by TOPEKA, Kan. – The Northeastern State women’s basketball team upset Washburn 59-46 in the first round of the 2015 MIAA Championship Tuesday night inside Lee Arena.
The No. 9-seeded RiverHawks (12-15) advanced to the quarterfinals to face top seed and No. 4-ranked Fort Hays State. The game will be held at noon March 6 inside historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Tickets for the MIAA Championship are now on sale at the NSU Ticket Office. Stop by the NSU Event Center or call 918.444.3901 for more details. Tickets are $20 per session or $50 for the entire tournament.
The Ichabods saw their season end with a 16-12 record. They fell to NSU after defeating the same team on the same court by an 83-58 margin less than a month ago (Feb. 14).
Junior guard Kate Bellamy led NSU with her first-career double double. She posted 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Senior guards Chelsey Beathard (12) and Fontana Tate , Cherokee, (11) both scored in double figures, and they were joined by freshman forward Sara Fountain , Cherokee, (11).
The RiverHawks shot 34.6 percent (18-for-52) overall, 45.8 percent (11-for-24) from behind the 3-point line and 80 percent (12-for-15) at the free-throw line. The 11 made 3-pointers were the most by NSU against an MIAA opponent this season and the most allowed all year by Washburn.
The Ichabods shot just 27.3 percent (18-for-66) from the field, 12 percent (3-for-25) from distance and 87.5 percent (7-for-8) at the charity stripe. They were led by Honor Duvall’s 12 points and nine rebounds. Allyssa Nikkel added 10 points off the bench, but WU was held to its second-lowest point total of the season. The team’s leading scorer, senior Taylor Ignoto, was held scoreless in her final collegiate game. She finished 0-for-10 from the field and 0-for-6 from behind the 3-point line.
Washburn quickly jumped on top 4-0 following opening baskets from Duvall and Erika Lane. NSU was able to tie the lead at 6-6 before a triple from Lane at the 15:24 mark allowed the home team to regain a 9-6 edge. Junior forward Danielle Robertson connected on a 3-pointer at the 12:42 mark to give the RiverHawks their first lead at 13-11, and they would never trail again.
An 8-0 run from NSU put the visitors on top 17-11, and the green and white was able to stretch its lead out to 14 before settling for a 35-25 halftime advantage. The 35 first-half points for Northeastern State were the most scored in the opening 20 minutes against an MIAA opponent this year.
The Ichabods would not allow the road team to pull away by more than 13 points in the second half, but the RiverHawks made enough clutch shots to keep Washburn at bay.
NSU held WU to just 21 points in the second half, which was the second-fewest scored against the RiverHawks all season.
Washburn outrebounded Northeastern State 48-32 and dominated points in the paint 30-14, but NSU led in assists (14-8), points off turnovers (14-3), steals (4-1), bench points (23-15) and fewest turnovers (9-14).
This is the third-straight year the RiverHawks advanced to the MIAA Championship Quarterfinals. NSU was defeated in the same round two years ago by Fort Hays State, and the team lost to Central Missouri in the quarters a year ago.
