TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Pittsburg State women's basketball team overcame a 16-point first half deficit to earn a 77-68 win over Washburn to close out the regular season on Saturday (Feb. 28). The win marked the first time the Gorilla women have beat Washburn in Topeka since Feb. 10, 2001.
The Gorillas have now secured the No. 3 seed in the MIAA Tournament. The team will face the winner of Central Oklahoma and Nebraska-Kearney in the tournament quarterfinals on Friday (March 6) at 8:30 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Mikaela Burgess fueled the Gorillas second-half comeback with 18 points. She led all scorers with 21 for the game. LIzzy Jeronimus added 19 points. She now is second on the MIAA's all-time scoring list. She also had a team high five assists. Kylie Gafford added 16, including nine from the free throw line. Nett Reed rounded out the Gorilla double figure scorers as she put up a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Hailey Roderique added seven rebounds.
Pitt State led the game early, but then Washburn got hot and Pitt State turned the ball over on four consecutive possessions. The Ichabods were able to hold the Gorillas without a shot for nearly seven minutes, leading to a 10-point, 26-16, lead with 7:14 to go in the half. Jeronimus broke the scoring drought with a jumper, but the Gorillas couldn't get closer.
Washburn shot 50 percent in the half to allow them to lead by as many as 16 with 1:41 to go in the opening half. Four points from the free throw line by Gafford cut the Ichabod lead to 12 at the half. Washburn was also a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line, while the Gorillas were only 6-for-7 to aid in the lead.
Five quick points by the Gorillas to start the second half brought them within seven, 41-35. Washburn was able to stretch the lead again, but some tough defense and good shooting kept the Gorillas close. Burgess nailed a three with 13:29 to go, cutting the home team's lead to six. The defense forced turnovers on the next two Washburn possessions and Nett Reed jumper brought the Gorillas within four.
Right before the 10 minute media timeout in Burgess dished a pass to Gafford down low. Gafford hit the shot to tie the game at 51-51. Over the next two minutes, Gafford added five more points and Hailey Roderique grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a layup for a 58-53 lead with 8:00 minutes to go.
From then on, the Ichabods got no closer than three points. Burgess added eight more points in the last seven minutes of the game and Hadyn Herlocker hit two clutch threes, one as the shot clock expired to help the Gorillas to the 77-68 win.
