By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn senior Hunter Bentley started making her point that she was in for a good day before Saturday's MIAA game at Missouri Western even started.
Bentley, the former Bishop Miege star, got the chance to shoot two free throws when Western was called for an administrative technical foul and canned both charities to give the Ichabods a 2-0 advantage prior to the opening possession.
Bentley kept finding the bottom of the net throughout the contest, scoring 27 points as Washburn ended a layoff of more than three weeks with a 61-49 romp past the Griffons.
"Those two technical free throws at the beginning kind of gave me an easy way to see the ball go through the basket, so that was a nice way to start and then I hit a few more shots and then it just kind of went uphill from there,'' Bentley told KTPK radio.
Washburn, which improved to 3-4, never trailed, leading by 16 points in both halves.
Bentley played point guard Saturday due to an injury to Aubree Dewey, a change that seemed to suit her.
"I never really thought I would hear those words, but that's what our team needed me to do, so that's what I had to do today,'' Bentley said. "I don't think I've ever dribbled that much in a game, ever, so that was definitely different for me, but I've been around for a long time and Coach (McHenry) trusts me to read the defense and call out good plays and kind of see who our best players are at that moment and get things going for us, so I think that's why he wanted me to play that spot.''
Washburn had not played since Dec. 17 and had three straight games postponed, which Bentley said had the Ichabods chomping at the bit to get back in action.
"You always want to come play games, that's the best part of every single season, so having three games postponed in a row was really frustrating,'' Bentley said. "I think we were all just really anxious to get out here and play and just finally get to see what we can do together as a team.''
Wshburn led by 11 points at the end of the first quarter after leading by as many as 16 points before Missouri Western (2-6) cut the Ichabods' halftime advantage to 6 points.
Washburn boosted its lead back 46-39 at the end of the third quarter and scored the first 7 points of the fourth quarter to take control. The Ichabods increased their lead to 16 twice down the stretch.
Sophomore Abby Oliver, a Wabaunsee product, added 12 points for Washburn while junior Nuria Barrientos had 9 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.
Logan Hughes and Brionna Budgetts had 10 points apiece for Missouri Western.
Washburn will be at home Thursday to host Missouri Southern.
WASHBURN WOMEN 61, MISSOURI WESTERN 49
Washburn 23 7 16 15 — 61
Missouri Western 12 12 15 10 — 49
WASHBURN (3-4, 3-4)
Bentley 8-13 7-7 27, Oliver 6-10 0-0 12, Barrientos 4-9 1-2 9, Doebele 2-4 2-2 6, Gamble 2-6 0-0 5, Cassaday 1-2 0-0 2, Willey 0-3 0-0 0, Narber 5 0-1 10, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Tanking 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-49 10-13 61.
MISSOURI WESTERN (2-6, 206)
Hughes 4-8 0-2 10, Evans 2-12 0-0 4, McCoy 1-7 2-4 4, Weishaar 1-4 0-0 3, Rodney 0-1 0-0 0, Budgetts 4-13 0-2 10, Stephens 3-7 0-0 7, Hogan 2-5 2-2 6, Cunningham 1-2 0-0 3, Fultz 1-1 0-0 2, Hale 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-60 4-10 49.
3-point goals — Washburn 5-19 (Bentley 4-8, Gamble 1-4, Barrientos 0-2, Willey 0-2, Doebele 0-1, Narber 0-1, Tanking 0-1), Missouri Western 7-18 (Hughes 2-3, Budgetts 2-5, Weishaar 1-3, Stephens 1-4, Cunningham 1-2, Rodney 0-1). Rebounds — Washburn 42 (Barrientos 12), Missouri Western 31 (McCoy 7). Assists — Washburn 13 (Barrientos 5, Gamble 5), Missouri Western 13 (Evans 3). Turnovers — Washburn 21, Missouri Western 11. Total fouls — Washburn 11, Missouri Western 17. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — Missouri Western (administrative).
