SAN ANTONIO, Texas – After a fast start Washburn couldn't overcome a second half cold stretch as they fell 53-49 in overtime to St. Mary's University in day one of the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic. The Ichabods will round out the tournament on Saturday against Texas A&M – Kingsville at 2 p.m.  

The first seven points of the game came from Washburn (3-2) as five were scored by Payton Sterk. The Rattlers (4-0) did not get on the board until the 6:45 mark in the opening frame. A layup inside from Britany Kogbara pushed the lead to nine points and later on a triple by Aniah Wayne made it 17-7 with 1:47 left in the first. St. Mary's made it a single digit game trailing 17-9 after one.  

The Rattlers scored the first five points of the second quarter, pulling within two and eventually tying the game at 19 at the 4:35 mark. The Ichabods shot just 3-12 from the field as St. Mary's went in front 23-21. Sterk hit a layup in the final seconds of the half to tie the game at 23.  

Brooke Gomez connected from deep to open the second half for Washburn. Both teams traded baskets throughout much of the third quarter, with both shooting exactly 3-11 in the 10-minute period. Sterk finished the scoring of the quarter with a 3-pointer to go up 34-31 heading into the fourth.  

With four points to start the quarter the Ichabod lead grew to seven after Madelyn Amekporfor hit a pair of free throws with 8:08 to play. St. Mary's began to chip away from that point, tying the game with 3:34 to play and going in front 43-41 on the next possession. They led by two into the final minute until Sterk hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 45. Yiibari Nwidadah made a block on the ensuing defensive possession but the final Washburn offensive possession came up empty resulting in overtime. 

Neither team scored until the Rattlers got a free throw with 3:01 left in the extra period. Sterk scored a layup to go in front 47-46 at the 2:39 mark but the next seven points came from the home team. The Ichabod offense couldn't mount a comeback as they fell 53-49.  

Washburn shot 30.0% in the game and was just 5-26 from three-point range as well. On the other end St. Mary's shot 37.3% from the floor but were just 5-17 behind the arc.  

Rebounding went in favor of the Rattlers, 42-36 and they also led 30-10 in bench scoring for the game.  

Payton Sterk led the Ichabods with 21 points on 7-16 shooting while adding three steals. Yiibari Nwidadah had seven points along with six rebounds and a block.  

Both Imani Ivery and Quezia Bertoni led St. Mary's with 12 points.