By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Things are about to get tougher for the red-hot Washburn women's basketball team, beginning with next Thursday's MIAA opener at Nebraska-Kearney.
Junior Gabi Giovannetti led three double-figure scorers for Washburn with 19 points Saturday as the Ichabods posted their fourth straight victory, 98-65 over Sterling. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But Lora Westling's Ichabods tuned up for what will be a six-game road trip covering more than a month in the best possible way, posting a fourth straight win in Saturday's 98-65 romp past Sterling in Lee Arena.
"That's a good team,'' Westling said of the Warriors. "I know they're an NAIA team, but they were 7-1 and obviously No. 12 (Korynn Classon) can really play and we knew they were going to be able to do some things, so a great win and exactly where we want our head going into conference.''
All four of WU's wins during its current streak have been by at least 22 points, with Saturday's 38-point victory the Ichabods' biggest margin of the season.
Washburn, now 4-4, outscored the Warriors in all four quarters while all 12 Ichabods that saw action cracked the scoring column, including seven with at least seven points.
Junior Gabi Giovannetti paced three double-figure scorers for Washburn with 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting overall and 3 of 7 from 3-point range while also adding a game-high three steals.
Junior Payton Sterk scored 18 points and hit four 3-pointers in Saturday's 98-65 Washburn win over Sterling in Lee Arena. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Payton Sterk was right behind Giovannetti with 18 points, hitting 4 of 9 3-pointers, while junior Yibari Nwidadah added 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Washburn built a 24-19 first-quarter lead over the Warriors and used a 26-15 second quarter to take a 50-34 halftime advantage.
The Ichabods followed that up with 32-17 third quarter to open up a commanding 82-51 advantage and finished off the rout with a 16-14 fourth quarter.
Washburn shot 53.6 percent from the field for the game while out-rebounding Sterling 37-25 and committing eight fewer turnovers than the Warriors (22-14).
Clason led Sterling with a game-high 25 points whle Alissa Heskamp and Kayla Morris added 10 points apiece.
WASHBURN WOMEN 98, STERLING 65
Sterling 19 15 17 14 -- 65
Washburn 24 26 32 16 -- 98
STERLING (7-2)
Young 2-7 2-4 6, Briar 1-6 0-0 2, Clason 11-17 3-3 25, Heskamp 4-7 2-2 10, Bearup 3-3 0-0 6, Gill 0-1 0-0 0, Morris 4-6 2-2 10, Terverbaugh 2-4 0-0 4, Jacobs 0-2 2-2 2, McCormick 0-1 0-0 0, Galliher 0-0 0-0 0, Spencer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-55 11-13 65.
WASHBURN (4-4)
Amekporfor 4-10 0-0 9, Nwidadah 6-8 3-4 15, Gomez 4-5 1-1 9, Giovannetti 8-12 0-0 19, Sterk 6-15 2-2 18, Snyder 0-1 1-2 1, Davison 2-4 3-4 8, McCallop 1-3 0-0 2, McKenzie 2-3 1-2 5, Gideon 2-3 2-2 7, Boyd 2-5 0-0 4, Luebbert 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 37-69 14-19 98.
3-point goals -- Sterling 0-6 (Briar 0-4, Heskamp 0-1, McCormick 0-1), Washburn 10-27 (Sterk 4-9, Giovannetti 3-7, Amekporfor 1-5, Gideon 1-2, Davison 1-1, Gomez 0-1, McCallop 0-1, Snyder 0-1). Rebounds -- Sterling 25 (Young 9), Washburn 37 (Nwidadah 8). Assists -- Sterling 12 (Briar 3, Clason 3), Washburn 23 (Amekporfor 7, Gomez 7). Turnovers -- Sterling 22, Washburn 14. Total fouls -- Sterling 17, Washburn 16. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
