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Wayne State University Athletics

Gabi Lutchka vs FSU 2025
Romer Santacruz
Gabi Lutchka notched a double-double with 24 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
104
Winner Ferris St. FSU 26-5,17-3 GLIAC
86
Wayne St. (MI) Wayne 23-7,17-3 GLIAC
Winner
Ferris St. FSU
26-5,17-3 GLIAC
104
Final
86
Wayne St. (MI) Wayne
23-7,17-3 GLIAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ferris St. FSU 30 20 21 33 104
Wayne St. (MI) Wayne 15 19 25 27 86

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Women's Basketball Falls 104-86 To Ferris State In GLIAC Semifinals

Lutchka records double-double, while Tubergen scores a career-high 19 points.

ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (23-7 overall) had its GLIAC Tournament run end in the conference semifinals falling 104-86 to Ferris State University (26-5 overall) Saturday afternoon at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.  WSU entered this week ranked No. 28 nationally by the WBCA, while FSU was ranked No. 16.  The setback also ended Wayne State's nine-game winning streak.

The third-seeded Bulldogs will face top-seeded Grand Valley State (29-1 overall) in Sunday's Championship game at 3 PM.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Warriors took a 2-0 lead on the game's opening possession as graduate student Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.) scored off a feed from junior McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center), but FSU responded with the next 13 points until another bucket by Lutchka off a dish from senior Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.).

Ferris State led 20-4 before Lutchka scored on an offensive put back.  Following a jumper by Thompson, Bulldog Claire Erickson connected on her squad's fifth triple in the opening 6:30 of the contest for a 26-8 advantage.  WSU had a 7-4 scoring edge the rest of the stanza to trim the deficit to 15 (30-15) after 10 minutes.  Lutchka finished the period with nine points.

Second Quarter
After a bucket by Ferguson to start the second period scoring, FSU's Emma Schierbeek drained two long-range shots in less than a minute extending Ferris State's margin to 21 (38-17).  With the Bulldogs more than doubling up the Warriors 44-20 at the mid-point of the stanza, two Thompson jumpers, along with a triple and a lay-up by Ferguson cut the margin to 15 (44-29). 

Thompson reached double figures on a jumper and free throw with 90 seconds remaining before intermission.  A lay-up by senior Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. [Lakeland University]) preceded Ferris State's 10th three-pointer of the opening half.  Wayne State trailed 50-34 despite shooting 50 percent (14-of-28) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.  FSU was 18-of-33 (55 percent), including 10-of-19 (53 percent) from beyond the arc.

Third Quarter
Ferris State scored nine of the first 13 points just three minutes into the second half for a 59-38 lead.  WSU trailed by 21 (64-43) at the mid-point of the third period, before back-to-back triples by senior Jaci Tubergen (Hudsonville, Mich.) in less than 30 seconds trimmed the deficit to 15 (64-49).

After a Bulldog trey, Tubergen again connected from downtown, and junior Emily Homan (Haslett, Mich.) followed with a bucket to make it a 14-point game (68-54) with under two minutes left in the quarter.

Lutchka tallied the game's next five points on a lay-up and a triple to cut the margin to nine (68-59), before GLIAC Player of the Year Kadyn Blanchard drained a three pointer just before the game clock hit 0:00.

Fourth Quarter
Wayne State had a 12-9 scoring edge in the first 3:30 of the fourth period to trail by nine (80-71) following a lay-up by graduate student Karrington Gordon (Lincoln Park, Mich. [Central Michigan]).  Two more Bulldogs triples sandwiched around a Ferguson bucket made it 86-73.  

Lutchka connected from beyond the arc, but so did FSU's Mia Riley to keep it a 13-point game.  WSU was never able to get closer than the 10-point margin following Lutchka's triple.

TEAM STATS
Wayne State shot 51 percent (33-of-65) from the field, while FSU was 39-of-66 (59 percent).  WSU made 9-of-25 triple tries (36 percent), with the Bulldogs connecting on 20-of37 (54 percent) from beyond the arc.  The Warriors were 11-of-15 (73 percent) at the charity stripe, while Ferris State was just 6-of-12.  Wayne State had a 35-31 edge in rebounding, along with a 40-36 margin in points in the paint.  Despite WSU having 14 turnovers to nine miscues by FSU, the Bulldogs only led 13-9 in points off turnovers.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Lutchka notched her fifth double-double of the campaign with 24 points and a game-high 10 rebounds on 10-of-18 shooting (4-of-11 from three-point range).  Tubergen contributed a career-high 19 points along with six rebounds.  Thompson chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Ferguson added 16 points, a team-high four assists and two steals.

LEADING THE BULLDOGS
Three FSU players scored at least 20 points as Blanchard and Mia Riley tied for game-high scoring honors with 25 points apiece.  Schierbeek, who drained 6-of-10 triple tries, totaled 20 points.  Riley had team-high totals of eight rebounds and six assists, while playing all 40 minutes.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will learn its post-season fate at 10:30 PM on Sunday during the NCAA Selection Show.  The Warriors are almost guaranteed a tournament spot after being ranked fourth in the region last week, and no conference upsets in the Midwest Region league tournaments this weekend.
 
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