DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (14-7 overall, 9-4 GLIAC) topped the visiting Michigan Tech University (9-12 overall, 6-7 GLIAC) 66-44.  The Warriors held the lead for all but 4:42, with the 44 points being the least that a WSU team has allowed since a 2023 61-42 triumph at Michigan Tech (12/9/23).

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) opened the game's scoring with a lay-up on the Warriors first possession.  Two quick strikes from the Huskies flipped the advantage to MTU (4-2).  Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) found her way to the free throw line, knocking down both attempts and evening the score.  The tie lasted just one minute, as Michigan Tech's Janie Tormanen made good on a shot attempt.  Both offenses found themselves in a dry spell for the next 1:57 of the contest, before McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) nailed two shots at the foul line (6-6).  An Emma Anderson (MTU) made jumper put the visitors ahead once more, but a Ferguson triple ignited a 12-0 Green and Gold run that lasted 2:37.  Dani Nuest netted a mid-range jumper to halt the WSU onslaught (18-10). A basket from Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) and a long-range bucket from Kendall Standfest (MTU) closed the first period with Wayne State holding a seven point lead (20-13).

SECOND QUARTER
The Huskies shortened the gap, scoring the first four points of the stanza, before back-to-back WSU three-point shots pushed its lead to nine (26-17).  Both squads connected on a pair of free throws before another long offensive drought, this time lasting just under three minutes (2:59).  Lexi Boyke (Frankenmuth, Mich.) found her way to the basket to end the previously mentioned point deprivation.  An Ella Mason jumper brought Michigan Tech back within single figures (30-21), but a 5-0 Green and Gold run that included an Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) triple, and a Thompson lay-in put WSU ahead 35-21 at the break.

THIRD QUARTER
Wayne State began the third quarter strong, scoring the first six points and growing its already impressive lead to 20 points.  Isabella Lenz made a lay-up on the next MTU possession, but Ferguson responded with a deep-range jumper (44-23).  The hosts out-scored Michigan Tech 13-6 for the remainder of the stanza.

FOURTH QUARTER
Three free throws (one for MTU, and two for WSU) began the fourth quarter, and were the only points scored until the 7:22 mark when Tormanen found the bottom of the net on a lay-up.  Ayrault found Lutchka open for a jumper to match the two points from the Huskies (54-39).  The Warriors held Michigan Tech to just five more points, while scoring 12 of their own and securing the home victory.

WSU has now won five straight games, and seven of the last eight, with the sole hiccup coming on the road against MTU.

TEAM STATS
The Warriors made 41.8 percent of their shots (23-of-55) compared to 27.6 percent from the guests (16-of-58).  The Huskies were unable to find their groove from behind the arc, making just 10 percent of their attempts (2-of-20).  The Green and Gold made 6-of-17 (35.3 percent).  From the charity stripe, WSU was both more efficient (82.4 percent) and made more attempts (14-of-17) than MTU did (10-of-14 for 71.4 percent).  Each team grabbed 38 rebounds.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Leading the way on the offense was McKenna Ferguson, tallying 19 points and dishing out three assists.  She also tied a career-high in steals with five.  Shea Tripp added 18 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.  Alyssa Leister had the most dimes for the Warriors, assisting on four buckets.  Taylor Thompson had another double-digit rebounding performance, hauling in a game-high of 11.

LEADING THE HUSKIES
Isabella Lenz (13), and Janie Tormanen (10) both reached double-digit points, with Tormanen leading the team in rebounds, nabbing eight.  Dani Nuest had a team-high three assists.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State University women's basketball squad will next appear on Saturday, February 8, as the Green and Gold host Northern Michigan, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 PM in the WSU Fieldhouse.