TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn registered its sixth straight victory as they wrapped up the season inside Lee Arena with a 83-64 win over Missouri Southern on senior day Saturday. The Ichabods enter the MIAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed and will face the No. 6 seed Pittsburg State in the quarterfinal round on Friday, March 6 at 2:15 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo.
Before the game the four Washburn seniors: Gabi Giovannetti, Payton Sterk, Aniah Wayne and Yiibari Nwidadah were recognized for senior day along with student assistant Karly Neufeld prior to their final game inside of Lee Arena.
After a 5-0 run early in the first quarter to lead 10-5 Washburn (21-7, 14-5 MIAA) never trailed the rest of the way. They shot 8-8 at the free throw line in the opening quarter to help build an 18-14 lead.
The Lions (19-9, 13-6) cut the deficit down to one point early in the second quarter but a third triple of the game by Madelyn Amekporfor stopped the run. The Ichabods were able to push the lead to ten points at 35-25 after Gabi Giovannetti knocked down a triple with 1:44 remaining in the first half. Washburn ended the half on a 5-0 run all in the final 17 seconds to go into the break leading 40-27.
Offense for both sides picked up in the third quarter, a personal 5-0 run by Payton Sterk pushed the lead to 15 points at the 6:40 mark. Missouri Southern came back with six points in a row, brining the lead to single digits. Aniah Wayne dialed up a pair of 3-pointers inside the final minutes of the quarter as the Ichabods shot 50.0% overall in the third to lead 62-50 going into the fourth.
Sterk opened the fourth with a 3-pointer but after that the Lions continued to chip away, brining the lead back down to nine points with 5:29 remaining. Over the next 2:13 Washburn answered with a 10-2 run with the final six points coming at the free throw line. That pushed the lead to 17 and it was all Ichabods from there as they eased into a 19-point victory.
Washburn shot 42.9% for the game and was an efficient 9-23 from deep. They got to the line 32 times and converted 26 opportunities as well. On the other end Missouri Southern was held to 33.9% shooting and just 1-12 from behind the arc. They shot 21-31 at the charity stripe.
A 49-32 advantage on the glass aided the Ichabods as they snagged 16 extra opportunities. Missouri Southern had a 24-13 edge in the turnover department but got just six points off the bench compared to 24 for Washburn.
Five players scored in double figures led by Payton Sterk with 19 on 5-9 shooting. Gabi Giovannetti eclipsed 1,000 career points with 17 with nine rebounds. Madelyn Amekporfor and Britany Kogbara each scored 12 off the bench. Aniah Wayne scored 11 and Yiibari Nwidadah had seven with four boards on senior day.
Lily Thomas led the Lions with 19 points, Grace Frazier had 17.
