By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn's 1-7 start to the 2021-2022 women's basketball season is starting to look more and more like just a bad memory.
The Ichabods picked up their fourth straight win Friday in Warrensburg, Mo., taking a 66-59 win over Central Missouri to improve to 5-7 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA.
"I think we just got into a much better flow,'' WU senior Hunter Bentley told KTPK Radio after the game. "We've been talking a lot more, communicating better and we've been able to read each other better, so it's just been helping us flow a lot better on offense and when we can score then it's easier to set our defense and to get stops.''
Senior Hunter Bentley scored 18 points and went five of five from the free throw line in Washburn's 66-59 road win at Central Missouri on Friday. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn got off to a good start Friday, jumping out to a 15-13 first-quarter advantage over the Jennies, a Final Four team a year ago.
The Jennies rallied for a 31-29 halftime lead, but the Ichabods forged a 47-47 tie at the end of the third quarter and took control down the stretch to win for the second straight time on Central Missouri's home floor.
Bentley led Washburn with 18 points while Nuria Barrientos had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Shae Sanchez added 10 points with a pair of 3-pointers.
Bentley moved into the No. 9 spot on Washburn's career scoring list, moving past former Ichabod standout Crystal Walker. Bentley is just seven points behind Joy Benton, who is No. 8 on the list.
Bentley went five of five from the free throw line while Macy Doebele canned four of four charities late as the Ichabods held off the Jennies.
The Ichabods also turned in an excellent job on the defensive end, particulary on Jennies star Nija Collier, who had just four points and four rebounds and got in second-half foul trouble. Collier entered the game averaging 22.8 points and 13 rebounds.
Brooke Littrell led Central Missouri (8-5, 4-2) with a game-high 23 points while Olivia Nelson added 18, but Washburn out-shot the Jennies (51 percent to 35.1) and finished with a 35-31 rebounding edge.
Washburn was coming off a 71-50 non-conference win over Bethany on Wednesday and Bentley said it helped the Ichabods to have that game under their belts coming off the holiday break.
"I think that was definitely crucial for us,'' Bentley said. "It was really key for us to kind of get the rust off and go get a win on Wednesday.''
Washburn will be back at Lee Arena on Thursday, hosting Northwest Missouri.
WASHBURN WOMEN 66, CENTRAL MISSOURI 59
Washburn 15 14 18 19 -- 66
Central Missouri 13 18 16 12 -- 59
WASHBURN (5-7, 3-3)
Oliver 4-7 1-4 9, Bentley 6-12 5-5 18, Barrientos 5-9 1-2 11, Sanchez 4-7 0-0 10, Doebele 2-5 4-4 8, Gamble 0-1 0-0 0, Cassaday 3-3 0-0 6, Chapman 0-0 0-0 0, Sanz 0-2 0-0 0, Dewey 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 26-51 11-15 66.
CENTRAL MISSOURI (8-5, 4-2)
Nelson 5-9 8-8 18, Bovaird 2-5 0-0 6, Collier 2-10 0-0 4, Littrell 8-19 6-6 23, Hackerott 3-10 1-8 8, Van Zant 0-0 0-0 0, Vigil 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 20-57 15-22 59.
3-point shots – Washburn 3-11 (Sanchez 2-4, Bentley 1-4, Dewey 0-2, Gamble 0-1). Central Missouri 4-23 (Bovaird 2-4, Littrell 1-7, Hackerott 1-3, Vigil 0-4, Collier 0-3, Nelson 0-2). Rebounds – Washburn 35 (Barrientos 10), Central Missouri 31 (Nelson 7, Hackerott 7). Assists – Washburn 12 (Bentley 3, Dewey 3), Central Missouri 8 (Four with two). Turnovers – Washburn 17, Central Missouri 11. Total fouls – Washburn 21, Central Missouri 17. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none.
