Jan. 8, 2010

Detroit, Mich. – The Wayne State women's basketball team (3-9, 3-3 GLIAC) shot a season-low 25.4 percent from the field on its way to a 69-42 defeat on Saturday afternoon to visiting Findlay (9-3, 5-1 GLIAC).

In addition to playing the GLIAC South Division leaders, who finished the game shooting 49.1% from the floor, the Warriors were without two of their top three leading scorers, Tyler Hardy (15.5 ppg) and Deanna Crumpton (8.5 ppg). Both were sidelined with injuries.

Junior Kiara Smith (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) did her best to fill in for her teammates as she tied a career-high with 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting. Sophomore Phaebre Colbert (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) also was solid, turning in season-high performances in points (8) and rebounds (7). Laura Bardall was one of four Oilers to score in double-digits, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds.

Jumping out to a 35-23 halftime lead, Findlay went on to outscore Wayne State 34-19 in the final 20 minutes. The Oilers used a 14-7 run, capped by a lay-up from Tai Dotson, to take a 49-30 lead with 14:50 remaining. Wayne State would be held without a field goal over the next five minutes, while the Oilers added 10 points to their total, taking a 59-31 advantage with 9:51 left. WSU ended the game on an 11-10 spurt to complete the scoring.

Falling behind 5-4 in the first three minutes of the contest, Wayne State allowed Findlay to go on an 11-5 run over the next four minutes and 45 seconds. Trailing 16-9, the Warriors would score the next four points, capped by a Chelsea Davis (Canton, Mich./Plymouth Salem) tip-in put the Warriors down three, 16-13, with 10:49 left in the first half.

Back-to-back triples from Kaleigh Kenny and a lay-up by Saira House pushed the Oilers lead to 24-13 with just over eight-and-a-half remaining in the first half. From there, both teams traded buckets over the next four minutes with UF outscoring WSU, 8-7, to hold a 32-20 advantage with 4:41 left.

Junior Felicia Thomas (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central), who grabbed a season-high six rebounds, completed an old fashion three-point play, pulling the Warriors within nine, 32-23, but Laura Bardall connected from behind-the-arc to complete the scoring for the half, and give the visitors a 35-23 lead at the break.

The Warriors are back in action this Thursday, traveling to Hillsdale for an 8:00 p.m. contest.