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 Junior Cherita Smith scored a career-high 22 points at MTU. |
Jan. 19, 2006
HOUGHTON, Mich. - Wayne State's women's basketball team (6-9, 3-4 GLIAC) dropped a 69-54 decision at Michigan Tech (11-4, 7-1 GLIAC) Thursday night at the SDC Gymnasium despite leading in points off turnovers (17-8), second-chance points (11-9) and points in the paint (24-18).
Sophomore point guard Brittany White (Chicago, Ill.) hit a three-pointer to tie the game at five in the opening four minutes of the game. After a Tech free throw, sophomore Nicole Rogers (Lansing, Mich.) gave the Warriors their first lead at 7-6 with 15:56 on the clock.
Warrior freshman Gina VanderMarliere (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) threw an assist from her back to Bethany Mesko (Traverse City, Mich.) to bring WSU within one at 24-23.
The contest remained close for much of the first half as neither team led by more than four points for the first 17:15 of the game. But the Huskies outscored Wayne State 11-6 in the final 5:47 to take a 35-29 lead into the locker room at the break.
Michigan Tech's lead grew to 10 points in the second half, but three consecutive Husky turnovers led to a fast-break layup by junior Cherita Smith (Grand Rapids, Mich.).
WSU scored five unanswered points thanks to a Rogers layup and three by Smith, but Tech's Jenna Bartels hit her second three-pointer of the half to increase the Huskies' lead to 61-49 with 4:42 to play. The Warriors wouldn't get within single digits the remainder of the night.
WSU shot just 22.0 percent (9-of-41) in the second half and was 10.5 percent (2-of-19) on three-point attempts for the night. MTU held a 51-37 rebounding margin, but committed 20 turnovers compared to 11 by the Warriors.
Smith finished with a career-high 22 points. She was the only Warrior to reach double digits.
Wayne State remains in the U.P. for a Saturday match-up at Northern Michigan. Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m.
