Hammond, Ind. -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (12-7 overall, 7-4 GLIAC) handled business on the road, earning an 88-59 victory over Purdue University Northwest (5-14 overall, 2-9 GLIAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
The Warriors got on the board first, as Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) netted a lay-up on the opening possession.  Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. / Alma) made one of her two free throw attempts to push to lead to three.  The two teams traded lay-ins, and after each squad went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe, the score was 6-3 in favor of the Green and Gold.  Two quick buckets from the Pride gave them their first lead of the contest (7-6), but it would be short lived as McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) connected on two free throws, igniting a 15-2 spurt to end the quarter, with the visitors leading 21-9.

SECOND QUARTER
The efficient offense continued, as Wayne State scored the first eight points of the stanza (29-9), before Thaya Luse knocked down two free throws for Purdue Northwest.  Thompson added two more points, causing the hosts to call a timeout (31-11).  Coming out of the timeout, PNW went on a 9-2 run (31-18).  WSU out-paced Purdue Northwest 14-10 for the remainder of the period, entering the half with a 45-28 advantage.

THIRD QUARTER
The Green and Gold began the third quarter by scoring the first six points, as Ferguson, Thompson, and Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) all found the bottom of the net.  Cherrelle Newsom ended the Warrior run at the foul line, followed by a lay-up for both sides (53-31).  Ferguson splashed two triples that were sandwiched around a long-range jumper for the Pride.  Thompson tallied the next four points (63-34), with PNW's Akyia Baker notching the ensuing four, making two free throws and a lay-up.  WSU held Purdue Northwest to just two points for the rest of the quarter, while the Green and Gold scored six of their own (69-40).

FOURTH QUARTER
The scoring in the fourth stanza was even both ways, as each team added 19 points during the final 10 minutes.  Both teams made six shots, with the Pride being slightly more efficient, going 6-of-12 to WSU's 6-of-13 in the fourth quarter, with each team making three triples as well.

TEAM STATS
Wayne State made 50.8 percent of its shots (33-of-65), compared to 34.4 percent from Purdue Northwest (21-of-61).  Each team had 16 foul shots, with the Green and Gold connecting on 14 and PNW sinking 10.  The Warriors won the rebounding battle 48-29, while scoring 18 more points in the paint (44-26).

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Taylor Thompson scored a season-high 22 points while grabbing seven rebounds and handing out five assists.  McKenna Ferguson tallied 21 points with three rebounds and three assists.  Gabi Lutchka and Ally Shagena both nabbed eight boards, with Lutchka contributing 14 points.  Shea Tripp finished with six points, five rebounds, and five assists.

LEADING THE PRIDE
Alyssa Cole (17), Akiya Baker (14), and Riley Milausnic (12) all scored in double figures, with Cole garnering a double-double (17 points and 10 rebounds).  Kaylen Evans had a team-best three assists.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State women's basketball team will travel to Kenosha, Wis. to face the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday, February 1, with a 2:00 PM tip-off inside of the De Simone Arena.