WSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

2012-13 RECORDS:
#47-Wayne State 20-7 overall, 17-5 GLIAC
#19-Findlay 23-4 overall, 19-3 GLIAC
SERIES:
Findlay leads 18-15
LAST MEETING:
WSU lost 90-84 in OT vs. Findlay on Jan. 5, 2013

GAME STORYLINES
Wayne State won its first playoff game since 2008 and first on its home court since 2003 on Wednesday in a 68-59 victory over Ferris State in the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
    
The Warriors are attempting to become the first team in program history to reach the GLIAC Tournament Championship game. With its 20th victory in its first postseason game, WSU has the second most victories in school history, tying the 1994-95 team that finished 20-8.

IN THE RANKINGS
WSU has a No. 6-ranking in the Midwest Region of the most recent rankings, which were released on March 6. Three GLIAC teams are ahead of Wayne State in the rankings and all three remain in the tournament.
    
Ashland (No. 1), Findlay (No. 2) and Michigan Tech (No. 4) are the teams in front of the Warriors. Lewis (No. 3) and Kentucky Wesleyan (No. 5) are the other teams ahead of WSU. The GLIAC and GLVC tournament champions each earn automatic bids into the NCAA Division II Tournament, while six at-large bids are selected for each region.

LAST GAME
Against Ferris State, the Warriors jumped out to a 24-9 lead in the first nine minutes of play.  FSU answered with a 12-0 run to cut into the lead, 24-21, with 7:12 left in the first half.
    
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.

The lead for WSU remained between eight and 15 points for much of the second half. Ferris State 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 the win.
    
Talisha Bridges led three Warriors in double figures with a game-high 21 points. Juanita Cochran notched her seventh double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-best 16 rebounds. Kristen Long contributed 11 points off the Warrior bench.

SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors have dropped the last two games to Findlay. WSU did win its last contest away from Detroit against the Oilers, beating UF 75-72 in overtime on Jan. 7, 2012.  Wayne State is 15-18 overall in the all-time series with Findlay, which began in 1990.

SCOUTING FINDLAY
The Oilers have won 12 straight contests dating back to Jan. 19. Findlay won its first GLIAC Tournament game over Saginaw Valley, 69-57, outscoring the Cardinals 45-26 in the second half.          
    
Senior forward Kayla Brown leads Findlay in scoring at 17.6 points per game. Brown also shoots 51.9 percent from the field and leads UF in triples with 58 on the season. Senior forward Tai Dotson leads the Oilers in rebounding (5.5 per game) and is second in scoring (9.7 ppg).  Dotson is third in the GLIAC in field goal percentage (55.0 percent).
    
Findlay is first in the league in steals (13.0 per game) and second in scoring (70.9 ppg).

WEEKLY ACCOLADES
Talisha Bridges earned the GLIAC North Player of the Week award on March 4, marking the third time this season she has earned the accolade. The Warriors have been honored five times this season overall as Juanita Cochran and Phaebre Colbert also were bestowed with the award.
    
ON THE BENCH
Carrie Lohr is in her second season as the head coach of the Wayne State women's basketball team. She has compiled a 32-21 record at WSU.
    
Findlay's seventh-year head coach Kate Cummings has a record of 106-86 with the Oilers.
    
REBOUND WARRIORS
Wayne State leads the GLIAC in rebounding (48.2 rpg) and offensive boards per game (19.3). Wayne State has been out-rebounded just twice this season.