DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (8-6 overall, 3-3 GLIAC) prevailed at home against Purdue University Northwest (3-11 overall, 0-6 GLIAC) 98-54.  The Warriors scored the most points in a contest since November of 2021, when they tallied 102 in a victory against Central State University.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
The Pride scored first, as Nessa Walsh knocked down a jumper.  McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) quickly matched the score with a lay-up, before Walsh hit another shot to give PNW the 4-2 advantage.  Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) scored the next five points of the contest, giving the Warriors their first lead of the game (7-4) and forcing Purdue Northwest to call a timeout.  Four more points from the Pride put them in front 8-7.  An Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. Alma) three started a 10-0 spurt for the Green and Gold, before Akyia Baker sunk a pair of free throws to stop the run (17-10).  Immediately following the two PNW points, Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) nailed a long-range jumper, extending the WSU lead to 10 (20-10).  Each team scored five more points, as Wayne State held a 25-15 advantage heading into the second period.

SECOND QUARTER
Once again, Purdue Northwest struck first, thanks to a Ciara Sims Jumper.  Ferguson connected on both of her attempts at the charity stripe, to bring the Wayne State lead back to 10 (27-17).  PNW's Walsh added two more points, but a Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) triple and Ferguson bucket made the Green and Gold advantage 13 (32-19) just under two minutes into the second stanza.  Thaya Luse scored for the Pride, to bring them within 11 (32-21), but a three-pointer from Ayrault sparked a 10-0 spurt, in which the sophomore scored eight, along with two points from Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.).  Cherrell Newsom halted the run with a jumper from behind the arc (42-24).  Thompson found the bottom of the net again to grow the Wayne State lead to 20.  A PNW triple, and baskets from Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. / Schoolcraft [Lakeland University]), and Lexi Boyke (Frankenmuth, Mich.) closed the half, with WSU leading 49-27.

THIRD QUARTER
PNW scored first once more, with a lay-up from Thaya Luse, while Tripp began the scoring for the Warriors by making one of her two free throw attempts.  Thompson and Ferguson each connected on lay-ups, making the WSU advantage 23 (54-31).  After a Purdue Northwest triple, the Warriors closed the period with a 23-9 run that saw six Wayne State student-athletes score (77-43).

FOURTH QUARTER
Wayne State started the final quarter scoring nine of the first 12 points.  Although both squads only made four shots each in the fourth period, WSU went 12-of-12 from the stripe, out-pacing PNW 21-11, the earn the home victory.

TEAM STATS
The Warriors made just over 50 percent of their shots (32-of-63) including 11-of-30 from deep.  The Pride were unable to keep up with the efficient offense, making 32.8 percent of their shots (22-of-67).  WSU was near perfect from the foul line, sinking 23-26 attempts (88.5 percent), and holding PNW to just 3-of-6.  The Green and Gold won the rebound battle as well, 49-28, and added 46 points from the bench, compared to eight from Purdue Northwest.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Annabel Ayrault had a career-high 16 points, while starting her first game of the campaign, going 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.  Lexi Boyke had a career-best in points as well, tallying 15.  Thompson (12) and Ferguson (10) both reach double-digit points, with Thompson and Lutchka leading all players in rebounds with eight apiece.  Tripp and Miller both dished out four assists.

LEADING THE PRIDE
Three PNW players scored in double figures, as Akyia Baker (14), Ness Walsh (12), and Alyssa Cole (10) all eclipsed that mark.  Cole nabbed a team-best six boards, with Walsh and Baker leading the way in assists with four each.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State University women's hoops squad will hit the road, traveling to Northern Michigan University, and Michigan Tech University, with the tip-off against the Wildcats set for 5:30 on January 16, and a noon tip for the match against Michigan Tech on the 18th.