BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (0-1 overall) began its 2016-17 regular season with a 78-73 loss to Ursuline College (1-0 overall), who was ranked 31st nationally in the pre-season WBCA Poll, in the opening game of the Bulldog Classic being hosted by Ferris State.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind early at 3-0 and 5-2, the Warriors went on a 7-2 run to take a 9-7 lead. Junior
Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) knotted the game at 5-5 with a triple, then freshman
Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep) scored her first collegiate points with a jumper. Senior
Christina Green (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup/University High School Academy) concluded the spurt with a jumper. The Arrows ended the first stanza on a 15-9 run to lead 22-18 after 10 minutes.
WSU pulled within one in the opening seconds of the second period on a triple by junior
Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills). A 7-3 run by WSU just before the mid-point of the quarter gave the Warriors a 30-27 lead. Wilson totaled five points during the spurt with classmate
Sara Ruhstorfer (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Flint Powers Catholic) scoring on a lay-up. After taking a 32-30 advantage on a Birchmeier lay-up, Ursuline out-scored Wayne State 13-5 until intermission giving the Arrows a 43-37 edge at halftime.
A 4-0 run by the Warriors on back-to-back buckets by Green and Wilson put WSU ahead 44-43 at the 8:09 mark of the third quarter. Ursuline jump started a 15-3 spurt with back-to-back triples and extended its margin to 11 (58-47) with 2:41 left in the third period.
Despite trailing 62-51 heading into the final quarter, Wayne State tried to battle back from a 14-point fourth period deficit (71-57) by limiting the Arrows to two made field goals over the final 5:16. Green and Chambers each had two points and sophomore
India Hawkins (Detroit, Mich. / Edison Public School Academy) drained a triple as part of 7-0 run. WSU pulled within four (75-71) with just over a minute remaining on a three-pointer by Hawkins, but UC's Erica Huber connected from long-range just before the end of the shot clock pushing the Ursuline lead to seven at 78-71.
WSU LEADERS
Green had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Wilson added a team-high 16 points off the bench. Hawkins contributed 12 points, including three triples.
LEADING THE OPPOSITION
Camryn Hill and Laney Lewis tied for game-high scoring honors with 17 points apiece, while Natalie Koenig chipped in with 15 points and a game-best five assists. Lewis led UC with 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Wayne State will play ninth-ranked Bellarmine at 1 p.m. on Sunday on the final day of the Bulldog Classic.
