By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn completed a 14-point second-half comeback on the road Wednesday night, knocking off No. 23-ranked Northwest Missouri State, 66-64.
Senior Aubrey Dewey scored 18 points to lead the way as Washburn rallied for a 66-64 road win at Northwest Missouri State. [File photo/TSN]
The Bearcats (8-2 overall, 3-2 MIAA) led from the jump of the game although Washburn (7-2, 2-1) was right behind, tying the game three times in the first quarter alone, but never breaking through.
Five different Ichabods scored in the opening quarter to keep the squad down just 16-14.
Washburn took its first lead of the game with 9:08 left in the second quarter after a 3-pointer by freshman Madelyn Amekporfor. Northwest Missouri quickly took the lead back, but the Ichabods were able to keep the game close.
After Northwest extended its lead to seven points, sophomore Yibari Nwidadah scored the final two points of the half to make it a 33-28 game heading into the break.
The Ichabods kept it close out of halftime but a 9-0 run for the Bearcats put the game into double figures before sophomore Amaya Davison ended the WU cold spell with a layup.
Washburn was able to go on a 7-0 run, with senior Aubree Dewey knocking down a jumper and converting a three-point play. Washburn's offense led the way in cutting into the lead with the Ichabods hitting eight of 14 shots in the third quarter to trail by just seven going into the fourth period.
Washburn wasted no time continuing to cut into the lead, starting the quarter on an 8-1 run to tie the game.
Northwest Missouri quickly went back in the lead, but by no more than three points the rest of the way.
With 1:08 left in the game Nwidadah converted a three-point play to tie the game at 62.
The lead would finally flip back to Washburn's favor with 18 seconds to play on a 3-pointer by Dewey from just behind the top of the key to go up by three.
Dewey was able to put on the finishing touch with one more free throw to secure the 66-64 road victory.
The Ichabods shot 42.9 percent for the game while shooting just five of 16 from behind the 3-point arc. Northwest Missouri shot 39.1 percent overall but was 42.1 percent from deep (eight of 19). Washburn made up that difference with 13 free throws on 19 attempts, compared to just six makes for the Bearcats.
Dewey led all scorers with 18 points, including 16 in the second half. She also added seven rebounds and a team-high five assists.
Nwidadah had 17 points on seven of 14 shooting and added eight rebounds along with a career high three blocks. Davison had 13 points off the bench on five of eight shooting from the floor.
Four players scored in double figures for Northwest Missouri, led by Caely Kesten who had 17 on seven of 11 shooting. Molly Hartnett had a 14-point and 11-rebound double-double.
The Ichabods will take a two-game conference winning streak to St. Joseph, Mo. on Saturday to face Missouri Western State.
WU men drop 68-65 heartbreaker to Bearcats
The Washburn men battled back from an 11-point second half deficit and had a potential 3-pointer rim out at the buzzer that would have tied the game in a 68-65 loss at Northwest Missouri on Wednesday in Maryville.
Washburn sophomore Sam Ungashick scored 24 points in Tuesday's 68-65 MIAA loss at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
With the Ichabods trailing 51-40 with 14:38 to go in the game, Washburn came back with a 9-1 run to cut the lead to three at 52-49 with 8:44 to play.
Northwest went up 60-52 with 6:42 to play, but a 3-pointer by freshman Jack Bachelor and back-to-back 3-pointers by sophomore Sam Ungashick pulled Washburn within one at 62-61 with 3:49 to go.
A Northwest layup pushed the lead back to three with 3:26 remaining, but two more free throws by Ungashick cut the lead to one again.
Northwest hit another layup by Isaiah Jack with 1:24 to go, but Washburn came back and hit two more free throws, this time by Brady Christiansen to pull for the third time back within one.
With 14 seconds to play, the Ichabods went to the line and missed both attempts, but Washburn grabbed an offensive rebound and had two additional misses before Northwest pulled down a rebound.
The Bearcats went to the line hitting both, setting up the final play, which ended with the miss at the buzzer.
The Ichabods led early at 16-5 as Washburn turned a 5-5 game into an 11-point lead with 13:22 to play in the half as Ungashick hit a pair of 3-pointers.
In the opening half, Washburn was whistled for 17 fouls, 15 called after the Ichabods were leading 16-5 at the 13:21 mark of the frame.
The Bearcats from that point on outscored the Ichabods 37-14 including a 15 of 21 showing from the free throw line, compared to four of five by the Ichabods as the teams were called for a combined 25 fouls with the 17 coming against the visitors.
Every Ichabod who checked in the game in the first half was called for a foul, with seven different players being called for two.
The fouls in the second half switched as the Bearcats were called for 15 fouls, compared to eight for WU in the final 20 minutes.
Ungashick led the Ichabods (5-4, 1-2 MIAA) with 24 points and added five steals while going five of 10 from 3-point range and hitting nine of nine attempts from the free throw line.
Bachelor scored 12 off the bench, hitting three of five 3-point attempts, and Christiansen had a game-high 11 rebounds.
Wes Dreamer had 21 to lead the Bearcats (7-3, 4-1 MIAA).
Washburn will be back in action on Saturday at Missouri Western in a game that will be played in the St. Joseph Civic Arena instead of on campus because of Missouri Western's graduation ceremonies.
