DETROIT — The No. 31-ranked Wayne State University women's basketball team (17-6, 12-3 GLIAC) defeated No. 12-ranked Northern Michigan University (20-5, 11-4 GLIAC) 84-63 on Thursday evening in the WSU Fieldhouse.  It is the first time in program history that WSU has triumphed over a pair of top-25 teams in back-to-back contests after defeating No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State this past Saturday.

In addition, it is the first time that the Green and Gold has downed NMU by more than 15 points at home since an 87-70 victory on February 16, 2013.

The Warriors led for 36:34 of the home win, after the Wildcats held a lead for 36:05 during the 91-71 setback in Marquette, Mich., earlier this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
Northern Michigan nabbed an early 5-0 lead before a Karrington Gordon (Lincoln Park, Mich. [Central Michigan]) lay-up followed by two McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center) free throws brought WSU within one point.  A Sydney Whitehouse (NMU) and-one pushed the guest's advantage to four points (8-4) with 7:28 left in the opening quarter.  Wayne State tallied a 10-0 scoring spurt that included back-to-back triples from Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) to take a 14-8 lead.  The scoring was even for the remainder of the stanza as Wayne State held a 22-16 advantage after 10 minutes of action.

SECOND QUARTER
A Lutchka jumper preceded two Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) lay-ups as the Green and Gold extended the margin to 12 points (28-16).  Addison Pytleski (NMU) stopped the onslaught with a lay-in, which prompted a scoring drought for both squads that lasted just over 1:30.  Six more points for WSU, including four-consecutive for sophomore guard Koko Sylvester (Toledo, Ohio / Start) made it 34-18.  Six points each way made it 40-24.  NMU notched a short 6-5 run before WSU connected on three free throws to end the quarter leading 48-30.

52 of the 78 total points in the first half were inside the paint, while 11 more came from the charity stripe, as the teams were a combined 3-of-15 from behind the arc.

THIRD QUARTER
Northern Michigan came out of the halftime intermission hot, tallying the first eight points (48-33).  Four Thompson free throws and Sarah Newcomer (NMU) triple made it 52-41.  Lexi Boyke (Frankenmuth, Mich.) connected on Wayne State's first field goal of the second half following the NMU long ball.  The Wildcats knocked down another long-range jumper before NMU rattled a 9-0 scoring run to lead 63-44 with 1:39 remaining in the third frame.  Northern Michigan responded with a 7-2 surge, with WSU leading 65-51 with one quarter remaining.

FOURTH QUARTER
Ferguson found the bottom of the net on a pair of lay-ups to begin the fourth period.  NMU's Whitehouse knocked down two free throws before Ferguson once more connected on a lay-in (71-53).  WSU tallied 13 of the final 23 points for the 84-63 home victory.

TEAM STATISTICS
WSU shot 50 percent from the floor (31-of-62), its sixth game this season making at least half its attempts (5-1), while holding NMU to 36.1 percent (26-of-72).  Both squads struggled from long range, as Northern Michigan was 6-of-23 (26.1 percent) and Wayne State finished 2-of-14 (14.3 percent).  The Green and Gold converted on 20-of-30 attempts at the charity stripe, while the Wildcats made 5-of-7.  NMU edged the hosts in the rebounding battle 44-40, but turned the ball over 17 times to WSU's 10.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Thompson notched a game-high 26 points (9-of-17 FG, 8-of-13 FT), while tallying a game-best nine boards and four steals.  Ferguson added 21 points (7-of-13 FG, 7-of-10 FT) and is four points shy of reaching 1,000 in her career.  Lutchka drained the only two three pointers for Wayne State, as she finished with 13 points.  Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. [Lakeland University]) contributed 10 points and six rebounds, including three on the offensive end.

LEADING THE WILDCATS
Two NMU student-athletes reached double-digit scoring, as Whitehouse had 12 and CJ Romero tallied 10.  Jacy Weisbrod hauled in six boards, while six different Wildcats had two assists.  Alyssa Hill blocked two shot attempts.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will remain at home to host Michigan Tech on Saturday, February 14.