DETROIT - The Wayne State University women's basketball team (7-5) defeated the University of Southern Indiana (6-4), 77-58, in its final game of the 2011 calendar year.

Wayne State was aggressive right out of the gates, jumping out to a 14-0 lead and holding USI without a field goal for the first 5:07 of the game.  The Warriors out-shot the Screaming Eagles, 46.3-26.9 percent, in the opening 20 minutes.

Leading the charge was Paige Sickmiller (Romeo, Mich.) who had team-highs in points (15) and rebounds (7).  Sickmiller shot 7-for-14 from the field and finished two points shy of her season-high.

Phaebre Colbert (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) and Deanna Crumpton (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) totaled 10 points and six rebounds apiece.  Stefani Munro (Harrison Twp., Mich./Mount Clemens) contributed in all aspects, finishing with seven points, six rebounds, six assists and six steals.

A late three-pointer by Chloe Srebernak (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South) gave the Warriors a 23-point lead, 44-21, at halftime.  Srebernak chipped in seven points and six rebounds in the game off the bench, as Warrior subs racked up 29 points overall.

The Warriors led by as many as 32 in the second half before the Screaming Eagles chipped away late in the game.

WSU was again dominant on the boards, out-rebounding USI by a 59-32 margin.  The Warriors have won the rebounding battle in every game this season, and did so by a combined 116-66 margin over the two games this week.

Wayne State will resume conference play next week, traveling to Hillsdale (Jan. 5) and Findlay (Jan. 7).