JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Khadijah Ellison scored a career-high 22 points, but Missouri Western handed the Lincoln women's basketball team a 78-59 loss on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 4).

The Blue Tigers got the game off to a hot start, shooting .500 in the first quarter to end the period with a 19-18 lead. A pair of free throws by Ellison put Lincoln up 21-20 at the 8:20 mark of the second quarter, but the Griffons used a layup to spark an 8-0 run that gave MWSU the lead for good. Two more shots at the line by Ellison stopped the run, and the Blue Tigers would eventually pull to within 30-28 of the Griffons on an Ellison layup with 1:42 left in the period.

Missouri Western (17-5, 9-4 MIAA) scored five-straight points after that play and ended up taking a 37-30 lead into halftime. The Griffons proceeded to out-score Lincoln (3-18, 2-12 MIAA), 24-11, in the third quarter to take command of the game. For the day, Missouri Western shot .500 from the floor and pulled down 44 rebounds while Lincoln finished with a .353 field-goal percentage and 28 boards. LU won the turnover battle, 17-19.

In addition to her game-high point total, Ellison also had five rebounds, four steals and a pair of assists. Shamirah Johnson led Lincoln with seven rebounds while Hunter Yoakum finished second on the scoring chart with 15 points, five boards and an assist. Azaria Nave, meanwhile, ended her day with nine points and an assist.

Erica Gibbons provided seven points and a rebound to the Lincoln cause and Tempary Gunter pulled down three boards. Tyler Brown-Henderson (four points) and Citlali Lopez (two) rounded out the scoring, with Brown-Henderson also grabbing three rebounds. Lopez, meanwhile, had two boards and a pair of steals.

The Blue Tigers will conclude their 2016-17 home slate in one week, as Lincoln hosts Lindenwood on Saturday (Feb. 4). Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CST for that game, which will serve as Senior Day for Yoakum, Johnson, Nave and Ellison.