TIFFIN, Ohio – The Wayne State University women's basketball team (4-4 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) had its four-game winning streak end with a 79-76 overtime setback at Tiffin University (3-4 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) Thursday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Warriors started strong scoring nine of the first 11 points for their largest lead of the game (7 / 9-2) as junior Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) had five points.

WSU maintained its advantage until a 5-0 run by the Dragons put the hosts in front 16-14 with just under two minutes remaining in the opening stanza.  Junior Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) drained a triple and sophomore Jessica Murphy (Oxford, Mich.) followed with a long-range shot for her first collegiate points.

TU had a 5-0 spurt to start the second quarter and take a 21-20 lead before a steal and fast-break lay-up by senior Christina Green (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup) regained the lead for Wayne State.  There were eight lead changes in the second period alone and 19 for the contest.

The third quarter featured five ties and three lead changes with WSU holding a five-point margin twice (45-40 and 47-42).  A jumper in the lane by freshman Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep) in the final second of the stanza knotted the game at 59 after 30 minutes.

Four more ties and three additional lead changes highlighted the fourth quarter.  The Warriors snapped a 66-66 draw as Chambers made a pair of foul shots with 3:14 remaining and sophomore Ja'Nae Williams (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) followed with a steal and fast-break lay-up to put WSU ahead four (70-66) with 2:58 left.  Wayne State would score just two more points in regulation, both coming as Wilson hit two foul shots after a technical was called on Tiffin.  Meanwhile, the Dragons earned points on a lay-up by Kristen Massey, a triple by Kiley May and Deidre McKay split a pair at the foul line in the final 10 seconds.

Chambers tallied the first bucket of overtime but Dragon Allie Miller connected from beyond the arc for the first of three lead changes in the extra session.  Williams had an offensive rebound and basket giving the Warriors a one-point advantage (76-75), but Tiffin scored the final four points, all on free throws.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State led for 30:46 compared to 7:36 for Tiffin, with the game being tied for 6:38.

Tiffin shot 55 percent (28-of-51) from the floor, while WSU shot 41 percent (30-of-74).  Both teams attempted 18 three-pointers with TU making seven compared to four for the Warriors.  The Dragons connected on 76 percent (16-of-21) of their free throws with Wayne State shooting 67 percent (12-of-18) from the charity stripe.

WSU had a 38-36 rebounding edge along with a 29-15 margin in points off turnovers.

WSU LEADERS

Chambers had career-best totals of a game-high 22 points and a team-best four assists.  Wilson contributed 19 points off the bench, while Green grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.  Junior Daejia Hill (Muskegon, Mich. / Orchard View) tied with Green for a game-high honors in steals with four.

TU LEADERS

Massey led four Dragons in double figures with 14 points, while Miller had 12 and Ali Schirmer and May each added 11 points.

UP NEXT

Wayne State travels to Ashland, Ohio, for a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday against the second-ranked Eagles.