ASHLAND, Ohio -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (2-2 overall) topped in-region foe and No. 6-ranked Ashland University (1-1 overall) 81-77 on Saturday night to earn the squad's first win in Kates Gymnasium since 2013.  That victory snapped a skid of nine straight on the Eagles' floor.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) opened the game's scoring with a pair of lay-ins that sandwiched an Ashland bucket.  A six-point spurt for the Eagles put the hosts ahead 8-4 before a 7-2 run by the Green and Gold put WSU up 11-10 with 4:39 left in the opening stanza.  An old-fashioned three-point play by AU's Lexi Howe followed by a Katelyn Harabedian lay-up gave Ashland a four-point lead (15-11) at the 3:38 mark.  A pair of baskets each way pushed the score to 19-15 in favor of the Eagles before a Lexi Boyke (Frankenmuth, Mich.) lay-in and a Karrington Gordon (Lincoln Park, Mich. [Central Michigan]) jumper knotted the contest at 19 points apiece through the first 10 minutes of action.  

SECOND QUARTER
Wayne State began the second quarter hot, as Emily Homan (Haslett, Mich.) drained a triple with Lutchka and Boyke each adding baskets to force an Ashland timeout just under three minutes into the second period.  The Green and Gold led 26-19 at that point.  The margin remained the same after an Ashley Mullet (AU) jumper and a pair of Wayne State makes from the charity stripe.  Mullet knocked down a long-range jumper to cut WSU's advantage to four points (28-24) before Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. / Schoolcraft [Lakeland University]) quickly extended it to six after a made basket on the ensuing possession at the 6:12 mark. 

A free throw for Ashland followed by two for the Warriors were the only points scored in the next 1:48. 

The Eagles once more tied the game, this time at 32-32, after rattling off seven-straight points.  The Warriors closed the half with four points to the Eagles' three and entered the intermission with a 36-35 lead.

THIRD QUARTER
Back-to-back triples for Ashland put the hosts on top 41-36 before Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) found the bottom of the net on a lay-up.  A 6-2 scoring run for the Eagles pushed the margin to seven points (47-40) just over three minutes into the third quarter.  Two Lutchka free throws and a Boyke lay-up wrapped around an Ashland bucket made it 49-44.  AU extended its lead back to seven points following a Lexi Howe make, but a three-point basket by McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) cut it to four with 4:43 left in the third frame. 

A 12-7 scoring spurt that included points from Lutchka, Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North), Ferguson and Taylor gave Wayne State a one-point lead (59-58) entering the final quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER
AU tallied six of the first eight points of the period for a 64-61 advantage at the 7:43 mark.  An 8-2 scoring run for the Warriors gave the guests a 69-66 lead with five minutes to play in the game.  An Ashland lay-up followed by a Jaci Tubergen (Hudsonville, Mich. [Bowling Green]) bucket kept the WSU cushion at three points before Corri Vermilya (AU) connected on a game-tying triple to knot the contest at 71-71.  After just over one minute of scoreless action, each squad made a pair of free throws with the game tied 73-73.  Ashland nabbed a 75-73 lead after a driving lay-up by Alysa Lopez, but the lead would be short lived as the Warriors claimed the ensuing five points to take a 78-75 advantage. 

The Eagles got within one point after another Lopez lay-in, before three-straight Thompson free throws put the game on ice for Wayne State, 81-77.

TEAM STATISTICS
Wayne State shot 49 percent from the field (27-of-55) while the Eagles connected on 48 percent of their looks (29-of-61).  From deep, each squad made six shots, while Ashland attempted 18 compared to WSU's 13.  The rebounding battle was even at 33 apiece.  The Warriors assisted on 14 buckets to Ashland's nine.  From the charity stripe, WSU made 21-of-30 attempts and AU drained 13-of-18.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Four WSU student-athletes scored in double figures, with Thompson (19), Lutchka (18), Boyke (15) and Ferguson (10) each reaching that mark.  Lutchka's 18 points and Boyke's 15 points were both season highs, with the redshirt sophomore tying a career-best.  Lutchka led the Warriors in rebounds with eight while Thompson dished out a squad-high five assists.

LEADING THE EAGLES
Ashley Mullet scored a game-high 21 points, knocking down three triples.  Jenna Slates had a team-best eight rebounds and added 10 points.  Alysa Lopez led the squad in assists with three.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will host Hillsdale College for the squad's home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. inside the WSU Fieldhouse.