MARYVILLE, Mo. -- For the first time since Jan. 5 2019 Washburn needed 50 minutes to find a winner on Saturday afternoon. After rallying late in regulation the Ichabods came up short, falling 65-61 to Northwest Missouri on the road in double overtime. They will stay on the road facing Emporia State at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 15 next.
In the opening minutes Washburn (10-5, 3-3 MIAA) was in control, leading 8-3 at the 5:27 mark after Gabi Giovannetti got her second basket of the game to go. The lead stayed at six inside the final two minutes of the quarter as the Bearcats were held to 1-12 shooting to begin the game. The home team finished on a 4-0 run and it was a 10-8 lead for the Ichabods after one.
Offense was hard to come by for both teams in the second quarter. Washburn was held scoreless until a Britany Kogbara at the 4:34 mark. Both teams managed just one field goal as they combined for nine points in the quarter. The Ichabods went into the break still in front, leading 14-13.
The basket opened up in the third, with 7:50 remaining Madelyn Amekporfor drilled the first 3-pointer for either team in the game. A pair of free throws by Brooke Gomez pushed the lead up to six. In the final minutes of the half Northwest Missouri flipped a three-point deficit into a five-point lead, going in front 33-28 after three.
After the opening minutes of the fourth quarter the Bearcats pushed the lead to nine points with 5:15 remaining. Washburn answered with a 12-0 run across the next four minutes, with half of the points coming from Giovannetti. Northwest Missouri scored four in a row to go in front by one. Giovannetti got a free throw to go in the final 10 seconds to tie the game back up and eventually send it to overtime.
In the first extra period the Ichabods built the largest lead by either side at four points after Payton Sterk got a layup to go with 3:26 remaining. The offense went cold over the last three minutes of overtime as the Bearcats scored four to tie it back up. Both sides had multiple stops inside the final minute to send the game to a second overtime tied at 53.
The lead continued to trade hands in the opening minutes of the second overtime. Giovannetti hit a layup to go in front 59-58 with 1:12 remaining. Northwest Missouri answered right back with a 3-pointer in the final minute that would put them in front for good. The home team went 4-4 at the free throw line to hold off the Ichabods and win 65-61.
Washburn shot 33.3% for the game while going just 2-19 from beyond the arc. On the other end the Bearcats shot 36.1% from the field overall and 6-20 from deep. The Ichabods won the rebounding battle 47-42 and led 10-0 in second chance points.
Gabi Giovannetti led the game in scoring with 19 points on 8-15 shooting with four steals and five rebounds. Yiibari Nwidadah had a third straight double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Kirsten Hauck led Northwest Missouri State with 15 points while four scored in double figures.
