DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (11-7 overall, 6-4 GLIAC) battled back from a 10-point deficit to defeat conference newcomer Roosevelt University (5-11 overall, 3-7 GLIAC) 75-66.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) found the bottom of the net on a lay-up attempt to open the game's scoring.  The next two buckets would belong to Roosevelt, as Luka Malinka splashed a triple and Marie Outlay connected on a lay-up.  Thompson notched her second basket of the night while getting fouled, and made her attempt from the charity stripe to complete the three-point play (5-5).  Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) gave the Warriors the lead, driving to the basket and netting a lay-in.  Lexie Sinclair matched with a basket of her own to re-tie the contest (7-7).  Luka Malinka nailed a long-range jumper, putting the Lakers ahead with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter.  McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) made good on a lay-up attempt to bring WSU within one (10-9), but another Malinka triple extended the RU advantage to four, and sparked a 9-5 run, before Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) beat the buzzer on a long-range jumper, putting the Green and Gold behind 19-17 after the first 10 minutes of action.

SECOND QUARTER
RU began the second quarter on an 8-0 run before Lutchka splashed a jumper (27-19).  The junior netted another shot, this time from beyond the arc to pull the Warriors within five.  Jayla Turchin extended the Laker lead to seven with a mid-range jump shot.  Lutchka and Tripp both found the bottom of the net, cutting the Roosevelt advantage to three (29-26).  After Lexie Sinclair went 1-of-2 from the foul line, Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. / Alma) made a three-pointer, but the Lakers responded with eight straight points, pushing their lead to nine (38-29).  The Green and Gold scored the final 11 points of the half, including seven straight from Lutchka, to take the lead heading into the break.

THIRD QUARTER
Roosevelt quickly tied the game, as Outlay found her way to the rim for a lay-up.  Six straight WSU points put Wayne State ahead 46-40 with 6:30 left in the third stanza.  Ava Brandenburg (Roosevelt) made a jumper 19 second later, which would be the last point until the 4:35 mark, when Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. / Schoolcraft [Lakeland University]) connected on another lay-up (48-42).  The two teams continued to trade baskets, as the Warriors entered the fourth quarter with a 57-52 advantage.

FOURTH QUARTER
Sinclair opened the scoring in the final period, but four WSU points made the lead seven (61-54) for the Green and Gold.  Sinclair then found herself at the charity stripe, after being fouled on a three-point attempt, and sank each of her shots.  Ferguson made one of her two free throws to push the Wayne State lead to five (62-57), but two buckets from visitors made it a one-point game.  Tripp found Ferguson open behind the arc, as the sophomore nailed the long-range jump shot to give WSU a small cushion (65-61).  Sinclair once again hit a big shot, making a three-pointer and bringing the Lakers within one.  Lutchka once more found the bottom of the net on a triple, that would ignite a 10-2 run for the Warriors to close out the game.

The win marks the second straight victory for the Warriors in which they had to rally back from a double-digit deficit, and the third time this season. The Green and Gold accomplished this feat against Edinboro, Saginaw Valley State, and now Roosevelt, with all three wins coming at the WSU Fieldhouse.

TEAM STATS
The Lakers made 26-of-60 shots (43.3 percent), compared to WSU's 37.7 percent (26-of-69).  Roosevelt made 39.1 percent of its three-pointers (9-of-23), while the Warriors only knocked down seven of their 24 attempts (29.2 percent).  The largest scoring difference came at the foul line, as Wayne State had more makes (16-of-23) than RU had attempts (5-of-7).  The Green and Gold won the rebounding battle, hauling in 48 to the visitor's 32.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Gabi Lutchka made 12 of her 19 shots from the floor, for 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, both of which are career-highs, while playing all 40 minutes of the contest.   McKenna Ferguson added 10 points and a game-best seven assists.  Alyssa Leister contributed 13 points. 

Lutchka became the first WSU women's basketball player to eclipse the 30 point mark since Grace George (DeWitt, Mich.) tallied 34 in a loss to Ferris State (1/29/2022).  Lutchka's double-double marks the third of her career, and first of the campaign.

LEADING THE LAKERS
Luka Malinka led the Lakers in the scoring column, finishing the game with 19 points, going 7-of-15 from the floor including 5-of-8 from deep.  Marie Outlay hauled in a game-high nine rebounds, and added eight points.  Jalyssa Carrasco dished out a team-best six assists.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State women's hoops team will hit the road next to play at Purdue Northwest on Thursday, January 30, with the tip-off slated for 6:00 PM at John Friend Court.