DETROIT - In its penultimate game of the 2011 calendar year, the Wayne State University women's basketball team (6-5) dropped a 91-82 decision to St. Joseph's College (6-3) on Thursday at the Matthaei.

In a contest which saw seven lead changes and nine ties, the Pumas defeated the Warriors by nearly the same score as their Dec. 10 meeting (90-82) to sweep the home-and-home series.

Leading six Warriors in double-figures was Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill), who had nine rebounds to go with her 18 points.  Cochran shot 8-for-10 from the field.

Deanna Crumpton (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Phaebre Colbert (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) just missed one with 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Warriors controlled the boards (57-34) but allowed 19 points off 20 turnovers.  St. Joseph's also went to the free throw line 35 times (made 19) compared to 19 trips for Wayne State (16).

Wayne State jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game, but SJC soon tied it at 8-8 and took its biggest lead of the half, 31-26, with 4:56 to go.  A 10-2 run gave the advantage back to the Warriors, who took a 42-40 lead into the locker room.

St. Joseph's backcourt accumulated 29 of its 45 points in the second half, as a jumper by Tatiana Ortiz broke a 50-50 tie and gave the Pumas their last lead of the game with 14:58 to play.

Ortiz, one of four Pumas in double figures, finished with 10 points.  Montrell Mills, the leading scorer in the GLVC, finished with a game-high 19 while Britney Cruse had 16 with four assists.

Paige Sickmiller (Romeo, Mich.) and Stefani Munro (Harrison Twp., Mich./Mount Clemens) totaled 12 points apiece, with Munro dishing out five assists.  Deiona Rogers (Grand Rapids, Mich./Union) had 10 points off the bench.

Wayne State will host Southern Indiana on Friday at 5:30 p.m.