DETROIT – The Wayne State University women's basketball team improved to 7-3 overall and 2-2 in GLIAC play with a 65-56 win over Tiffin (3-5 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Wayne State opened up a 12-point lead by the end of the first, outscoring the Dragons 21-9 – including a 14-2 differential in the paint.  Senior Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) totaled six points and three rebounds in the opening stanza, while classmate Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) garnered four points and one rebound.  The two seniors were the catalysts of the first quarter advantage, which included 47.4 percent shooting (9-of-19) from the field.

Carrying over from the first, the Warriors eventually went on a 14-0 run to open a 26-9 lead with 7:07 still left to play before intermission.  The Dragons didn't go away quietly, however, outscoring the Warriors 14-7 in the second period – with all 14 points as part of a 14-2 run to close the half.  WSU entered halftime clinging to a 28-23 lead.

Birchmeier started the scoring in the second half with a layup, but TU's Madison Jackson hit a jumper, and on the next possession, the Dragons' Victoria Burdo buried a three.  With 7:27 to play in the third, Tiffin had cut the lead to just two.  Wayne State outscored Tiffin 13-4 in the next six minutes, building the lead back up to 11 at 43-32.   Santucci and Ali Schirmer hit buckets for Tiffin on back-to-back possessions in the final minute, cutting the Warrior lead to 43-36 heading to the last 10 minutes.

Tiffin kept chipping away, getting to within three (49-46) with 6:21 to play after a three-pointer by Jensen Hiegel.  Freshman Tori Perez (Belleville, Mich.) hit a bucket on the next possession, and later junior Ja'Nae Williams (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) hit the front end of two free throws.  Schirmer, however, countered with another three with 4:08 to play to cut the Warrior advantage to three (52-49).

The Dragons were unable to get any closer.  Between Schirmer's three and the closing minute of play, WSU went on an 8-2 to run, capped off by a Chambers layup with 50 seconds left.  By then, the intentional foul game was on, with Wayne State going 4-of-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State shot 38.3 percent (23-of-60) from the field, including a 47.4 mark (9-of-19) in the first and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) in the fourth.  The Warriors were 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the free throw line and connected on four of its 22 triple tries (18.2 percent). WSU out-rebounded Tiffin 42-33 and shot 13 more free throws than the Dragons (8-of-10).  Tiffin shot 20-of-53 from the field (37.7 percent).

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Wilson led the Warriors with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.  Sophomore Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep) contributed 13 points and added three rebounds, two blocks and a steal.  Senior Payton Birchmeier had eight points with nine rebounds.

LEADING THE DRAGONS

Annie Santucci led all scorers with 16 points.  

UP NEXT

The Warriors will close out the 2017 portion of the campaign with a first-time trip to GLIAC newcomer Davenport on Saturday.  Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.