DETROIT -- The second-seeded Wayne State University women's basketball team (22-5 overall) never led in falling to seventh-seeded Walsh University (20-9 overall) in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament Wednesday evening at the Matthaei.

The visiting Cavaliers made their first nine field goal attempts, including five from three-point range as well as their first two free throw attempts, in garnering a 25-15 lead just 6:15 into the contest.  Walsh's Brooklyn Wooten made two triples in less than a minute in the early going, then WU's leading scorer Kelsey Funderburgh tallied seven consecutive Cavalier points to turn an 11-7 Walsh advantage into an 18-9 lead.

A 7-0 run by the Warriors cut the margin to three (25-22) at the 9:48 mark as seniors Amber McCann (Southfield, Mich. / Southfield-Lathrup) and Shareta Brown (Pontiac, Mich. / Grand Blanc) scored from inside sandwiched around a three-pointer from classmate Ondrea Hughes (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix).  A couple of minutes later, back-to-back lay-ups by McCann made it a one-point game (30-29) with 7:42 left.

Walsh responded with a 10-2 run to open up a 10-point lead (41-31) on a triple by Audrey Badovick.  The WSU defense shut down the Cavaliers in the final six minutes before intermission allowing just one field goal and two free throws.  Meanwhile, the Warriors recorded 13 points including the last eight before halftime to cut the deficit to one (45-44) at the break.

Wayne State had a 22-12 edge in points in the paint and a 9-2 margin in second-chance points, but Walsh led in points off turnovers 15-7 and fast break points 8-0.  The Cavaliers were 8-of-15 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes and 7-of-14 from two-point range along with a 7-for-7 performance at the charity stripe.  The Warriors shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half on 17-of-34, including a 6-of-14 from three-point range.  Brown had a game-best 14 points at halftime, while Brittni Clopton led Walsh with 12 and Funderburgh had 11.

The Cavaliers started the second half on an 8-4 run to grab a five point lead at 53-48 on a triple by Funderburgh.

WSU was able to knot the game 59 on offensive rebound and put-back by Brown with 10:19 remaining.  Funderburgh drained another three pointer on Walsh's ensuing possession.  The Warriors were able to get within one (62-61) on a fast-break lay-up by junior Brittany Streetman (Warren, Mich. / Lincoln) but the Cavaliers answered with a triple by Whitney Dabbelt just as the shot clock was expiring.  After an offensive rebound and basket by Brown with 8:25 left, neither team was able to score for the next 2:30 until a fast-break jumper by Badovick.  Streetman answered with a triple from the corner but Badovick hit her own shot from beyond the arc.

Brown scored again inside off a feed from junior Kristen Long (Corunna, Mich. / Durand) to cut the Warrior deficit to two (70-68) with 4:48 remaining.  Another two minute drought by both teams preceded an offensive rebound and basket by Hughes to tie the game at 70 with 2:37 left.  Both teams failed to score on their next possessions, but Badovick was able to score an uncontested fast-break lay-up with 1:09 remaining for the Cavaliers final points.  Brown was fouled on WSU's trip down the court and she made the second foul shot to make it 72-71.  Brown grabbed the rebound on Walsh's missed field goal attempt off an inbounds play, but Streetman was unable to get a shot of in the final seconds.

Brown recorded game-high totals of 23 points and 17 rebounds for her 23rd double-double of the season.  She also contributed three assists and three blocked shots.  Streetman added 12 points, while both McCann and Hughes totaled 10 points off the bench.

Funderburgh led four Walsh players in double figures with 20 points.  Badovick tallied 16 points off the bench, while Wooten and Clopton registered 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Both teams made 10 field goals in the final 20 minutes.  It was the second game this season that WSU never led (other was an 80-74 loss at home to Ashland).

WSU finished the game at 44 percent (27-of-61) compared to 44 percent for Walsh (25-of-57).  The Cavaliers made 13 triples in 25 attempts (52 percent), while the Warriors were 9-of-26 (35 percent) from three-point range.  Wayne State made 8-of-11 (73 percent) from the foul line, with WU going 9-for-10.

WSU led in points in the paint (36-18) and second-chance points (17-2), but trailed in points off turnovers (19-7) and fast-break points (12-2).

Wayne State will have to await the Sunday evening (10 p.m.) NCAA Selection Show for its post-season fate.

WARRIOR NOTES:

Brown broke her own school record for points in a season (606) set last year, and is currently at 608.  She also eclipsed the single-season school record for free throws made.

The contest was the 1,100th in program history.

The setback was WSU's first in a home GLIAC quarterfinal contest after posting victories in 2003, 2013 and 2014.

It was the first time in the five series meetings with Walsh that the home team was not victorious.