PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Wayne State University women's basketball team opened its season in dramatic fashion Saturday night, rallying from a 20-point third quarter deficit for a 92-88 overtime win over Findlay (0-1 overall) in the GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge.
Senior guard
Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) led all scorers with a 35-point effort, while junior
Ja'Nae Williams (Detroit, Mich. / Detroit Martin Luther King) added 24 – including two game-sealing free throws in the closing moments of overtime.
The Warriors outscored the Oilers 27-13 in the fourth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wayne State led by as much as five in the first quarter after a Williams putback, but a nine-point run gave the Oilers a 14-10 lead midway though the first. A triple from sophomore
Alex Matus (Millbury, Ohio / Toledo Catholic Central) ended the scoring streak for Findlay, but the Oilers rattled off another 12-2 run to swell the lead to 26-15.
The Warriors ended the period on a 5-0 run, closing the gap to 26-23 after Wilson started with a triple. But another run, this time of the 11-4 variety, grew the lead back up to 11 (38-27) by UF. By quarter's end, the lead was as large as 14 (49-35).
Wilson ended the half with 21 points, but it was seemingly the long bright spot for Wayne State. The Oilers scored the final seven points of the half, carrying it over as part of an 15-2 run to expand the lead to 55-35 with 8:02 remaining in the third.
Later in the third, a jumper by Findlay's Elissa Ellerbrock moved the Oiler lead to 57-37 with 7:20 to play in the frame. Wayne State began chipping away in the latter part of the third, culminating in a triple by junior
India Hawkins (Detroit, Mich. / Edison Public School Academy). It was Hawkins' first field goal – one of four triples she would hit in her 12-point effort – and it cut the Findlay lead to 12. The Oilers finished the scoring with a layup by Haley Horstman, sending the Warriors to the final 10 minutes with 14-point hole.
The fourth started with the two teams trading points, as Wilson hit a layup but fouled Anna Hintz, who hit two free throws. Williams countered with a layup, and 90 seconds later senior
Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) hit two free throws to shrink the lead to 10.
The Oilers hit another basket, but the Warriors scored four points in a span of four seconds to swing the pendulum in the Wayne State direction. With 5:42 to play, Birchmeier hit a layup, and immediately after that, Williams swiped the ball from Findlay's Horstman and hit a layup.
Findlay called a timeout, but the Warriors got a stop – and Wilson hit a layup to make it 73-68. It was a part of an eight-point run for Wayne State, capped off by another Hawkins three, which cut the WSU deficit to 73-71 with 3:48 to play.
The run was ended with a layup by the Oilers' Anna Hintz with 2:51 to play, but Williams hit a shot on the other end to keep the contest within two. Findlay hit an apparent dagger – a three-pointer from Lynsey Englebrecht with 2:30 to play – but Wilson countered with a layup to make it a 78-75 contest with 1:57 to play.
Hintz missed two free throws on the other end, and Hawkins did it again from beyond the arc, tying the game at 78-78 with 1:25 to play.
It was the first tie since 2-2 just 1:45 into the contest, and the first time the Warriors didn't trail since the 4:55 mark of the opening quarter.
Findlay it a layup thanks to Hintz with 1:04 to play, and Hawkins missed a triple on the other end. Findlay missed a three with 12 seconds left, and after a Warrior timeout, Wilson drove to the basket with four ticks on the clock to tie it at 80-80.
In overtime – both teams in the bonus – Wilson hit two free throws and Williams added a layup to make it 84-80. The two teams traded baskets – making it 86-82, but Findlay grabbed momentum back on a rare four-point play. Englebrecht was fouled on a triple try, hit the shot, and then sank the free throw with 1:37 to play in the extra period.
The Oilers fouled on the ensuing two possessions, with Wilson and Williams, respectively sinking all four free throws combined. Findlay hit a layup with 12 seconds left, but were forced to intentionally foul. Williams hit both tries with eight seconds to play, which all but sealed the win for Wayne State.
UP NEXT
The Warriors will return to action on Sunday, taking on GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge host Lake Erie for a 4 p.m. tip.
