TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Washburn was strong on the defensive end, building a first half lead and held on late for a 62-52 win on the road over Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon. The Ichabods return home to face Central Oklahoma in Lee Arena on Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m.  

It was a slow start to the game offensively for both teams with the first field goal of the game coming from Yiibari Nwidadah at the 7:04 mark. Washburn (14-11, 8-7 MIAA) held the RiverHawks (10-14, 6-9 MIAA) without a field goal until there was just 3:16 in the quarter. The Ichabods led by as many as six in the first quarter but finished the opening 10 minutes leading 14-12. 

Both teams traded baskets to open the second quarter. Separation was created by Washburn with a 6-0 run over the final 4:11 of the half, with a layup by Nwidadah pushing the deficit up to 12 as the Ichabods held the home team scoreless over the final four minutes of the second quarter. They went into the half leading 31-19 with Northeastern State shooting 18.2% in the second quarter.  

After the first two points of the third quarter went to the RiverHawks the next seven all went to Washburn, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers, first from Payton Sterk then Gabi Giovannetti to lead 38-21. The next seven points all came from the home team as the Ichabods were held scoreless for 3:56. Northeastern State got the deficit down to as little as eight points but the Ichabods closed on a 5-0 run all from Madelyn Amekporfor and Nwidadah to lead 46-33 with 10 to play.  

A layup by Nia McKenzie at the 8:16 mark in the fourth kept the lead at 13 before a 10-0 run for the RiverHawks made it 50-47 at the 5:37 mark. Two possessions later Nwidadah got another bucket to go in the paint and it was the last points by either team for over two minutes. A triple from Northeastern State with 2:46 left cut it to two but once again Nwidadah responded, scoring the next three points. The score never got closer than three as Washburn put the game away at the free throw line and would end with a 62-52 double-digit win.  

Washburn shot 21-51 (41.2%) in the game, and was just 3-16 from beyond the arc. The game was decided on the other end, where the RiverHawks were held to 16-54 (29.6%) shooting while also going just 14-23 at the free throw line.  

The rebounding battle went to the Ichabods 39-36 while both teams were nearly even in turnovers with 19 for Washburn and 18 for the RiverHawks. Points in the paint went big to Washburn, 36-20, as did second chance points 13-0.  

Yiibari Nwidadah registered her second straight double-double, scoring 23 points on 10-12 shooting while tying a career-high with 16 rebounds and adding a pair of blocks. Payton Sterk also finished in double figures with 10 points.  

Both Alex Hill and Annaston Brown had 14 points apiece to lead Northeastern State.