 43.1 field goal percentage and made 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) from deep. The Jennies dominated on the glass and out-rebounded the Ichabods, 39-22. Washburn forced 24 UCM turnovers and turned those into 24 points.
Barrientos led the Ichabods with 18 total points and was 7-of-10 from the charity stripe. Bentley tallied 16 points to go with five rebounds and two blocks.
Central Missouri's Olivia Nelson made 7-of-10 from the field and finished with a. team-high 17 points. Nija Collier notched a double-double with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks.
The Ichabods have a full schedule next week as they start out at Northwest Missouri for a makeup game on Tuesday, Feb. 16.
