By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball fell just short of picking up its first win on Saturday afternoon in Quincy, Ill., falling 70-67 to the host team in the final game of the Quincy Classic.
Yibari Nwidadah scored a career-high 29 points with eight rebounds and four blocks in Washburn's 70-67 Saturday loss to Quincy. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will stay on the road to face William Jewell on Tuesday, with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m.
After creating a 5-2 lead early, Washburn (0-4) rode the hot hand of Yibari Nwidadah in the first quarter as she scored 10 straight points for the Ichabods to put them ahead 15-8 with 3:58 left in the frame.
The WU lead grew to double figures after Madelyn Amekporfor went 2-2 at the line at the 1:15 mark. The Hawks (3-1) offense got going late in the first as they cut the lead to eight, ending the quarter down 25-17.
Quincy scored the first four points of the second quarter and picked up the aggressiveness offensively. They went 8-10 at the free throw line in the second quarter alone after not shooting from the charity stripe in the first.
After Washburn shot 50.0 percent from the floor in the first quarter they were held to 5-17 shooting (29.4) in the second.
The Hawks went from down seven to up 31-28 with 4:24 left in the half before the Ichabods finished the half strong, beginning with a trey from Brooke Gomez to break a 32-32 tie and using a 10-4 run to end the half leading 42-36.
Both sides traded baskets coming out of the half. After the Washburn lead was reduced to four a 3-pointer by Payton Sterk and a free throw by Amekporfor put it back up to eight at the 4:54 mark of the third. Each team struggled to score as both shot under 30.0 prcent from the floor. A second chance opportunity by Nwidadah extended Washburn's lead from the quarter's beginning as it ended 53-46.
Another long ball from Sterk began the fourth quarter and made it a 10-point game. After another Nwidadah basket at the 6:34 mark to put the Ichabods up by eight, the next seven points came from Quincy.
Shortly after, another seven-point run would put the Hawk up by four.
Gomez and Nwidadah came through with baskets in the final 125 seconds that would tie the game at the 40-second mark. However, Washburn was unable to turn over the Hawks and the home squad was true at the free throw line, putting the game away for the 70-67 win.
After a hot start shooting the Ichabods finished 23-66 (34.8 percent) from the floor but were 17-22 (77.3) from the line. Quincy finished strong to shoot 26-62 (41.9) for the game.
Extra opportunities were the key for the Hawks as they won the rebounding battle 50-34. It was partially offset by Washburn turning them over 19 times while only registering 15 giveaways themselves, but it was not enough.
Nwidadah, a junior set a career-high with 29 points on 12-16 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds and recording a career-high four blocks. Amekporfor had nine points to go along with three rebounds while Gomez and Sterk each had eight points.
Nicole McDermott scored 25 points on 7-13 shooting from the field and 10-10 at the line to pace Quincy. Acheampomaa Danso had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.
Nwidadah was named to the Quincy Classic All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the event.
