Wayne State University Athletics

OWENSBORO, Ky. -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (0-1 overall) began its 2026-27 campaign with a hard-fought 70-69 setback to 13th-ranked Carson-Newman (1-0 overall) Friday afternoon in the D2 CCA Tip-Off Classic hosted by Kentucky Wesleyan College at the Owensboro Sportscenter.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Eagles scored the first four points before junior guard Koko Sylvester (Toledo, Ohio / Start) connected on a jumper in the paint. Sophomore Rayven McQueen (Grand Blanc, Mich. [Detroit Mercy]) went coast-to-coast following a steal to knot the game at 4-4.  Senior Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) answered a CNU triple with one of her own.

The contest was tied for the fourth time in the first four minutes as redshirt sophomore Tayla Dillard (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Central [Grand Valley State]) scored off a feed from senior McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center).

WSU took its first lead (12-9) with 5:44 remaining in the opening stanza on a conventional three-point play by Ayrault.  Two free throws by Dillard, another long-range shot by Ayrault, a steal and bucket by Sylvester followed by a jumper from sophomore Halen McLaughlin (Sanford, Mich. / Sanford Meridian [Lake Superior]) extended the margin to 12 (21-9) with 1:41 left in the period.

Back-to-back triples by Carson Newman cut its deficit to six (21-15) after 10 minutes.

Second Quarter
The Warriors scored the first four points on a steal and hoop by Sylvester followed by two free throws from Ferguson to lead by 10 (25-15) just 62 seconds into the stanza.  Dillard answered a CNU foul shot with a triple, then a minute later Ferguson connected from downtown to put WSU ahead 31-16.

After a basket by the Eagles, freshman Olivia Miller (Avon Lake, Ohio) scored her first career points off a dish from Ayrault.  A lay-up by sophomore AJ Rickli (Mattawan, Mich. / Paw Paw) ended five consecutive points by Carson-Newman.  An old-fashioned three-point play by Sylvester ended another 5-0 spurt by the Eagles to put the Warriors ahead by 10 (38-28) with 2:35 left before intermission.

CNU scored the final seven points of the period to pull within three (38-35) at halftime.

Third Quarter
McQueen started the second half scoring with a lay-up, but Carson-Newman responded with the next four points before McQueen split a pair at the charity stripe.  A steal and dish by McQueen helped McLaughlin drain a shot from beyond the arc before Miller made two free throws to increase the lead to seven (46-39).

A steal and fast-break lay-up by Ferguson pushed the margin to eight (49-41), but the Eagles answered with nine consecutive points as the Warriors went scoreless for 3:15 until a Sylvester lay-up.  Both teams scored in the final seconds of the period as Sylvester's buzzer-beating jumper gave WSU a one-point advantage (53-52) after 30 minutes.

Fourth Quarter
A free throw by Ayrault knotted the game at 54-54, prior to CNU tallying five straight points.  Buckets by Miller and Sylvester made it a one-point game (58-59).  After two foul shots by Carson-Newman, Ferguson connected from downtown to tie the game at 61-61 just past the mid-point of the period.

An offensive rebound and put-back by McQueen gave Wayne State a 64-63 lead but CNU's Delaney Weddington's jumper continued the see-saw affair with the Eagles ahead 65-64.  A lay-up and two free throws by Weddington extended Carson-Newman's advantage to five (69-64) with just over two minutes remaining.

Ayrault drained a triple on the ensuing possession, then made both foul shots with 79 seconds left to knot the score at 69-69.  Weddington missed a shot with 55 seconds left, but still a WSU pass with 29 seconds remaining.  Sylvester was whistled for a foul with just three seconds remaining.  Weddington made the second foul shot and head coach Carrie Lohr called timeout to advance the ball. McQueen was able to get a short jumper off before the clock expired but the shot was a little strong off the glass.

TEAM STATS
Wayne State shot 33 percent (24-for-72) from the floor compared to CNU's 41 percent (23-of-56).  WSU was 7-of-24 (29 percent) from beyond the arc, with the Eagles also making seven triples in 23 attempts (30 percent).  The biggest difference was at the foul line as Carson-Newman shot 85 percent (17-of-20), while the Warriors were just 14-of-22 (64 percent).  CNU had a 47-38 edge in rebounding, but the Wayne State defense forced 24 turnovers and turned those miscues into 25 points.

There were eight lead changes and seven ties in the contest.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Sylvester and Ayrault tied for team-high scoring honors with 15 points apiece.  Sylvester also dished out a team-best four assists, while notching five steals to just one turnover in 36 minutes.  Ayrault connected on three triples.  Ferguson chipped in with 10 points and three steals, while McQueen had seven points and three steals.  Miller and Rickli led the squad with six rebounds apiece.

LEADING THE EAGLES
Weddington tallied a game-best 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting.  Keeleigh Rogers nearly had a double-double with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.  Caroline Hill contributed 14 points, including four triples.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will conclude play in the D2 CCA Tip-Off Classic with a 12:45 PM (ET) tip against Union (Tenn.) University.  The UU Bulldogs were 84-66 winners over Harding on Friday.