EDMOND, Okla. -- Washburn women's basketball could not overcome a 25-point third-quarter offensive explosion on Saturday afternoon losing 82-68 to Central Oklahoma. The Ichabods return to Topeka and take on Lincoln on Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The first four points of the game belonged to Yiibari Nwidadah and came in the first 73 seconds. The Bronchos (6-18, 5-13 MIAA) responded with a 7-0 run in a high-powered first quarter for both teams. UCO led by as many as seven in the quarter before Washburn (11-13, 6-12 MIAA) scored the final four points, boosting its shooting percentage to 56.25% in the frame and cut the lead to just two.
In the second quarter both teams went back and forth, with Central Oklahoma extending its lead up to seven points early and the Ichabods continuing to battle back. They went ahead with 1:24 left in the half after Nwidadah got another bucket to fall, but three free throws from the Bronchos gave them a 37-35 lead going into halftime after each team scored 15 points in the quarter.
The home squad came out of halftime on a 7-0 run in the first two minutes of action. Washburn picked up its scoring, cutting the lead down to six after Gabi Giovannetti sunk a free throw at the 7:40 mark but UCO kept up its offensive attack. The Bronchos shot 8-13 in the quarter while going 3-4 from behind the arc and connecting on six free throws. Six turnovers in the quarter by the Ichabods helped push the Central Oklahoma lead to 16 at the end of the quarter.
Early in the fourth the lead quickly grew to 20 on multiple occasions. Washburn worked to chip away at it, a 3-pointer from Giovannetti with 2:41 left was part of a 5-0 run for WU to cut the lead down to 11 but the Bronchos connected on free throws down the stretch winning 82-68.
Washburn shot 28-61 (45.9%) in the game and made six three-pointers in 15 tries, but were just 6-14 from the free throw line. Central Oklahoma was 28-60 from the floor (46.7%) while going 8-19 from 3-point range and 18-22 from the line. Free throws and a 16 to eight turnover disadvantage were hurtful for the Ichabods in the loss.
Gabi Giovannetti paced Washburn with a career-high 23 points on 8-13 shooting overall and 4-7 from deep. Yiibari Nwidadah pulled down a double double finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of blocks. Aubree Dewey had 11 points to go with a team-high six assists.
Four players from the Bronchos finished in double figure scoring led by Raegan Fox with 22 points on 7-10 shooting. Caley Young added 16 and three blocks.
