Boxscore

Post-game interview with assistant coach Karen Lafata.

Play-of-the game audio - Talisha Bridges' first half buzzer beater.

DETROIT – The Wayne State University women's basketball team (20-7 overall) advanced to its first GLIAC semifinal since 2003 with a 68-59 triumph over visiting Ferris State University (13-13 overall) Wednesday evening at the Matthaei.
 
The third-seeded Warriors will face the No. 2 seeded-Findlay Oilers at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Ashland, Ohio.  The game will be broadcasted on 1400 AM The Patriot with Russ McNamara calling the action.
 
Senior forward Talisha Bridges (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix) started strong against the Bulldogs scoring WSU's first four points before dishing off to classmate Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill) for a conventional three-point play that ignited a 7-0 Warrior run. 
 
After triple by FSU's Sarah DeShone cut the Wayne State advantage to four (11-7), WSU went on a 9-0 run to open a 20-7 lead just 7:30 into the contest.  Freshman guard Kristen Long (Corunna, Mich./Durand) tallied five points during the spurt.
 
Following a bucket by the Bulldogs, Talisha Bridges and Long each scored to increase the margin to 15 (24-9) just past the 11-minute mark.  Ferris answered with a 12-0 run over the next 3:43 to pull within three at 24-21.
 
Wayne State ended the first half on a 15-5 run which included a long three-pointer by Talisha Bridges just before the halftime horn.
 
WSU led 39-26 at the break which included a 26-6 edge in scoring in the paint and a 15-2 margin in fast break points.  Talisha Bridges had 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting including the long triple.
 
Senior forward Deanna Crumpton (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) scored the first basket of the second half pushing the lead to 15 before Ferris tallied the next five points.  WSU's lead remained between 10 and 14 points for the next 4:30 until a three-pointer by Kyle Muntz cut the Warrior advantage to single digits (9, 48-39) at the 14:07 mark.
 
The teams traded field goals over the next 11 minutes as Wayne State's margin was between eight and 11 points the entire team.  A three-pointer by FSU's Katie Mavis at the 2:34 mark cut the Bulldog deficit to six (59-53), but freshman Stephanie Lock (White Lake, Mich./Lakeland) sank a pair of free throws then Cochran split a pair from the charity stripe.
 
Ferris was able to get within six on a couple of occasions (62-56, 64-58) in the final 80 seconds but the Warriors closed out their first home court playoff victory since 2003.

Talisha Bridges led three Warriors in double figures with a game-high 21 points.  Cochran notched her seventh double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-best 16 rebounds.  Long contributed 11 points off the Warrior bench.
 
Ashley Rando led FSU with 17 points including three triples and a team-high nine rebounds. Sarah DeShone chipped in a team-high four assists along with 13 points, including three three-pointers.

The 20 wins for WSU is tied-for-second most in program history with the 1994-95 squad (20-8).  The school record is 23-5 by the 1980-81 Tartar team.