CALEDONIA, Mich. – The Wayne State University women's basketball team (12-11 overall, 6-9 GLIAC) was upset 74-63 at Davenport University (7-16 overall, 2-13 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon.  The loss dropped the Warriors into a tie-for-seventh.

HOW IT HAPPENED

WSU scored 13 of the game's first 15 points in the first four-plus minutes, which included an 11-0 run after the Panthers had knotted the score at 2-2.  Sophomore Grace George (DeWitt, Mich.) and senior Sadia Johnson (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Central) led the Warriors with five and four points, respectively.

Over the next five minutes, Wayne State went 1-of-4 from the field, 0-for-2 from the foul line and had three turnovers.  DU took advantage and pulled within one (15-14), before a layup by junior Tori Perez (Belleville, Mich.). 

Davenport scored the first eight points of the second quarter to grab a 24-17 lead before another hoop by George at the 5:37 mark.  Johnson then drained a triple to cut the WSU deficit to two (24-22).  

Johnson's second three pointer of the stanza ended a 6-0 spurt by the Panthers, then she added a pair of free throws to make it a three-point contest at 30-27.  A basket by DU in the final minute before intermission gave the hosts a 32-27 lead at halftime.

Following a Davenport jumper, Wayne State responded with seven straight points on baskets by George and senior Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep), along with a triple by senior Alex Matus (Millbury, Ohio / Toledo Central Catholic) to tie the game at 34-34.

DU answered with a 7-1 run before another George layup.  After a layup by freshman Mercedes Wagner (Sherwood, Ohio / Fairview) and a Panther jumper, George connected from beyond the arc to cut the WSU deficit to one at 43-42.

The Warriors pulled within one at 47-46 on a layup by junior Kara Wilson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) but Davenport answered with five consecutive points to lead 52-46 after 30 minutes.

The first six minutes of the final quarter were evenly played with Matus hitting from three-point range to trim the Panther advantage to five (60-55).

Wayne State scored six of the next 10 points to make it a three-point game (64-61) on a layup with 2:19 remaining by sophomore Kate Sherwood (Canton, Mich. / Belleville).

DU tallied the next six points to seal the 74-63 win.

TEAM STATS

Both teams made 25 field goals with WSU shooting 42 percent (25-of-59) compared to the Panthers 39 percent (25-of-65).  Both squads attempted 22 shots from beyond the arc with the Warriors making seven (31 percent), while Davenport made six (27 percent).  The biggest discrepancy came at the foul line where Wayne State was 6-of-10 (60 percent) with DU making 18-of-19 (95 percent).  Davenport had a 39-37 edge in rebounding and had just 11 turnovers, while WSU had 17 miscues.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points, while George contributed 15 points and Chambers chipped in with 11 points.  George notched her ninth double-double of the season by grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds.

LEADING THE PANTHERS

Five Panthers scored in double figures led by Jenna Falkenberg, who had game-high totals of 20 points and 11 rebounds.  Scout Nelson totaled 18 points, including 9-of-10 from the charity stripe, while Toni Grace added 13 points.
  
UP NEXT

Wayne State returns to the Matthaei for a pair of home games this coming week.  WSU hosts Purdue Northwest (5:30 pm on Thursday) and Parkside (1 pm on Saturday).