EMPORIA, Kan. - Hunter Yoakum became the fourth player in the history of the Lincoln women's basketball program to score 1,000 career points on Saturday night (Dec. 17). The Blue Tigers played at Emporia State, which entered the game ranked No. 5 in the country in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Division II poll, and the Lady Hornets handed Lincoln an 85-59 loss.

Yoakum, who entered the night needing three points to reach 1,000, finished with seven points, seven assists and three rebounds. Yoakum has now scored 1,004 points in her career, and joins only Andrea Sykes (1,290 points from 1995-99), Sheila Lee (1,139, 1982-85) and Michelle Williams (1,131, 1985-89) in that exclusive club.

The Blue Tigers were led offensively by Erica Gibbons, who, for the second-straight, topped the 20-point mark. Gibbons ended the game with 25 points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks. Tyler Brown-Henderson, meanwhile, added nine points while Tempary Gunter was next with eight.

Yoakum opened the scoring with a free throw early in the first quarter, and Lincoln (1-8, 0-3 MIAA) hung with the No. 5 Lady Hornets for the first half of the period. A Brown-Henderson jumper pulled LU to within 10-8 of ESU with six minutes to go, but the Lady Hornets responded with an 11-4 run to take a 21-12 lead into the second. The closest LU would come afterwards was within 29-21, but Emporia State (10-1, 2-1 MIAA) took a 43-26 lead into halftime and held off the Blue Tigers over the final 20 minutes.

Khadijah Ellison also scored seven points for Lincoln to go with three assists, three assists and two boards. Azaria Nave added two points while Asia McCaskill, in her season debut, made a free throw. Nave also contributed three steals and a pair of assists while McCaskill had a steal, a rebound and an assist. Shamirah Johnson also represented the Blue Tigers with four rebounds.

Lincoln will remain in Kansas on Monday (Dec. 19), as the Blue Tigers visit Topeka to play Washburn at 5:30 p.m. CST.