DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball (6-1 overall) defeated Salem International (0-13 overall) 96-43 in game two of the 2014 WSU Holiday Classic. Northwood upended Bellarmine 69-53 in game one of the tournament.
The game was tied twice in the early going including at 4-4 with 18:58 remaining, but the Warriors went on a 12-0 run to open a 16-4 lead. Senior
Shareta Brown (Pontiac, Mich. / Grand Blanc) led WSU with six points in the opening five minutes with classmate
Ondrea Hughes (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix) chipping in with four points.
After a bucket by SIU's Alexus Cooper, sophomore
Christina Green (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup) tallied three consecutive points to push the margin to 12 (19-7) at the 12:43 mark.
A 13-2 spurt by Wayne State over the next 5:30 extended the lead to 23 (32-9) with just over seven minutes remaining before intermission. WSU closed out the opening half on a 16-6 run for a 48-15 lead at halftime.
Brown and senior
Amber McCann (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup) each had eight points for the Warriors in the opening 20 minutes, while Shakinah Haggins led the Tigers with 12 points.
A basket by Brown and a pair of free throws by McCann preceded another hoop by Haggins. After a conventional three-point play by Brown at the 17:25 mark increased the Wayne State lead to 57-17, only once did the WSU advantage go below 40 at 66-27 follow a triple by SIU's Samantha Aikens.
Redshirt freshman
Tori Bellamy (Davison, Mich.), in her first varsity action of the season, totaled a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Brown led five Warriors in double figures with 13 points, while also recording seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. McCann garnered 12 points and seven rebounds, with Green finishing with 11 points. Redshirt sophomore
Gabby Machado (Pontiac, Mich. / Northern) wsa credited with 12 points. Junior
Brittany Streetman (Warren, Mich. / Lincoln) finished the game with six points, five assists and tied-for-team high honors with three steals along with Hughes.
Haggins had a game-high 17 points with Aikens tallying 14 points, including three triples.
The WSU Holiday Classic will conclude on Saturday as Northwood faces Salem International at 2 p.m. with Wayne State battling Bellarmine at 4 p.m.
