DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (4-2 overall) opened conference play with a decisive 78-58 win over Davenport.  This marks the fourth straight victory for the Green and Gold and the third by a double-digit margin.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
After Davenport's Jaci Walker found the bottom of the net to open the scoring, Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) quickly responded with a basket of her own.  The Warriors and Panthers exchanged multiple buckets in the first half of the opening period, with Davenport claiming an 11-9 lead at the 5:02 mark.

A pair of free throws by Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) would ignite a 14-2 run for the Green and Gold in which three WSU student-athletes scored to enter the second stanza with a 23-13 advantage.

SECOND QUARTER
Ellie Toney knocked down a triple to cut the Warrior lead to seven before Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. / Alma) connected on both of her free throw attempts to put the Green and Gold up 25-16.  Two layups by Lexi Boyke (Frankenmuth, Mich.) and a mid-range jumper by Koko Sylvester (Toledo, Ohio / Start) gave WSU a 32-23 lead with 3:12 remaining.  The Panthers tallied the final seven points of the quarter, shortening the Wayne State advantage to just two (32-30).

THIRD QUARTER
Layups from McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) and Tripp started things off in the second half, extending the WSU lead to 36-30.

Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) connected on the first three-pointer for the Warriors with 0:36 left in the stanza, putting the Green and Gold ahead 54-43.

FOURTH QUARTER
A Taylor Thompson layup with 6:55 remaining in the contest sparked a 12-0 spurt for the Green and Gold, giving the Warriors a 20-point lead (70-50).  

The Warriors and Panthers each tallied eight points to complete the 78-58 WSU victory.

TEAM STATS
The Warriors went 31-of-62 from the floor (50 percent) to DU's 21-of-53 (39.6 percent).  The Panthers connected on 27.8 percent of three-point shots (5-of-18) compared the Wayne State's 16.7 percent (2-of-12).  The Green and Gold won the rebound battle 35-29.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Taylor Thompson garnered her third double-double of the season (17 points and 10 rebounds).  Shea Tripp tallied 16 points, eight boards, and a game-best nine assists, tying her career high.  McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) earned her third double-digit scoring performance of the 2024-25 campaign, finishing the game with 12 points and five assists.  Lexi Boyke earned her first game in double figures as a Warrior, scoring 10 points and adding three rebounds.

LEADING THE PANTHERS
Ellie Toney led the way for Davenport, scoring a team-high 14 points coming off the bench.  Isabel Lindo and Lillee Gustafson both scored 10 points, with Gustafson having a team-best seven rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State University women's basketball squad will return to action this Saturday when they host top-ranked and undefeated Grand Valley State for a 1 p.m. tip.