TOPEKA, Kan. --- The Washburn women's basketball cruised in its home opener on Wednesday at Lee Arena, downing Nebraska Christian, 120-34. The final tally for the Ichabods tied a program record for most points scored in a single-game, which was initially set on Feb. 23, 1991 against Missouri-St.Louis. The 86-point margin of victory meanwhile was the team's third largest in program history.
 
At the sound of the final buzzer the Ichabods (3-0) had 16 players register points. Axelle Bernard led the way with a game-high 18 points. Mackenzie Loe and Reagan Phelan also netted double-figure points as Loe finished with 15 and Phelan had 10. Olivia Montague meanwhile came off the bench and tallied 12. Jordan Lenherr, Denesia Smith and Lauren Richter also provided offense from the bench to chip in eight points each. Smith also dished out a game-high six assists. Bernard and Makayla Vargo helped Washburn contol the glass as they pulled down seven rebounds each.
 
Good ball movement allowed the Ichabods to stretch the Sentinel defense creating lanes and pockets inside allowing Washburn to outscore NCC, 70-8, in the paint. Defensively, Washburn forced 32 turnovers from Nebraska Christian allowing the offense to transition that in 50 points.
 
Washburn shot 55 percent from the field in each of the first two quarters while knocking down 7-of-13 from three-point distance while it pieced together 57-16 lead at halftime. Loe lead the scoring for the Ichabods with 13 first quarter points before Montague drained three consecutive attempts from deep during the second quarter to give her nine for the half.
 
In the third, Washburn outscored NCC, 28-10 as Bernard, Smith and Cara Donley each registered four points during the period. The Ichabods relied solely on their bench during the fourth closing out the game with a 35-8 run.
 
The Ichabods return to action at Lee Arena on Friday as they host Rockhurst at 7 p.m.