TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn women's basketball team was held to just 13 points in the first half, but stormed back to outscore Northwest Missouri 28-16 in the second half and come away with a 41-38 victory. The Ichabods are now 9-10 overall while the Bearcats fall to 7-12 on the season.
Hunter Bentley scored the first bucket of the game at the 6:55 mark, but that would be the only lead Washburn held in the first half. A jumper from
Aubree Dewey closed out the first quarter made it a 9-7 game in favor of Northwest Missouri. The Bearcats finished the opening half on a 9-2 run to go into the break in front, 22-13.
The Ichabods came out firing in the third quarter and rattled off 11-straight points to take a 24-22 lead. The Bearcats scored their first basket of the period with 5:54 on the clock and evened the score at 24, 26, and then 28 to end the third quarter.
After Cassaday made a layup to begin the fourth quarter, Northwest Missouri answered with a pair of free throws to tie up the score again. Bentley converted on an old-fashioned three point play that started a 5-0 mini run to make it 35-30 for Washburn. The Bearcats wouldn't go away and got within one, 39-38, with 26 seconds left, but the Ichabods made 2-of-4 from the free throw line to hold on for the 41-38 decision.
After a sluggish first half, Washburn finished the day with a 37.5 field goal percentage and held Northwest Missouri to 28.3 percent. The Ichabods and Bearcats both made three triples in the contest, but Northwest Missouri had 10 more attempts than Washburn, making 3-of-24. WU edged out NWMSU in rebounds, 34-28.
Bentley finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Aubree Dewey made 4-of-6 from the floor and tallied nine points and five boards.
Nuria Barrientos pulled down 11 rebounds.
Jaelyn Haggard led the Bearcats with nine points, all coming from three-point range. Molly Hartnett added eight points and eight rebounds.
The Ichabods will face the Bearcats again in three days as Washburn travels to Maryville, Mo. for a makeup game on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m.
