By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball remained within striking distance most of the way Thursday night, but weren't able to overcome a late run by No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State, falling 59-47 on the road.
Senior Yibari Nwidadah led Washburn with 12 points and nine rebounds in Thursday's MIAA loss at No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State. [File photo/TSN]
With the win the Tigers snapped Washburn's four-game winning streak and avenged their only loss of the season, a 67-64 decision to Washburn on Dec. 6 in Lee Arena.
Washburn senior Yibari Nwidadah opened what would be a low-scoring first quarter with a layup at the 8:56 mark.
After a pair of ties, the Tigers (19-1 overall, 10-1 MIAA) stayed in front the rest of the way as both teams shot a combined 8-31 in the quarter. After ten minutes Washburn (14-6, 7-4) trailed 9-8.
The Ichabods continued to play catch-up to begin the second stanza. They were finally able to string together back-to-back buckets and lead 18-17 after Britany Kogbara got a basket to go with 4:23 left in the half.
Fort Hays State went back in front and led by two with 2:16 left. The hosts were held scoreless from that point on in the quarter as Ichabod senior Aniah Wayne tied the game at 24 heading into the half.
In the opening minutes of the third quarter the Tigers pushed the lead to four points at the 7:24 mark. They were held scoreless for the next four-plus minutes as Washburn was able to go in front on a Gabi Giovannetti 3-pointer at the 3:36 mark, the first 3-pointer of the game for the Ichabods.
Fort Hays State scored the final four points of the quarter to lead 36-33.
Washburn was able to tie the game up on an offensive rebound and putback by Nwidadah with 4:21 left in regulation, but the Tiger offense picked up the pace after that, scoring the next nine points in the game in just over two and a half minutes.
The lead was pushed into double figures as Fort Hays State pulled away for the 12-point win.
The Ichabods were held to just 29.2 percent shooting in the game (21-72) and were 2-18 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Tigers shot an efficient 49.9 percent (25-51) while hitting 3 of 12 attempts from 3-point range.
Eighteen offensive rebounds kept Washburn in the game, along with winning the turnover battle 17-11. The shot making of the Tiger starting five was the difference as the Ichabod bench outscored the home reserves 18-0.
Nwidadah led the way with 12 points on 6-9 shooting and was one rebound shy from a double-double with nine rebounds. Giovannetti had 11 points while Kogbara added eight points with seven rebounds.
Talexa Weeter scored 25 points on 11-19 shooting to lead Fort Hays State while Brooke Loewe had 15 points with eight assists.
The Ichabods travel to face Nebraska-Kearney at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
