BUFFALO -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (5-1 overall) concluded its pre-conference slate with a 78-40 triumph at D'Youville University (1-3 overall) Monday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Warriors tallied the first seven points of the contest and never looked back.  Senior guard Becca Fugate (Holly, Mich.) drained a triple on WSU's first possession, then sophomore Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) scored off a feed from Fugate, before a Tripp steal and dish led to a lay-up by freshman Ashley Bower (Portland, Mich.).

WSU extended its lead to 14-2 on a three-pointer by Fugate and lay-up by Tripp less than four minutes into the game.  After five straight points by the Saints made it 16-9 at the 2:30 mark, Wayne State answered with a shot from beyond the arc by Bower, a lay-up by sophomore Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. / Alma) and a jumper by graduate student Sophia Karasinski (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Catholic Central).  The Warriors led 23-12 after 10 minutes.

Second Quarter
Wayne State had leads of eight to 13 points until two free throws by graduate student Mashayla Cecil (Murfreesboro, Tenn. / Paul Laurence Dunbar) and a Bower lay-up following a steal by freshman Thaya Luse (Elburn, Ill. / Example Academy) made it 40-24.  WSU led 40-26 at halftime.

Third Quarter
A Bower triple on WSU's first possession after intermission extended the advantage to 17 (43-26).  The Warriors led 48-27 just past the mid-point of the stanza after holding the Saints to just one point in the first 6:30 of the stanza.  Wayne State out-scored the hosts 17-3 in the period to lead 57-29 heading into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter
Wayne State scored 21 of the 32 points over the final 10 minutes for the 78-40 victory.

TEAM STATS
Wayne State shot 58 percent (28-of-48) from the floor, compared to DYU's 30 percent (16-of-54).  WSU connected on 41 percent (9-of-22) of its triple tries, while limiting the Saints to 3-of-19 (16 percent).  The Warriors made 13-of-14 (93 percent) from the charity stripe, with D'Youville shooting 56 percent (5-of-9) at the free throw line.  Wayne State won the battle of the boards 37-19.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Cecil was 7-of-8 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, in scoring a game-high 18 points.  Bower was equally impressive making 6-of-7 of her field goal attempts, including 3-of-3 from three-point range in totaling 15 points.  Fugate contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while freshman Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) grabbed a game-best six rebounds.

LEADING THE SAINTS
Izabella Zirzow scored a team-best 11 points, while Haley Kirisits chipped in with 10 points.  Anna Jankovic grabbed a team-high five boards.

UP NEXT
Wayne State begins GLIAC play with a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday at Saginaw Valley State.