Topeka, Kan. - The SBU women's basketball team played an excellent game against #8 Washburn on Thursday evening, but came up just short in a 71-65 double overtime loss.

The Bearcats played stingy defense throughout, but it wasn't quite enough to take down the reigning MIAA champion Lady Blues. The Lady Blues jumped out to an early led, leading 17-4 six minutes into the game. Washburn continued to build upon their lead, going up 29-15, before SBU starts to chip away at the lead. The Bearcats finished the first half on a 10-2 run to pull within six at 31-25.

SBU continued to hang with the #8 Lady Blues throughout the second half, keeping Washburn within arms distance. With 7:41 left to go in the game, Jacqui Zelenka made a lay-up to pull SBU within three at 46-43. Washburn responded with two baskets, followed by big buckets from Zelenka and Lansdown to put SBU down two at 49-47 with 4:24 left in regulation. After going down 53-47 with 2:13 left in the game, the Bearcats went on a 8-0 run to take a 55-53 lead with 18 seconds left in the game. Washburn would tie the game up with 2 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

In the first overtime the game went back-and-forth with no team leading by more than two points. Zelenka hit a free throw with 17 seconds left in the first overtime to force a second overtime with the game tied at 59-59. In the second overtime, Washburn jumped out to a 67-59 lead and were able to hold off a surge by the Bearcats to take the game 71-65.

Zelenka gave SBU her third straight double-double, scoring a career high 23 points while pulling down 11 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists in the loss. Brittney Dukes also added 15 points and Chasity Prince gave SBU 13 points. As a team, the Bearcats shot 35.9% from the field, 37.5% from beyond the arc, and 83.3% from the free throw line.

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, December 8 when they host Central Oklahoma. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. from the Meyer Sports Center in Bolivar.