DETROIT – The Wayne State University women's basketball team (12-4 overall, 7-3 GLIAC) held 12th-ranked Michigan Tech (14-3 overall, 12-2 GLIAC) to 28.1 percent shooting, knocking off the Huskies 50-40 at the Matthaei Center Thursday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warriors came out strong to start the game, scoring the game's first eight points – including four from sophomore Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep) – all within the first 3:50.  After Lindsay Winter got MTU on the board with a jump shot 4:14 into the contest, the Huskies countered Wayne State's run by scoring nine straight.  The Michigan Tech run eventually swelled to 14-2, which is where the contest stood after the first quarter (MTU leading 14-10).

Momentum swung back in WSU's favor in the second quarter.  The Warriors responded with an 8-2 run, culminating in a three-pointer by senior Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) at the midway point of the second period.  The triple gave Wayne State an 18-16 lead, and while it was the Warriors final points in the half – a 3:59 drought to close the stanza – the Warrior defense responded by holding Michigan Tech to just one more field goal – a Hannah Stoll jump shot with 54 seconds left in the half. 

In all, Wayne State held Michigan Tech to just four points in the second frame in the form of two field goals from Stoll.

The Warriors were able to keep momentum on their side out of the break, thanks in large part to Wilson.  In the third period, she scored 10 points, including 4-of-4 from the line with three field goals.  Wayne State took the lead to start the half off of a Wilson layup (22-20), but MTU quickly countered with a jump shot.  Wilson hit another layup, but MTU's Brenna Heise countered with two free throw.  With 6:54 left in the third, the game was once again knotted up 22-22.

With 4:10 left in the third, sophomore Alex Matus (Millbury, Ohio / Toledo Central Catholic) drained a triple to give the Warriors a 25-22 lead.  Wayne State never trailed again in the quarter, expanding the lead by as much as five and ending the third with that margin at 33-28.

The Huskies cut it to within three twice in the fourth quarter (37-34 with 7:38 to play and 40-37 with 4:57 to play), but the Warriors continually found a way to counter.   With 1:47 left and the game still stuck at 40-37, Chambers hit a jumper to make it 42-37.  Out of a timeout by MTU, junior Ja'Nae Williams swiped the ball from the Huskies, setting up another Chambers layup with 48 seconds left.  That forced the Huskies to call another timeout, as it expanded the Warrior lead to three possessions at 44-37. 

On the other end, Winter threw up a three-pointer, but it missed.  Wilson found Chambers behind the MTU defense on the inbounds for an easy fast-break layup, extending the Warrior advantage to 46-37 with 35.7 seconds to play.  After another stop, the Huskies were forced to intentionally foul, essentially sealing the Warrior win. 

TEAM STATS
Wayne State shot 6-of-28 from the floor in the first half (21.4 percent) and 16-of-58 for the game (27.6 percent), but it limited the Huskies, who entered Thursday's contest as the second best shooting team in the GLIAC, to just 16-of-57 (28.1 percent).  Michigan Tech was also the second-best in three-point percentage, but WSU limited the Huskies to 3-of-20 (15.0 percent) from beyond the arc. 

Wayne State had a slight rebounding edge (45 to 43), with the Huskies leading in assists (11 to 4) and blocks (7 to 2).  MTU turned the ball over 15 times to WSU's 11, while winning the steals battle 5-4.  The Warriors made 15 of their 20 free throw attempts (75 percent), while MTU made five of its seven tries (71.4 percent).  

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Wilson had her second double-double of the year, scoring 22 points with 11 rebounds. Wilson also went 6-of-6 from the free throw line.  Chambers had 16 points, while Williams had 11 rebounds.

LEADING THE HUSKIES
Elizabeth Kelliher also had a double-double, as she scored 11 points with 12 rebounds and seven blocks.  Winter finished with eight points, nine rebounds and a game-high four assists.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will face its final unseen GLIAC opponent, Northern Michigan, on Saturday. The event will tip-off at the Matthaei Center at 1 p.m. 

Saturday's doubleheader will also be a 100th anniversary event with all former basketball players and coaches (both men and women) invited to attend.  For a $10 ticket, basketball alums will receive a chairback seat, food in the W club, the chance to mingle with past teammates and be recognized during halftime of both games.