By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball achieved its biggest victory over a nationally-ranked team in more than 10 years on Saturday in Lee Arena, with the Ichabods taking a 67-64 MIAA thriller over No. 3 Fort Hays State, 67-64.
Washburn celebrates its 67-64 win over No. 3-ranked Fort Hays State Saturday in Lee Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Getting a combined 46 points from seniors Yibari Nwidadah and Gabi Giovannetti, the Ichabods handed the Tigers their first loss of the season while ending a 10-game Fort Hays State winning streak in the series.
"It was a big one and I think it was a real testament to the work these seniors have done because when we need them down the stretch they just seem to keep showing up and now the confidence is coming that they've earned and they've worked really hard for,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said.
"It was just a great team win and that's what we've been about this week.''
Nwidadah notched her first double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 rebounds while Giovannetti scored 22 points with three assists and three 3-pointers and senior Payton Sterk contributed six points and five assists.
"Every day I'm just trying to be as dominant as I can,'' Nwidadah said. "I know that's my role on this team, so doing that I think makes our team as successful as we can be.''
It was a game of runs early on with Washburn, now 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA, throwing the first punch as the Ichabods led 8-1 after an inside bucket from Nwidadah.
Fort Hays State (7-1, 1-1) answered with the next 18 points in the game to lead 19-8. The Ichabods finished the opening quarter by scoring the final four points as they weathered the storm while shooting 4 of 18 from the field.
The Tigers opened the second quarter by extending the lead back to 11 points at 28-17 with 6:28 to play, but shots started to fall for Washburn, which put together an 8-0 run that included two buckets by Britany Kogbara inside.
The game was tied in the final minute of the second quarter after a 3-pointer by Giovannetti and the Ichabods entered the locker room leading 35-32 after Nwidadah converted an and-one in the final seconds of the half.
Fort Hays State quickly tied the game up in the third quarter, but Washburn had an answer with baskets from Nwidadah and Giovannetti.
In the final three minutes of the quarter the duo combined for eight straight points to give the Ichabods a double-digit lead for the first time at 51-40 with 1:41 to play in the third. Sterk beat the buzzer on a jumper to keep the lead at 10 (55-45) heading to the fourth.
The first four points in the fourth came from Fort Hays State and the Tigers continued to cut away, with the lead at just two points at the 4:49 mark.
Minutes later Giovannetti got three the old fashioned way, stretching the lead to five. The basket was matched with a 5-0 run for Fort Hays State to tie the game with 44 seconds remaining.
Out of a timeout Nwidadah got a layup to fall inside and on the other end would come up with a block to help secure the second ranked victory of the season for Washburn.
"We talked a lot about staying the course,'' Nwidadah said. "I think in any basketball game it's a game of runs, so we just had to stop their runs as much as we could and fight back as well.''
Even though Washburn is just two games into the conference season, Giovannetti said Saturday's win should give the Ichabods confidence moving forward.
"I've never beat Fort Hays the whole time I've been here, so it gives us a lot of confidence,'' Giovannetti said. "We just have a lot of confidence within our team and a lot of confidence in each other.''
The Ichabods shot 38.8 percent (26-67) from the field while shooting 3 of 11 from deep. Washburn was efficient at the free throw line, going 12 of 13. On the other end the Tigers shot 37.7 (23-61) and were just 5 of 25 from beyond the arc.
The rebounding battle went Washburn's way, 41-40, with each side also within one in turnovers and assists. Points in the paint were dominated by the Ichabods, 46-32.
Kogbara scored 10 off the bench.
Talexa Weeter had 28 points and nine rebounds for Fort Hays State while Brooke Loewe had 10 points and 10 assists.
The Ichabods will stay at home to host Central Missouri next Saturday at 1 p.m.
WASHBURN 67, FORT HAYS STATE 64
Fort Hays State 19 13 13 19-- 64
Washburn 12 23 20 12 -- 67
Fort Hays State (7-1, 1-1) -- Lowe 1-6 0-0 2, Loewe 4-9 2-2 10, Mortensen 4-8 1-2 11, Stearns 2-7 1-2 6, Weeter 9-24 9-12 28, Zeka 1-2 0-0 2, Schumann 1-3 0-0 2, Pilley 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 23-61 13-18 64.
Washburn (6-2, 2-0) -- Amekporfor 0-5 0-0 0, Nwidadah 9-17 6-6 24, Gomez 1-5 1-2 3, Giovannetti 8-17 3-3 22, Sterk 2-8 2-2 6, Wayne 0-2 0-0 0, Kogbara 5-9 0-0 10, Shipman 0-2 0-0 0, McKenzie 1-2 0-0 2, Jackson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-67 12-13 67.
3-point shots -- Fort Hays State 5-25 (Mortensen 2-3, Stearns 1-6, Weeter 1-6, Pilley 1-2, Lowe 0-4, Loewe 0-2, Zeka 0-1, Schumann 0-1), Washburn 3-11 (Giovannetti 3-5, Amekporfor 0-3, Sterk 0-1, Gomez 0-1, Wayne 0-1). Rebounds -- Fort Hays State 40 (Weeter 9), Washburn 41 (Nwidadah 10). Assists -- Fort Hays State 14 (Loewe 10), Washburn 13 (Sterk 5). Turnovers -- Fort Hays State 9, Washburn 10. Total fouls -- Fort Hays State 16, Washburn 17. Fouled out -- none.
