By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A second-half surge, spearheaded by senior Gabi Giovannetti and junior Britany Kogbara, gave Washburn University's women's basketball team a 72-64 MIAA win at Lee Arena on Saturday afternoon in front of a Pink Out crowd.
In a game that included 22 lead changes and 12 ties, Washburn, now 17-7 overall and 10-5 in the MIAA, played its best down the stretch, with the Ichabods' final eight-point margin its biggest of the day.
Senior Gabi Giovannetti scored a game-high 17 points to lead Washburn in a 72-64 MIAA win over Northeastern State Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"I was real proud of our second-half effort,'' said Washburn coach Lora Westling, whose Ichabods are now within one win of equaling their win total from 2024-2025 with a minimum of five games remaining. "I think we got on our heels a little bit in the first half. Credit to Northeastern, they're a tough team and they played well.
"But I thought we just had really good leadership in the second half, particularly from Gabi Giovannetti and Britany Kogbara. I was really proud of their resiliency.''
WU and Northeastern State traded baskets throughout the first quarter, with multiple ties and lead changes before a 3-pointer by senior Aniah Wayne inside the final minute producing a 15-15 deadlock heading into the second period.
Washburn created some separation with a five-point lead after senior Payton Sterk hit a trey to make it 22-17.
But the RiverHawks (16-8, 8-7) battled back, scoring 10 of the next 14 points to go in front 27-26 at the four-minute mark of the second quarter. This time a 3-pointer in the final minute by Northeastern State put it ahead 36-33 at the half.
Out of the break the RiverHawks pushed the lead to its game-high five in the opening minutes. The Ichabods were able to tighten up defensively, allowing them to go on a 5-0 run and tie the game at 44. Both teams shot under 30.0 percent in the quarter and it was a pair of free throws by Sterk in the final second of the quarter that gave Washburn a 50-49 lead at the start of the fourth.
Northeastern State continued to answer back, taking the lead three times in the first five minutes of the fourth. But a fastbreak and-one layup by sophomore Brooke Gomez with 3:04 left would put the Ichabods in front for good.
"Once you stack defensive stops and then good possessions on offense, then there's no stopping us from there,'' said Giovannetti, who led all scorers with 17 points. "I thought Britany had a very good end of the game and second half. She was really dominant down there.''
The Ichabods finished the game shooting 44.4 percent overall and 4-13 from deep while going 20-27 at the free throw line. Northeastern State shot 42.6 percent from the floor while going 5-17 from deep and were efficient in limited trips at the line shooting (13-16).
The rebounding battle was won 35-26 by Washburn and points in the paint also went in favor of the home team, 40-24.
Giovannetti led five players in double figures for the Ichabods.
Washburn junior Britany Kogbara narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds in a 72-64 MIAA win over Northeastern State Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Kogbara added 11 points with nine rebounds and a pair of blocked shots while Sterk had 11 with five assists. Wayne and Gomez both scored 10 points for the Ichabods.
Kogbara has been a valuable reserve all season for the Ichabods in her first year in the program, but was in the game in crunch time Saturday and was huge down the stretch.
"That just shows the amount of trust that coach has in me,'' Kogbara said. "I know that she puts me out there for a reason and I'm just going to go out there and execute what she believes that I have.''
Deyanna Douglas led the RiverHawks with 15 points.
The Ichabods will hit the road facing Central Oklahoma at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19.
WASHBURN WOMEN 72, NORTHEASTERN STATE 64
Northeastern State 15 21 13 15 -- 64
Washburn 15 18 17 22 -- 72
Northeastern State (16-8, 8-7) -- Douglas 7-11 1-2 15, Watie 1-4 0-0 3, Shirley 2-5 2-2 7, Bingley 1-4 0-0 2, Smith 3-6 6-6 14, Rainwater 6-11 3-4 15, Tilley 3-12 1-2 8, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Shieldnight 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-54 13-16 64.
Washburn (17-7, 10-5) -- Amekporfor 0-2 0-0 0, Nwidadah 4-6 0-1 8, Gomez 2-3 6-7 10, Giovannetti 4-11 8-11 17, Sterk 3-7 4-4 11, Kogbara 5-10 1-2 11, McKenzie 0-1 0-0 0, Hunter 2-4 1-2 5, Wayne 4-10 0-0 10. Totals 31-62 10-17 85.
3-point shots -- Northeastern State 5-17 (Smith 2-3, Watie 1-3, Shirey 1-2, Tilley 1-4, Bingley 0-2, Douglas 0-1, Rainwater 0-1, Brown 0-1), Washburn 4-13 (Wayne 2-4, Giovannetti 1-5, Sterk 1-3, Amekporfor 0-1). Rebounds -- Northeasten State 26 (Shirey 6), Washburn 35 (Kogbara 9). Assists -- Arkansas-Fort Smith 12 (Wemba 3, Wilson 3), Washburn 18 (Amekporfor 4). Turnovers -- Arkansas-Fort Smith 22, Washburn 15. Total fouls -- Arkansas-Fort Smith 16, Washburn 21. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
