DETROIT — The Wayne State University women's basketball team (7-3 overall) topped the University of Findlay (5-6 overall), 66-58, on Saturday in the WSU Fieldhouse.  The contest closed the 2025 portion of the campaign and was the final non-conference game for WSU.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
The Oilers tallied the first 14 points of the contest before a pair of buckets from Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) sandwiched around a UF basket made it 16-4 in favor of the guests.  A triple and a two-point bucket for Findlay extended the advantage to 17, which was the largest lead for the Oilers.  An 8-1 spurt for the Warriors brought them within 10 points (22-12) after the first stanza.

SECOND QUARTER
Neither team secured a point for just over one minute to begin the second quarter, before Jaci Tubergen (Hudsonville, Mich. [Bowling Green)] splashed a triple.  Four points for UF along with another long-range jumper for Tubergen made it 28-17.  At the 5:04 mark, UF's Taylor Stanley connected on a triple to make the score 31-17, in favor of Findlay.  It would be the final Oiler bucket of the half, as the Warriors closed the second frame with a 16-0 run, including six points from Emily Homan (Haslett, Mich.), four from Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.), along with three from McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) and Lutchka.

Thompson's basket at the end of the quarter gave Wayne State its first lead of the contest, 33-31.

The Green and Gold shot 50 percent from the floor in the second quarter (8-of-16), while nailing four triples.

THIRD QUARTER
WSU continued its offensive spurt, tallying the first two points after the halftime break.  UF responded with five points before a Thompson bucket and a Tubergen long-range jumper pushed WSU's advantage to four points (40-36), but a Lauryn Auchmuty three and a pair of baskets from MacKenzie Schulz gave the visitors a 43-40 advantage with 3:43 left in the third quarter.  Lutchka and Ferguson each connected on lay-ups to regain the lead for Wayne State.  The Green and Gold closed the third with a 6-2 run, entering the final quarter with a 50-45 lead.

FOURTH QUARTER
Similar to the prior two periods, Wayne State tallied the first points, this time by way of a Thompson lay-up.  Two Ariyah Douglas lay-ins (UF) sandwiching a Lutchka basket pulled the Oilers within five points (54-49).  A pair of baskets each way made it 58-53.  

Taylor Stanley (UF) brought Findlay within one possession after knocking down two attempts from the charity stripe (58-55), but a triple by Homan at the 1:05 mark proved to be the games dagger.  Five made free throws for the Warriors along with a three-pointer for the Oilers closed the competition, with WSU prevailing 66-58.

TEAM STATISTICS
The squads had nearly the same shooting percentage, with Wayne State making 36.9 percent (24-of-65 FG, 8-of-33 3PT) to Findlay's 36.8 percent (21-of-57 FG, 7-of-24 3PT).  Each team had 11 tries at the charity stripe, with WSU connecting on 10, and UF making nine.  The Warriors had 43 rebounds to the Oilers' 37, and had 10 more helpers with 17.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Lutchka had a game-leading 20 points (9-of-17 FG, 2-of-5 3PT), while hauling in four rebounds and dishing out three assists.  Thompson posted a double-double with 13 points and a game-best 16 rebounds, one shy of her career-high 17 boards.  Jaci Tubergen (13) and Emily Homan (11) each notched career-best scoring performances, while Homan was +24 on the floor.

LEADING THE OILERS
Schulz led Findlay scoring with 14 points, along with five rebounds.  Stanley added 11 points with a team-leading two assists.  Alyssa Ziehler nearly had a double-double with nine points and a squad-best 11 rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State women's basketball squad will resume action in the new year, as the squad travels to University Center, Mich., to face Saginaw Valley State University on Friday, January 2, at 1:00 PM in James E. O'Neill Arena.