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WU women drop 83-81 heartbreaker to Arkansas-Fort Smith despite Sterk's 33 points
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball went down to the wire in its first ever meeting with Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday evening but fell just short, losing 83-81 in a high-scoring affair.
Washburn junior Payton Sterk scored 33 points in Thursday's 83-81 loss at Arkansas-Fort Smith. [File photo/TSN]
The opening minutes of the contest went back-and-forth, with Yibari Nwidadah tying the game up at seven for Washburn (13-11 overall, 7-7 MIAA) with a layup at the 6:27 mark.
Over the next 1:36 the Lions (14-8, 8-5) scored eight points in a row to force a timeout.
The Ichabods responded with a run of their own, tying the game at 19 after Payton Sterk nailed a triple. She had eight points in the opening quarter as Arkansas-Fort Smith led 21-20.
After both teams shot over 50.0 percent in the first quarter the home squad kept pace, scoring the first eight points in the second to lead 29-20 at the 7:42 mark. The margin grew to double digits in the ensuing minutes.
Washburn began to make up ground, starting with a three-point play from Amaya Davison. The score was knotted up at 40 after a 5-0 run for the Ichabods ended with a triple from Sterk. The Lions responded with one of their own to lead by three heading into the half.
Out of the break Arkansas-Fort Smith connected on three 3-pointers in the first four minutes as they built the lead up to 12 points. The WU deficit grew to as many as 13 before a 7-0 run for the Ichabods, ending with a bucket inside by Nwidadah at the 3:03 mark. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way with the Lions leading 67-60 with 10 to play.
Sterk began the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and the points kept coming for Washburn, 10 of them in a row, going from seven down to three up after a three-point play by Sterk with 7:35 to play.
With the score knotted at 72, Arkansas Fort-Smith connected on a triple, adding two more shortly after to go up by five at the 2:25 mark. The Ichabods hung around and in the final minute cut the deficit to one after an offensive rebound and layup by Nwidadah with 16 seconds remaining.
One free throw went down on the other end for the Lions and that was all they needed as Washburn came up empty on the next possession, falling 83-81.

Top-ranked Hayden girls earn 55-49 Centennial League win over Trojans
By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
It might have been cold outside, but it definitely was not cold inside the Ken Bueltel Center Tuesday as the Class 4A No. 1-ranked Hayden girls would go up against Topeka High.
Freshman Hailey Schmidtlein (2) tied for game-high honors with 19 points in Hayden's 55-49 win at Hayden Tuesday night. [File photo/TSN]
Senior Millie Ramsey had 11 of her 17 points in the second half in Hayden's 55-49 win over Topeka High. [File photo/TSN]
And although the Wildcats would trail much of the game, Hayden took control down the stretch to pull out a 55-49 Centennial League victory.
The Trojans would get off to a hot start by going up 15-11 to end the first and the game would go back and fourth but ending the first half would be all Trojans.
The Trojans were led by sophomore guard Ahsieryrhuajh Rayton, who scored 11 of her 19 in the first half.
After making some changes at halftime Hayden would finish the third quarter still trailing 42-40 but would out-score the Trojans 14-13 in the third and 15-7 in the fourth to pull out the 6-point win.
The Wildcats got big nights from freshman Hailey Schmidtlein, who would tie for game-high scoring honors with Rayton with 19 points, and senior Amelia Ramsey, who would score 17 points with 11 of those coming after halftime.
“This was a hard fought game, they have a lot of talent and their two guards were hot and they have added some things down low,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said. "They will be a tough out for anybody come postseason. I was really proud of our girls for coming back and getting the win.
“Hailey allowed us to get out in transition, Millie did what Millie does. She is a force in the paint, gets offensive and defensive rebounds, has a soft touch around the rim. Brylee (Meier), Norma (Greco) and Bella (Reid), all our seniors played really well tonight.”

WU women on the road to face Arkansas-Fort Smith
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball will go south for the first time in conference play this season beginning with the first ever meeting between the Ichabods and new MIAA foe Arkansas-Fort Smith at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday evening.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah leads Washburn with 16.5 points and 7.1 rebounds a game entering Thursday's MIAA contest at Arkansas-Fort Smith. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn is 13-10 on the year, equaling its win total for the 2023-2024 season, and 7-6 in the MIAA after defeating Central Missouri 75-61 last Saturday. Last time out Arkansas-Fort Smith (13-9, 7-6) lost its fourth straight game, 82-62 to No. 8 Fort Hays State in Hays.
Yibari Nwidadah is averaging 16.5 points and 7.1 rebounds while ranking second in the nation with a 65.7 percent field goal percentage. The junior Olathe North product has started all 21 games she has played in, logging 26.9 minutes per game. She has shot at or above 50.0 percent in all but three games and has four double-doubles.
With 203 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah is seventh in program history. She needs 14 offensive boards to move up to sixth. In overall rebounds she is 15th in Washburn history with 541. Her career field goal percentage of .585 is the second best in program history. In scoring she ranks 35th with 852 career points.
Junior Payton Sterk, a Colorado Springs native, is averaging 16.2 points while starting all 23 contests and playing a team-high 30.7 minutes per game. She is shooting a team-high 39.5 percent from 3-point range while drilling a team-high 49 3-pointers.