DETROIT -- The 2014-15 Wayne State University women's basketball squad began its exhibition slate with an 81-73 triumph over the University of Windsor Wednesday night at the Matthaei on the WSU campus.

The Warriors scored the first four points on lay-ups from junior guard Destiny Lavita-Stephens (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Goodrich) and senior guard Jackie Jones (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King).  The Lancers tied the contest at four and neither team led by more than two points with the game being knotted again at 13.  A 9-4 run by the guests gave Windsor a 22-17 advantage near the mid-point of the first half.  WSU rallied to tie the game at 26, then the contest was tied three more times in the next four minutes.

The Lancers had another five point lead at 37-32, but WSU closed out the first half on a 6-2 run to pull within one (39-38) at intermission.  Wayne State's Shareta Brown (Pontiac, Mich. / Grand Blanc) had 10 points at halftime, while Windsor's Cheyanne Roger also had 10 points in the opening half.

Brown began the second half with a bucket and the Warriors never trailed for the first seven minutes until a triple by UW's Jocelyn LaRocque put the Lancers ahead 55-54, their last lead of the game.  Wayne State regained the lead following a jumper by McKenzie Kudron (New Boston, Mich. / Huron) followed by a three-pointer from freshman Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills).  Senior Ondrea Hughes (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix) made both shots from the charity stripe prior to Roger connecting on a jumper to end the 7-0 spurt by WSU.

After LaRocque split a pair of free throws, the Warriors went on an 8-1 run increasing their margin to eight (69-61) with 6:07 remaining.  The difference was never fewer than six the rest of the contest.

Brown led Wayne State with a double-double on 23 points and 14 rebounds, while also adding five assists and five steals.  Lavita-Stephens totaled 14 points with Hughes chipping in 13 points off the bench.

Roger and Caitlyn Longmuir led Windsor with 12 points apiece, while Korissa Williams contributed 11 points and a game-high seven assists.

WSU shot 43 percent (26-of-61) from the field, but just 21 percent (3-of-14) from beyond the arc.  Windsor made 45 percent of its field goal attempts (27-of-60), and 6-of-19 from three-point range.

Wayne State held a 43-31 advantage on the boards.

The Warriors will play their second exhibition game of the preseason on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at home against Lawrence Tech.  Opening tip is at 6 p.m.