JOPLIN, Mo. – The Washburn women's basketball team led for 13 minutes of the first half and went into the break with the score tied, but the Ichabod offense made just five field goals in the second half while Missouri Southern made 16 baskets and went on to win, 61-45, on Thursday evening. The Ichabods will finish out their southern road trip on Saturday afternoon at Pittsburg State.
Lakyn Schieferecke scored Washburn's (7-7, 3-5 MIAA) first five points of the game while Missouri Southern missed its first six shots. The Lions (13-4, 5-4 MIAA) got on the board and responded with five points of their own to level the score and then later tied it up again at 7-all and 9-all before
Aubree Dewey put the Ichabods back up, 12-9, with a free throw and a layup. The Lions made a floating jump shot with two seconds left in the frame to pull within one, 13-12, at the end of the opening quarter.
It was back-and-forth scoring in the second quarter as there were six lead changes and two ties. Missouri Southern took its first lead of the game 45 seconds into the second quarter and never led by more than two points in the frame. After Missouri Southern hit a three-pointer to go up, 21-19,
Amaya Davison answered with a triple on the ensuing possession to put the Ichabods back in front with 1:46 remaining in the first half. That would be the final points of the quarter for Washburn, though, and Missouri Southern went 1-of-2 at the free throw line with 24 seconds left to knot up the score at 22 at the break. The Ichabods held reigning MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year Lacy Stokes to just four points in the first half.
Missouri Southern started the second half on a 6-1 run and found its groove offensively, making 9-of-15 from the field (60 percent) with three triples. The Washburn offense went ice cold as the Ichabods made just 2-of-11 from the floor, but kept things closer by going 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
Macy Doebele made both of her free throws with 22 seconds left to trim the deficit down to six, 41-35, but Stokes drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to push the lead back to nine. The Lions scored one more point in the third quarter than they did the first half as they outscored the Ichabods, 22-13, in the frame.
Washburn's offensive struggles continued in the fourth as it made just 3-of-14 from the floor and Missouri Southern was 7-of-17 to push its lead to as many as 18. Stokes scored the final points of the game with a jumper just under two and a half minutes left to finish out the win.
The Ichabods shot a season-low 25 percent from the field (13-of-52) while the Lions finished at a 40 percent clip (24-of-60). MSSU made 6-of-21 from behind the arc and WU made 3-of-20. Washburn had the advantage at the free throw line, making 16-of-21, and Missouri Southern was 7-for-11. The Lions had six more rebounds than the Ichabods, 43-37.
The nine Ichabods who saw more than five minutes of playing time all scored two or more points. Schieferecke led the team with a career-high 10 points making all three of her field goal attempts and going 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Gabi Artis had seven points and made all four of her free throws. Doebele had six points and five boards.
Aubree Dewey led the team with seven rebounds and four assists and added five points.
Stokes finished the evening with 18 points, five steals, and five assists. Madi Stokes recorded a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds to go with three blocks.
