Boxscore
 
Big Rapids, Mich. – The Wayne State University women's basketball team concluded its three-game road trip with an 81-68 triumph at Ferris State University Thursday evening.
 
With the victory the Warriors improved to 11-5 overall and 9-3 in the GLIAC and moved a half-game ahead of the Bulldogs, who fell to 10-6 overall and 9-4 in the league.
 
WSU started strong scoring the first seven points of the game in 51 seconds as junior forward Imari Redfield (Detroit, Mich./Country Day) scored down low on the game's opening possession then drained a triple 13 seconds later.  Senior forward Talisha Bridges (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix) completed the run with a bucket at the 19:09 mark.
 
After FSU's opening hoop, Talisha Bridges scored on a jumper, then freshman guard Brittany Streetman (Warren, Mich./Lincoln) added a three-pointer to make it a 10-point margin (12-2) 3:06 into the game.
 
Wayne State's lead remained between eight and 11 points until Bulldog Kylie Muntz tallied five straight points to cut the Warrior advantage to five (21-16) just before the mid-point of the opening half.
 
A 6-1 WSU run pushed the lead back to 10 (27-17) at the 7:25 mark.  Ferris answered with an 8-2 run pulling within four at 29-25 with just under four minutes left before intermission.
 
The teams traded points for the next two minutes until freshman forward Stephanie Lock (White Lake, Mich./Lakeland) connected on a three-pointer regaining a seven-point margin (36-29).  Freshman guard Kristen Long (Corunna, Mich./Durand) concluded the first half scoring with a bucket completing a 7-2 run.
 
WSU led 38-29 at halftime after shooting 43 percent (15-of-35) from the floor compared to 38 percent (11-of-29) for the hosts.  The Warriors had 10 offensive rebounds leading to a 9-2 advantage in second-chance points.
 
Talisha Bridges and senior center Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill) each made field goals early in the second half as the Bulldogs scoreless drought reached over 4:30.
 
Redfield hit a pair of three-pointers just over a minute apart giving the Warriors their largest lead of the game at 49-34.
 
Seven straight Bulldog points made it an eight-point game (49-41) before WSU responded with five straight points for a 54-41 lead with just over 11 minutes left.
 
With WSU holding a 57-44 advantage, Ferris State went on an 11-2 run over a span of 1:38 to pull within four at 59-55 with 7:33 left.
 
Talisha Bridges scored the next six WSU points, but the hosts Bulldogs scored seven points to make it a three-point contest (65-62).
 
Lay-ups by Lock and Talisha Bridges regained a seven-point lead and WSU's margin was never fewer than five the rest of the game.  The Warriors ended the game on a 10-2 run.
 
Talisha Bridges scored 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds to pace Wayne State.  It was the most points by a Warrior since Brooke Bowers scored 31 at Saginaw Valley on Jan. 15, 2009.
 
Redfield contributed a career-high 13 points, while Cochran had seven points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
 
Sarah DeShone led FSU with 24 points while Muntz added 21.  The rest of the Bulldog squad combined for 10 made field goals in 31 attempts.
 
The Warriors finished with a 53-28 edge in rebounding including 23 offensive boards to FSU's 18 defensive rebounds.  WSU had a 23-4 advantage in second-chance points to off-set Ferris' 22-10 lead in points off turnovers.
 
Wayne State will begin a two-game homestand with a 3 p.m. tip on Saturday against Grand Valley in a game that will be televised live throughout the state of Michigan on Xfinity channel 900.