WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Washburn trailed No. 17 Central Missouri by double digits after one quarter on Wednesday evening and wasn't able to mount a comeback, falling 84-71 on the road. The Ichabods stay in Missouri, taking on Lincoln at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Less than five minutes into the game the Ichabods (10-4, 5-3) faced a double-digit deficit after a layup from UCM (11-3, 5-3) with 5:17 left in the first quarter made the game 15-5. Yiibari Nwidadah had the first five points for Washburn, and added two blocks in the first quarter as well, but Central Missouri was able to get to the line for 11 free throws in the first quarter alone and made every one to lead 25-14.
The offensive of the Jennies didn't slow down in the second quarter and the lead was pushed to 20 points at the 5:44 mark of the quarter. Aubree Dewey scored eight points for the Ichabods in the first five minutes of the quarter but Central Missouri was able to withstand the scoring by shooting 61.1% in the second quarter. The lead grew to as high as 27 points before Aniah Wayne converted a four-point play with 3:24 left in the half. Washburn still went into the half trailing 53-31.
The Ichabods began the third quarter on a 10-7 run, getting the lead under 20 on a three-point play from Dewey with 6:45 left in the quarter. After a quick opening stretch, the Ichabod offense slowed down until the final 90 seconds of the quarter with Washburn ending it on an 8-0 run with two triples from Dewey included. Washburn outscored UCM 20-17 in the quarter to trail 70-51 after three.
The Ichabods began the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run capped by a layup from Dewey to make it a 10-point game with 7:13 to play. The deficit was sliced to seven after Mackenzie Gamble trained a corner 3-pointer at the 5:31 mark. The lead stayed under 10 until a 4-0 run for the Jennies with just over three minutes left. That is where it stayed for the final 180 seconds with Washburn falling on the road 84-71.
The Ichabods shot 42.6% from the floor and knocked down seven triples, one more than the Jennies. UCM shot 46.2% from the floor and were a perfect 18-18 from the charity stripe. Central Missouri won the turnover battle 13 to seven and scored 24 points off the giveaways while only allowing five.
Aubree Dewey finished with a career-high 28 points on 11-21 shooting to lead the Ichabods. Yiibari Nwidadah had a double-double with 13 points going 5-7 from the floor with a team-high 11 rebounds along with three blocks. Mackenzie Gamble added nine points on three triples.
Central Missouri had four players score in double figures led by Brooke Littrell who had 24 points on 9-16 shooting. Olivia Nelson added 14 with three assists.
