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Wayne State University Athletics

McKenna Ferguson vs. Grand Valley State (02/08/2024)
Marissa Krynak
McKenna Ferguson scored 15 points (a team best) and was one of four Warriors in double-figures vs. GVSU.
63
Winner Grand Valley St. GVSU 19-2,10-1 GLIAC
62
Wayne State WSW 14-7,7-5 GLIAC
Winner
Grand Valley St. GVSU
19-2,10-1 GLIAC
63
Final
62
Wayne State WSW
14-7,7-5 GLIAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Grand Valley St. GVSU 22 11 16 14 63
Wayne State WSW 9 22 14 17 62

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

Women's Basketball Falls Short, 63-62, Against #4-Grand Valley State

WSU nearly pulled off the upset victory against the fourth-ranked program in Division II.

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (14-7 overall, 7-5 GLIAC) came up one point short in pulling off the upset vs. #4-Grand Valley State (19-2 overall, 10-1 GLIAC), but fell 63-62 to the Lakers inside the Wayne State Fieldhouse on Thursday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
GVSU notched the first 11 points of the game over the opening 4:49 of the contest, before a pair of free throws by freshman guard McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) ended WSU's scoring drought nearly five minutes into the quarter.  The Warriors would score seven more points in the rest of the period.  All nine points for the Green and Gold in the first were from Ferguson (five) and redshirt senior guard Becca Fugate (Holly, Mich.) with four.

The Lakers led 22-9 after 10 minutes.

Second Quarter
The next 10-minute span was a contrast from the first, as the Warriors outpaced Grand Valley State 22-11 in the second period.  Wayne State scored the first nine points of the new stanza for a 9-0 run to cut its deficit to four (22-18) from 13.  An old-fashioned three-point play by Ava Scanlon put GVSU ahead by seven (25-18) with 6:57 to play in the quarter, but the Lakers' lead would never be more than four after that point.  After Scanlon's three points, the Warriors had another 8-0 run to nab its first lead of the game (26-25) with 4:28 remaining in the half.

Over the final four minutes, Grand Valley State would out-pace Wayne State 8-5 to head into the locker room with a slim two-point advantage (33-31).

Third Quarter
A free throw from redshirt senior guard Kate McArthur (Warren, Mich. / Cousino (Central Michigan)) would knot the score at 36-36, before a lay-up by sophomore forward Thaya Luse (Elburn, Ill. / Example Academy) gave the hosts a 38-36 advantage with 7:38 left in the third quarter.  The score would be tied three times (38-38, 40-40, 44-44) over the next 1:33, until the Lakers nabbed the next five points on a triple from Nicole Kamin and lay-up by Rylie Bisballe put GVSU ahead by five (49-44).  The lone point over the final two minutes was a foul shot by sophomore forward Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. / Schoolcraft (Lakeland University)).

Fourth Quarter
With a chance still to play spoiler, the Green and Gold notched the first seven points of the final quarter via a lay-up from Ferguson and a lay-up and triple from sophomore forward Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.).  That would put the Warriors ahead by three (52-49) with 7:09 to play.  WSU managed its largest lead of the game (four) with 6:31 left following another Luse lay-up.  The lead changed hands three times between 4:04 and 3:22, until the Lakers secured the edge for good (59-57) after a Bisballe triple at the 3:22 mark.

A Ferguson three-pointer closed the deficit to one (63-62), and a defensive stop by the hosts gave them an opportunity for the last shot and an opportunity at the win.  However, Ferguson missed a jumper and later turned the ball over, which gave Grand Valley State the victory.

TEAM STATS
Grand Valley State shot 41 percent (24-of-58) from the floor, which was slightly better than Wayne State's 40 percent (21-of-52) from the field.  WSU connected on 40 percent of its three-pointers (8-of-20), while GVSU made 5-of-22 (23 percent) from beyond the arc.  The Warriors went to the free throw line 15 times and sank 12 shots (80 percent), with the Lakers nailing 10-of-19 (53 percent) from the charity stripe.  The visitors had a narrow advantage in rebounds (37-34) and steals (11-7), while the hosts garnered more assists (17-14). 

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Ferguson led Wayne State with 15 points, including four free throws and three triples on four attempts.  McArthur had 12 with three more three pointers, while junior forward Shea Tripp's (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) 12 points and Lutchka's 10 also were in double figures.  Fugate notched a game-best six assists, which also tied her career high.

LEADING THE LAKERS
Bisballe created havoc all night on the glass, grabbing a game-best 15 rebounds (10 defensive and five offensive).  She also scored 16 points for a double-double effort.  Kamin led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting.  Both were credited with the only two blocked shots of the contest.  Lexi Plitzuweit collected nine points and six boards, along with three assists.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will host Davenport on Saturday, February 10, inside the Wayne State Fieldhouse.  Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

 
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