TOPEKA, Kan. – Rogers State women's basketball picked up an MIAA road victory on Thursday night, holding off Washburn for a 53-50 victory at Lee Arena.
 
The Hillcats (5-10, 5-10 MIAA) led by as much as 14, but trailed with less than a minute remaining after Washburn's (6-9, 6-9 MIAA) rally. However, Rogers State scored the final four points of the game at the free-throw line to secure the victory.
 
How It Happened: The Hillcats started the scoring with a Vanessa Gajdosova jumper, but it was Washburn who led early with the next six points to start a 12-2 run for the Ichabods.
 
However, the Hillcats closed the first quarter with a 6-0 run, including a pair of jumpers from Gajdosova, to cut the deficit to 12-10 at the end of the quarter.
 
Rogers State extended the run to 10-0 with baskets from Katrina Christian and Gajdosova to start the second quarter.
 
Following alternating four-point runs from Washburn and then Rogers State, the Ichabods took a short lead with a three pointer to go up 19-18. On the next possession, Samariah Thompson hit a three pointer to put the Hillcats back in front at the midway point of the quarter.
 
Washburn tied the game at 21, but the Hillcats dominated the remainder of the half as Julie Luna and Lilly Garner hit three pointers and Alyche Brown scored six points to fuel a 12-1 run to close the half. Rogers State took a 33-22 lead into the break.
 
Early in the second half, Garner hit a couple jumpers and then Bailey Kliewer hit a three pointer to extend the Hillcat lead to 14 at 40-26. Kliewer's three pointer was the fourth straight for Rogers State after starting 0-for-3 from behind the arc.
 
However, the Hillcats would go cold on the offensive side of the ball, scoring just two points in the final seven minutes of the third quarter. Rogers State's defense limited Washburn to nine points in the remainder of the quarter, taking a 42-35 lead into the final frame.
 
An 11-2 run from Washburn ended early in the fourth quarter as a steal from Thompson led to a fastbreak layup from Luna. The Hillcats then got another quick basket off a turnover as Gajdosova had a steal and layup to extend Rogers State's lead to nine points at 46-37.
 
Washburn would make a pair of free throws and a layup to cut the deficit to 46-41 near the midpoint of the half and the score would remain the same until the under-five media timeout at 4:19.
 
After a free throw for the Hillcats, Washburn hit a jumper and two free throws to cut the Rogers State lead to 47-45 with 2:10 remaining. Washburn then tied the game at 47 with 1:10 remaining on a jumper, a 10-1 run for the Ichabods.
 
After a timeout from the Hillcats, Gajdosova banked in a runner with 45 seconds left, but Washburn responded with a three pointer out of a timeout just 15 seconds later to take a 50-49 lead with 29.7 seconds remaining.
 
Garner then drew a foul in the paint and followed it up with a pair of clutch free throws to give Rogers State a 51-50 lead with 22.7 seconds to go.
 
Washburn missed a jumper out of a timeout and Kliewer grabbed the rebound before being fouled. The sophomore then sank both free throws to put the Hillcats ahead 53-50.
 
The Ichabods then missed a pair of three pointers in the final 10 seconds as the Hillcats held on for the victory.
 
Key Statistic: Rogers State had 27 points off of 20 Washburn turnovers. The Ichabods had just 12 points off of 16 Hillcat turnovers.
 
Players of Note: Gajdosova was the only Hillcat in double figures, finishing with 12 points in the game on 55 percent shooting. Gajdosova also shared in the lead in rebounds with five and added two steals and two assists.
 
Garner finished with nine points in the game after going 3-for-5 from the field, including a three pointer. Garner also had a steal.
 
Kliewer joined Garner with nine points. Kliewer tied Gajdosova for a team high five rebounds and also added a steal.
 
Luna was the third Hillcat with five rebounds in the game. Luna also had seven points, two steals and two assists.
 
Thompson was held to just five points but led the Hillcats with three steals and four assists and also had four rebounds.
 
Shay Stone and Kloe Bowin each had a pair of blocks for Rogers State.
 
Notes from the Game: Rogers State was 10-for-12 from the floor in the second quarter, including a trio of three pointers. The Hillcats were 50 percent from three at the end of the first half and 51.7 percent from the floor in the first half.
 
The Hillcats did not shoot a free throw in the second or third quarter after just two free throws, both made, from Stone in the first quarter.
 
Washburn led on the glass, grabbing 38 rebounds to just 29 for Rogers State. Washburn had 11 offensive rebounds to five from the Hillcats, but only outscored RSU 6-4 in second-chance points.
 
The victory is the first for Rogers State in the series in the third all-time meeting. The road team has won every game in the series.
 
The Hillcats, who improved to 3-4 on the road this season, sit 1.5 games behind Washburn for eighth in the MIAA Standings.
 
Up Next: Rogers State wraps up the week with a road trip to Emporia, Kansas to take on Emporia State on Saturday. The Hillcats will take on Emporia, who is receiving votes in the latest WBCA Top 25 Poll, at White Auditorium with tip off set for 1:30 p.m.