TOPEKA, Kan. – The Ichabods started the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game, but Fort Hays State regained the lead and held on for the 53-46 win in Lee Arena on Wednesday evening. Washburn will host No. 16-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Fort Hays State (14-6, 9-3 MIAA) broke an early 2-all tie with a 6-0 run, but went scoreless the last 3:46 of the quarter while Washburn answered with six points of its own to level the score at 8-8 at the end of the first.
The Tigers scored the first four points of the second and led for the entire frame, shooting 57 percent from the field and extending their lead to nine, 24-15, at halftime.
After the break, Washburn (7-9, 3-7 MIAA) trimmed the deficit to five at the 7:03 and 5:33 marks before Fort Hays State used a 9-3 spurt to go up by a game-high 11, 39-28.
Gabi Artis drained a three-pointer just before the buzzer to make it a 39-31 game at the end of three.
The Ichabods carried that momentum into the fourth quarter and ripped off a 9-0 run over the first 3:48 to take their first lead of the contest. The Tigers reclaimed the lead with a layup on the ensuing possession and stayed in front for the remainder of the game. Washburn got within two, 46-44, on a jumper by Artis with 1:41 to go, but the Ichabods would get no closer.
The Ichabods finished the night shooting 29.3 and the Tigers shot 36.8 percent. Washburn was 3-of-19 from behind the arc and Fort Hays was 2-for-11 from deep. Both teams made nine free throws and Washburn made one more attempt, taking 14 trips to the charity stripe. The Ichabods had a 47-33 advantage in rebounds and scored 11 second chance points on 18 offensive boards.
Artis, a freshman, tied her season-high in scoring with 16 points and added seven rebounds. Fellow freshman
Yiibari Nwidadah recorded the first double-double of the season for Washburn as she racked up a season-best 13 boards, seven of which were offensive, and 11 points in 23 minutes of action.
Katie Wagner was the lone Fort Hays State player in double-figures as she finished with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
