By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball struggled on and off throughout Saturday's home finale against seven-win Rogers State.
Junior Payton Sterk scored a game-high 24 points in Washburn's 64-52 Saturday MIAA win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Brooke Gomez had eight points, a career-high 11 rebounds and five assists in Saturday's 64-52 Washburn win over Rogers State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But in a clear sign of how far the WU program has progressed, the Ichabods were still able to post a double-digit MIAA victory, taking a 64-52 win in Lee Arena.
"It was just one of those days,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said. "We struggled taking care of the ball. We struggled with some things we usually don't and we just kind of struggled to get going, but we got enough done."
With the win Washburn improved to 16-11 overall and 10-7 in the MIAA with their third straight victory while clinching a winning 2024-2025 campaign, picking up a big win in a game WU might not have won a year ago.
"We don't win that game (last season) I don't think,'' Westling said. "We don't win that game three months ago, so this is a group that has everything going in the right direction. You're going to have ugly wins sometimes and we'll take that. You want them all to be pretty, but they're not.''
The Hillcats (7-19, 1-16) jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead, but the next nine points were all scored by Washburn, with the Ichabods going in front 11-5 at the 6:07 mark after junior Gabi Giovannetti got a jumper to fall. The Ichabod offense worked efficiently in the first quarter, shooting 8-15 to lead 20-13 after one.
Washburn pushed the lead into double digits after a free throw by Giovannetti early in the second. Both teams traded baskets the rest of the way as the Ichabod offense cooled off from the first quarter.
Rogers State cut the lead down to just five points at the 3:22 mark and once again with just over a minute left in the half. Freshman Brooke Gomez ended the frame with a driving layup to make it 31-24 WU after 20 minutes.
Two straight baskets by junior Payton Sterk, the second off a steal, began a 6-0 Washburn run that put the Ichabods in front by 14 at the 5:24 mark in the third stanza.
Washburn got to the free throw line, shooting eight free throws in the quarter and making six to keep the lead in double digits into the final two minutes. The Hillcats then went on a 4-0 run in the final 35 seconds of the quarter to pull within eight at 48-40 going into the fourth.
After Rogers State got the first basket in the final frame the Ichabods responded with a 6-0 run, beginning with a layup by Sterk.
Washburn was held scoreless for the next 3:43 as the Hillcats pulled within six points.
But it took only 78 seconds for the Ichabods to get the six points back, with Sterk and junior Yibari Nwidadah each accounting for three points to push the Washburn lead back to 12 with 2:25 to play.
That is where the lead would remain at the final buzzer, with Sterk and junior Emajin McCallop sinking free throws down the stretch, securing the 12-point win.
Washburn shot 43.1% (22-51) for the game and was 15-24 at the free throw line, generating 13 more attempts than the visitors. Rogers State shot 22-55 (40.0%) overall, but was just 2-17 from beyond the 3-point arc, with both makes coming in the first half.
Rebounding went in favor of the Ichabods, 37-29, while both teams were able to turn the other over as Washburn had 20 giveaways and the Hillcats 18. Both teams were even in paint scoring, with 32 each, while the Ichabods had 11 second-chance points and allowed just five.
Sterk led the way with her second straight 20-point game, scoring 24 on 8-16 shooting with three steals. Gomez scored eight points and grabbed a career and game-high 11 rebounds while also giving out five assists. Nwidadah scored 11 points and grabbed six boards.
Alyza Aikins scored 13 to lead Rogers State while Jaiana Wiggins added 11 with three blocks.
The Ichabods will head on the road for the final week of the regular season, beginning with league-leading Pittsburg State at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
WASHBURN WOMEN 64, ROGERS STATE 52
Rogers State 13 11 16 12 -- 52
Washburn 20 11 17 16 -- 64
ROGERS STATE (7-19, 1-16)
Hafer 3-12 1-2 7, Wiggins 5-6 0-0 11, Akins 5-12 2-4 13, Melton 2-6 0-0 4, Jones 3-5 1-1 7, Conner 0-2 1-2 1, McDaniel 2-7 0-0 4, Martin 2-4 1-2 5, Arens 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-55 6-11 52.
WASHBURN (16-11, 10-7)
Amekporfor 3-5 2-2 9, Nwidadah 4-8 3-10 11, Gomez 4-7 0-0 8, Giovannetti 2-6 2-4 7, Sterk 8-16 6-6 24, Davison 0-4 0-0 0, McCallop 0-0 2-2 2, Wayne 0-4 0-0 0, Snyder 1-1 0-0 3, Gideon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-51 15-24 64.
3-point goals -- Rogers State 2-17 (Wiggins 1-1, Akins 1-5, Hafer 0-4, McDaniel 0-4, Melton 0-1, Conner 0-1, Martin 0-1), Washburn 5-15 (Sterk 2-5, Giovannetti 1-4, Amekporfor 1-2, Snyder 1-1, Wayne 0-2, Davison 0-1). Rebounds -- Rogers State 29 (Four with 4), Washburn 37 (Gomez 11). Assists -- Rogers State 12 (Melton 4), Washburn 11 (Gomez 5). Turnovers -- Rogers State 18, Washburn 20. Total fouls -- Rogers State 19, Washburn 14. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- Melton.
