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Wayne State University Athletics

Shea Tripp vs. Ferris State (1/25/24)
Zack Belsky/WSU Athletics
Shea Tripp nearly recorded her fifth double-double of 2023-24 with 18 points and nine rebounds (both team highs) at FSU.
64
Wayne State WSW 16-8, 9-6 GLIAC
74
Winner Ferris State FS 18-3, 12-2 GLIAC
Wayne State WSW
16-8, 9-6 GLIAC
64
Final
74
Ferris State FS
18-3, 12-2 GLIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Wayne State WSW 20 14 14 16 64
Ferris State FS 14 23 21 16 74

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Matthew Jurek, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Strong Start Fades for Women's Basketball in 74-64 Loss at Ferris State

The Warriors will play their final two regular season home contests next week.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (16-8 overall, 9-6 GLIAC) had a strong start on the road at #4-Ferris State (18-3 overall, 12-2 GLIAC), but faded in the second half as the Bulldogs prevailed 74-64 on Saturday afternoon inside Jim Wink Arena.

The Warriors and Bulldogs also played on Saturday in support of the Play4Kay Foundation, which is an initiative that unites everyone in the fight against all cancers affecting women.  WSU and FSU filled out "I Play 4" cards to show who they fight for.  The Play4Kay game was an initiative put on by schools throughout the GLIAC and several other entities within women's basketball.

Women's Basketball 2024 Play4Kay Game at Ferris State

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Each squad scored two points in the opening 45 seconds, before a three-pointer by Mallory McCartney made the game 5-2 for Ferris State 55 seconds in.  The Bulldogs continued to pace the contest until a lay-up from sophomore forward Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) put WSU ahead 8-7 with 5:48 remaining.  That bucket was the beginning of a 10-0 run for the Warriors that saw sophomore forward Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) and redshirt senior guard Becca Fugate (Holly, Mich.) each drain triples.

The nine-point edge by the end of the Green and Gold's run, which put the guests ahead 16-7, was their largest advantage of the first half.  Ferris State outscored the Warriors 7-4 over the final 3:01 of the stanza.

Second Quarter
A three-pointer from DeShonna Day and a lay-up from Chloe Idoni closed FSU to within one (20-19) early in the new period.  Following another Idoni lay-up at the 6:51 mark to make the score 22-21 Wayne State, the visitors secured 10 of the next 14 points between 6:34 and 4:59 left, which extended its edge back to seven (32-25).  Lutchka drained a pair of three-pointers as part of the stretch.

The lone basket in the final 4:58 of the second belonged to junior forward Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) with 3:37 to play.  That allowed the Bulldogs grab their first lead since early in the game on a Day triple with 2:39 left.  Mya Hiram's buzzer-beating lay-up gave FSU a three-point lead (37-34) at intermission.

Third Quarter
McCartney opened the second half with a jumper on the opening possession, while Fugate responded with a jumper of her own just over a minute later.  Kadyn Blanchard's three-pointer 1:47 into the third not only put FSU in front by six (42-36), but also was the last bucket for over three minutes until past the midway point of the stanza.  The Bulldogs garnered a 10-point advantage of their own (50-40) after another Blanchard triple with 3:18 to play.  

FSU went ahead by 12 (52-40), but an 8-3 spurt from Wayne State closed the score back to seven (55-48) with 1:21 remaining via a pair of three-pointers from freshman guard McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) and redshirt senior guard Kate McArthur (Warren, Mich. / Cousino (Central Michigan)).  The Bulldogs tallied the last three points of the frame to lead by 10 (58-48) after three quarters of action.

Fourth Quarter
The Warriors were unable to gain any ground as both teams played to a 16-16 tie in the final period.  FSU's lead remained between 11 and 15 points for the first five minute span, until another triple from McCartney moved the Bulldogs ahead by 18 (74-56) just prior to the media timeout with 4:51 left.  WSU amassed the final nine points of the game to pull to within 10 (74-64), but neither team scored again in the last 1:55 and that was the final tally.

TEAM STATS
Ferris State shot 53 percent (28-of-53) from the floor, compared to Wayne State's 35 percent (22-of-63) from the field.  Both teams did well from beyond the arc, with FSU draining 11-of-24 (46 percent) and WSU 8-of-25 (32 percent).  The Warriors went to the charity stripe 17 times and sank 12 attempts (71 percent), while the Bulldogs had just nine tries and connected on seven (78 percent).  The hosts out-rebounded the guests by six (37-31) and had a 22-18 edge in assists.  Wayne State garnered one more steal (11-10), but Ferris State had all 10 blocked shots in the contest, leaving the Green and Gold shut out in the category.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Tripp came one rebound shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine boards, both of which led the Warriors.  Lutchka and Thompson each tallied 12 points to also finish in double figures, with all of Lutchka's coming on four made triples.  McArthur was credited with a team-best six assists, while Thompson and Tripp paced WSU with three steals apiece.

LEADING THE BULLDOGS
Ferris State's big three did much of the damage on Saturday.  Blanchard recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, which both led all players.  McCartney contributed 17 points, a game-high nine assists, and eight rebounds to just miss a triple-double, Chloe Idoni provided 14 points.  Together, the trio amassed 73 percent of the Bulldogs' scoring (54 of 74 points).  Six FSU players collected a blocked shot, led by Elle Irwin with three.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will play its final two home games of the regular season next week against Michigan Tech (Thursday, February 22, at 5:30 p.m.) and Northern Michigan (Saturday, February 24, at 1 p.m.).  The NMU contest will feature Senior Day festivities inside the Wayne State Fieldhouse.

 
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