Washburn Women's Basketball Wins Valentine's Day Thriller

Ichabods outlast Northeastern State 72-64 in key conference matchup

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Washburn women's basketball team (17-7, 10-5 MIAA) defeated Northeastern State (16-8, 8-7 MIAA) 72-64 in a back-and-forth Valentine's Day game in Topeka. Washburn held a narrow three-point lead at halftime before pulling away late in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Riverhawks 22-14. All five Washburn starters scored in double figures, led by Gabi Giovannetti's 17 points.

Why it matters

This was a significant game in the MIAA conference standings, as the win moves Washburn two games ahead of Northeastern State for fifth place. Both teams are jockeying for position in the conference tournament.

The details

Washburn scored 40 points in the paint and outrebounded Northeastern State 35-26, including 14 offensive rebounds. Gabi Giovannetti led the Ichabods with 17 points, including 8 free throws. Britany Kogbara and Payton Sterk each had 11 points, with Sterk going a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line.

  • The game was played on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2026.
  • Washburn held a narrow three-point lead at halftime.

The players

Gabi Giovannetti

Led the Ichabods with 17 points, including 8 free throws.

Britany Kogbara

Scored 11 points and was one free rebound away from a double-double.

Payton Sterk

Scored 11 points and went a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line.

Brooke Gomez

Scored 10 points for the Ichabods.

Aniah Wayne

Scored 10 points for the Ichabods.

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What’s next

The Ichabods will next hit the road to Edmond, OK, on Thursday to take on Central Oklahoma. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

The takeaway

Washburn's balanced scoring attack and dominance on the boards proved to be the difference in this key conference matchup, as the Ichabods solidified their position in the MIAA standings with the hard-fought victory.