DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (9-16 overall, 8-10 GLIAC) won for the sixth time in the last 10 contests with a thrilling come-from-behind 56-54 triumph over Lake Superior State (15-9 overall, 12-6 GLIAC).  The Lakers were ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Midwest Regional poll.

The Warriors, after being held without a field goal for 7:30 and trailing by 15 (48-33), went on a 23-6 scoring spurt over the final 8:30 for the victory.

Sophomore forward Phaebre Colbert (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Northern) started the rally with lay-up at the 8:22 mark cutting the deficit to 13 (48-35).  After LSSU missed on its next three possessions, Colbert hit a jumper and sophomore guard Paige Sickmiller (Romeo, Mich.) followed with a bucket.  After another missed shot by the Lakers, Sickmiller scored on a fast break layup and 80 seconds later Colbert added another fast break lay-up following a Sickmiller steal.  Freshman center Alison Bouman (Grandville, Mich. / Calvin Christian) continued the Warrior run with a lay-up and freshman guard Lena Thomas (Bloomfield Twp., Mich. / Bloomfield Hills Andover) finished off the 14-0 with a jumper from the paint just before the shot clock expired.

Following a pair of Laker foul shots, Colbert split a pair, then freshman Lauryn Robinson (Washington Court House, Ohio / Washington) calmly sank two from the charity stripe to knot the game at 50 with 1:43 left.

LSSU regained the lead as Emily Joseph made two free throws with 1:30 remaining.  Robinson re-tied the game on a lay-up from Thomas with 1:10 left. 

Following a missed jumper by Joseph, Sickmiller grabbed the rebound and hit a jumper at the other end giving WSU the lead (54-52) for the first time in the game.  Joseph evened the score with a jumper in the paint with 27.5 seconds remaining.

Sickmiller tallied the game-winning bucket from just outside the right elbow with three seconds left.

WSU trailed the entire first half as LSSU scored the first four points until a Colbert fast-break lay-up at the 16:11 mark.

The Lakers lead remained between three and six points for the next four minutes until a 5-0 Warrior run cut the deficit to one as Colbert hit a jumper, Bouman split a pair from the foul line and Sickmiller hit a fall away jumper.

LSSU responded with a 6-0 run for their largest lead to that point (7 - 19-12) until WSU answered with a 6-0 spurt on buckets by sophomore guard Amelia Davis (Temperance, Mich. / Bedford), Robinson and senior guard Chelsea Kouri (Clarkston, Mich.).

After the teams traded hoops, LSSU's Ronlea Peterson drained a triple and Cassy Schemberger scored two baskets from the paint giving the guests an eight-point advantage (28-20) with 87 seconds left before intermission.

Robinson completed the first half scoring with a lay-up cutting the WSU deficit to six.

Wayne State held a 21-17 rebounding edge in the opening 20 minutes but shot 32 percent (10-of-31) compared to Lake Superior's 50 percent (12-of-24).

The shooting tables were reversed in the second half as the Warriors connected on 46 percent (13-of-28) from the floor, while the Lakers made 33 percent (9-of-27).  Each team had 18 rebounds in the second half, but WSU had three turnovers compared to six for LSSU.

Colbert tied for game-high scoring honors with 16 points, while Sickmiller added 14 points.  Colbert also had team-best marks of nine rebounds and four steals, while Davis led the Warriors with four assists.

Schemberger had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Wayne State trails Tiffin (9-9 GLIAC) by one game for the final GLIAC playoff berth.  The Warriors entertain Hillsdale (10-8 GLIAC) at 4 p.m. on Saturday, while the Dragons host Ohio Dominican (4-14 GLIAC).