DETROIT – Propelled by a 21-2 first half run, the Wayne State University women's basketball team (10-4 overall, 5-3 GLIAC) won its third straight contest Thursday night, earning a 69-43 win over Saginaw Valley State (3-12 overall, 3-5 GLIAC),

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first quarter, with the squads failing to register points until junior Ja'Nae Williams (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) hit a layup 2:34 into the contest.  The lead changed hands twice with two ties over the next four minutes, punctuated by SVSU's Laurel Jacqmain hitting a triple with 2:49 left to give the Cardinals an 8-5 lead.

That was the last time SVSU registered points for 6:08.  The Warriors, meanwhile, went on a 16-point run, which included a triple from senior Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) to make it 10-8 with 29 seconds left in the frame.  The streak swelled the Warrior advantage to 21-8 after a layup from senior Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) with 7:17 left in the second period.

Jacqmain countered with a jumper on the next possession, but sophomore Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep) countered with a layup 11 seconds later, making it 23-10.   After a stop, Chambers hit a three, and suddenly the Warriors led 26-10 with 5:59 to play in the frame.

In all, WSU outscored SVSU 24-9 in the second quarter and opened up a 20-point lead (37-17) at the half.

The second half didn't see much of a change for Wayne State's momentum.  The Warriors expanded their lead to 56-31 thanks to a 19-14 period, which included nine points for Chambers and one of Wilson's three three-pointers. By the final 10 minutes, WSU had a comfortable advantage.

TEAM STATS
Wayne State rebounded from its cold first quarter shooting (5-of-16; 31.3 percent) with a 52.9 percent mark in the second stanza (9-of-17).  For the game, WSU finished at 40.0 percent (24-of-60).  The Warriors went 15-of-18 from the free throw line (83.3 percent) and grabbed 44 rebounds.

The Cardinals shot 21.4 percent in the first period (3-of-14) and 28.3 percent in total (15-of-53).  SVSU shot just 53.3 percent from the free throw line (8-of-15), but made five of its 17 three-point attempts (29.4 percent).

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Chambers and Wilson led the Warriors with 19 points apiece. Chambers went 7-of-16 from the field and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe, while Wilson was 5-of-12 from the field (3-of-7 3PT) and 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Williams scored 11 with six rebounds, and Birchmeier led on the glass with eight rebounds to go with eight points.

LEADING THE CARDINALS
Jacqmain led all scorers with 21 points and completed a double-double with 10 rebounds.  Kaitlyn Geers grabbed five rebounds, and Anna Hall dished out four assists.

UP NEXT
The Warriors will travel to Northwood on Saturday for a 4 p.m. meeting with the Timberwolves.  Wayne State and Northwood own matching 5-3 conference records and sit at second place in the GLIAC South Division.