MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (7-18 overall, 4-14 GLIAC) suffered its fifth consecutive setback with a 79-60 loss at Northern Michigan University (16-9 overall, 11-7 GLIAC) on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The game was close early with WSU holding a pair of two-point leads (2-0 and 4-2) along with the contest being tied at 2-2, 4-4 and 6-6 before the Wildcats went on a 6-0 run.  Sophomore Jessica Murphy (Oxford, Mich.) connected from long distance to make it 12-0.  The teams split the final 10 points of the opening period with NMU holding a 17-13 advantage after 10 minutes.

Northern Michigan tallied the first nine points of the second quarter on three consecutive triples, the first by Bre Gaspervich and the final two by Emily Schramek.  Murphy drained another triple and senior Ajai Meeks (Detroit, Mich. / Pershing) made a pair of foul shots to pull the Warriors within seven (26-19).

Following a 12-6 run by the Wildcats, WSU responded with a 5-0 spurt that started with two free throws by junior Shannon Wilson (W. Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) and concluded with a conventional three-point play by classmate Sara Ruhstorfer (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Flint Powers Catholic).  After a NMU basket, junior Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) drained a triple just before halftime to pull the Warriors within seven (40-33) at intermission.

Another three pointer by Birchmeier cut the deficit to six (42-36) in the first 80 seconds of the third quarter.  Later, a 4-0 spurt by the Warriors made it a four-point game (44-40) with just over seven minutes remaining in the stanza.  WSU stayed within striking distance over the next three minutes and trailed 52-46 after a lay-up by sophomore Ja'Nae Williams (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King).  NMU ended the frame on a 12-1 run to increase its advantage to 17 (64-47).

All told the Warriors went 11 minutes between made field goals (4:19 left in the third to 3:19 left in the game).  During that stretch, WSU went 0-for-10 from the floor (0-for-5 on two-point shots and 0-for-5 on triple tries).  Wayne State did make 5-of-8 free throws, but could never get closer than 17.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State shot 32 percent (17-of-53) from the field, while NMU made 51 percent (23-of-45) of its field goal attempts.  WSU connected on 5-of-14 three-point tries (36 percent) compared to 39 percent (7-of-18) for the Wildcats.  The Warriors were 21-of-29 (72 percent) from the charity stripe with Northern Michigan making 26-of-33 (79 percent) of its foul shots.  NMU had a 40-27 edge in rebounding.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Williams recorded a team-high 14 points off the bench, while Birchmeier contributed 10 points and a team-best six rebounds.  Wilson also chipped in with 10 points.

LEADING THE WILDCATS

Gaspervich notched a game-high 20 points, which included 8-of-8 from the charity stripe.  Darby Youngstrom added 18 points, while Jessica Schultz grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.

Up Next

Wayne State continues its season-ending road swing at Northwood (6 p.m.) on Thursday.