Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. -- The 2011-12 campaign for the Wayne State University women's basketball team (12-14 overall, 7-12 GLIAC) came to a close Thursday evening with a 51-50 triumph at Lake Superior State University (10-15 overall, 6-12 GLIAC).

The 12-win season is the first since the 2007-08 team won 15 games, and the third-best since the 2002-03 team won 17.

Junior guard Paige Sickmiller (Romeo, Mich.) scored nine of WSU's first 15 points as the Warriors had a narrow 15-13 lead at the second media timeout.  However, Wayne State would go nearly four minutes without a point until sophomore guard Lena Thomas (Bloomfield Twp., Mich. / Andover) drained a deep three.  WSU's defense held the host Lakers scoreless for over six minutes (11:39 until 5:20).

LSSU would rally late by scoring 10 points in the final 4:25 of the first half to lead 25-24 at intermission.  Sickmiller led all scorers at the break with 13 points.  Freshman forward Kayla Bridges (Canton, Mich.) and Sickmiller each had six rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.  Thomas had three steals, while Sickmiller and junior Amelia Davis (Temperance, Mich. / Bedford) each had two thefts.

Things remained tight in the second half as the Warrior defense held the Lakers to just one field goal in the first 7:30, but LSSU shot 7-of-8 from the charity stripe to keep things close.

Lake Superior had a six point lead (50-44) with 2:05 left, but freshman guard Chelsea Williams (Livonia, Mich. / Frankin) would score the next five points before a bucket by Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill) with 31 seconds to go gave WSU the lead.

With 12.8 seconds left, Thomas went to the line and missed both free throws, giving the Lakers a chance to win. Cassy Schemberger recorded her game-leading 17th rebound (14th defensive) but her lay-up at the other end was blocked by Cochran, who grabbed the rebound and sent a pass to Sickmiller, who was able to run out the clock.

Sickmiller was the only Warrior to finish in double figures with 17 points. She also recorded five steals. Davis matched a career-high with four thefts and set a season-high with five assists, while grabbing a season-best six rebounds.

WSU scored 23 points off 22 Laker turnovers, 15 of which came off the steal (just shy of the season-high, 16). Meanwhile, the Warriors committed a season-low eight turnovers.

Stefani Munro, WSU's lone senior, finished with three assists in the contest.