DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team (14-8 overall, 9-5 GLIAC) fell at home to Northern Michigan University (16-6 overall, 10-4 GLIAC) 66-61.  The loss snaps a five game win streak for the Warriors.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
NMU began the scoring, tallying the first six points of the contest.  McKenna Ferguson (Grandvile, Mich. / Byron Center) netted two free throws and a lay-up to put WSU on the board (6-4).  Two more buckets from the Wildcats extended their lead to six (10-4), before a Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) lay-in and an Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. / Alma) triple brought the Green and Gold within one point (10-9).  Alyssa Nimz and Jacy Weisbrod both found the bottom of the net to put the visitors ahead by five with just over three minutes remaining in the first period.  Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. Schoolcraft [Lakeland University]) knocked down a lay-up to pull within three (14-11), but an NMU jumper made it a five-point game once more.  Three Ferguson free throws made the Wildcat lead just two with under a minute to play in the first quarter.  Abi Fraaza (NMU) made one of her two free throws to extend the Northern Michigan lead (17-14), but a buzzer-beating triple from Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) knotted the contest at 17 apiece after the first 10 minutes of play.

SECOND QUARTER
Weisbrod opened the second period with a long-range jumper, which was immediately followed with another deep three from Ayrault (20-20).  Thompson lifted the Warriors ahead after her lay-up went through the net, but two Wildcat free throws tied the competition at 22 points each.  Ayrault caught fire, nailing another three-point shot to break the tie.  It was just over two minutes before the next bucket was recorded, as NMU's Sydney Whitehouse knocked down a jumper.  Alyssa Hill made her way to the rim and was able to re-secure the lead for Northern Michigan (26-25).  WSU out-scored NMU 6-4 to end the second stanza, with eight of the 10 total points coming by way of the charity stripe.

THIRD QUARTER
Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) found Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center) open behind the arc to give Wayne State a four-point advantage (34-30).  A 7-0 run for Northern Michigan put the guests ahead 37-34, but four straight points for WSU flipped the lead in favor of the Green and Gold.  Whitehouse tied the game at the foul line, but a driving lay-up from Ayrault, and a triple from Lutchka gave Wayne Stat a five-point lead.  Northern Michigan ended the quarter with a 12-5 scoring spurt, entering the final stanza ahead by two points.

FOURTH QUARTER
The Wildcats captured the first two points of the fourth quarter, before a short 6-0 run for Wayne State propelled the hosts to a 54-52 advantage.  NMU went on another run of its own, scoring six straight and once again jumping out front of the Green and Gold.  A Tripp free throw cut the lead to three (58-55), with just under five minutes remaining in the game.  Sarah Newcomer (NMU) splashed a jumper on the ensuing Northern Michigan possession, and later nailed a shot from the foul line to make it a six-point game.  The Warriors scored the next six points, tying the contest at 61 all with one minute to play.  The Wildcats tallied the final five points and earned the road victory.

TEAM STATS
From the field, Northern Michigan made 43.4 percent of its attempts (23-of-53) to WSU's 35.8 percent (19-of-53).  The Warriors were more successful from beyond the arc, connecting on 8-of-22 attempts (36.4 percent) compared to NMU's 3-of-19 (15.8 percent).  Wayne State grabbed 10 more rebounds than the Wildcats did (40-30), marking just the second time this season that the Green and Gold have out-rebounded a team and lost.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Alyssa Leister was the leading scorer for WSU, contributing 12 points.  Annabel Ayrault made 3-of-4 from behind the arc, and totaled 11 points with a game-high four steals. Shea Tripp nabbed a game-best 16 rebounds, while adding nine points and assisting on a game-high four baskets. Taylor Thompson scored 11 points, and grabbed four boards.

LEADING THE WILDCATS
Jacy Weisbrod (12), Alyssa Nimz (10),and Mackenzie Holzwart (10) all scored in double figures, with Nimz leading the way with six rebounds, and Holzwart having a team-high four dimes.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State women's basketball team will hit the road next, to face Saginaw Valley State University on Thursday, February 13, at the James E. O'Neil Arena.  Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM.