PITTSBURG, Kan. -- A big second quarter from No. 10 Pittsburg State downed Washburn on Wednesday evening, falling 85-62 on the road. The Ichabods will finish out the regular season on Saturday, March 1 facing Missouri Southern at 3:30 p.m.  

It was a fast paced, up and down contest early on as both teams traded baskets. A layup by Yiibari Nwidadah at the 6:19 mark of the first quarter put Washburn (16-12, 10-8 MIAA) up 8-7. The Gorillas (25-3, 17-1 MIAA) went on a 7-2 run over the next 2:11, going up by four. The lead never got higher than five points in the first as both teams shot at least 45.0%. A 3-pointer just before the buzzer by Aniah Wayne cut the deficit to one at 20-19 to end the opening 10 minutes.  

After Pittsburg State went up by five early in the second quarter an and-one layup by Nwidadah sparked an 8-0 run for Washburn to put them up 27-24 once Gabi Giovannetti connected on a 3-pointer. Another bucket from Giovannetti put them up by three with 4:44 to go. From that point on in the half it was nearly all Gorillas as they finished the quarter on a 19-2 run, shooting 58.8% in the quarter and 4-5 from deep to lead 48-34.  

The Ichabods kept pace early in the third and were able to make it a single-digit game after Nwidadah got four straight points with 3:44 left in the quarter. Washburn shot 50.0% for the quarter but a late 9-4 run by Pittsburg State put them in front 67-54 heading into the fourth quarter.  

The lead stayed at 13 with 7:00 to go on another layup from Nwidadah. After that the next 11 points all went to the home team, going up by more than 20 points. That is where the deficit would stay as the Ichabods fell 85-62.  

Washburn shot 43.9% (25-57) in the game but were just 4-15 (26.7%) from deep and 8-9 at the line. The Gorillas went 33-71 (46.5%) overall and went 9-20 from beyond the arc.  

A 14-4 turnover deficit for the Ichabods along with a 40-33 rebounding advantage for Pittsburg State gave them an advantage. Points off turnovers went 19-4 in favor of the Gorillas, as did bench scoring 23-7.  

Four from Washburn scored in double figures led by Yiibari Nwidadah with 14 and eight rebounds. Gabi Giovannetti had 13 points while Payton Sterk and Madelyn Amekporfor each added 11.  

Grace Pyle and Karenna Gerber led the way for Pittsburg State, each scoring 24 points in the victory.