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 Chastidy Miller scored a game-high 27 points in the win at NMU. |
Jan. 19, 2008
Marquette, Mich. - The Wayne State University women's basketball team (7-8 overall, 3-5 GLIAC) snapped a six-game conference road losing streak by rallying from a six-point halftime deficit to record a 64-56 victory at Northern Michigan's (7-9 overall, 2-6 GLIAC) Berry Events Center Saturday afternoon.
Both teams offenses started like the weather outside which was zero this morning in Marquette. The contest was scoreless for nearly three minutes until NMU's Allison Carroll hit a triple. Wildcat Steffani Stoeger made another three-pointer on the next trip down for the hosts and Kelsey Deacon hit a jumper giving NMU an 8-0 lead at the 16:12 mark.
The Warriors got on the scoreboard when senior Nicole Rogers (Lansing, Mich./Everett) scored from inside off a feed from junior Joy Nash (Muskegon, Mich.) at the 14:51 mark.
The Wildcats scored 13 of the next 19 points for an 11-point lead at 19-8 just past the midpoint of the first half.
WSU answered by scoring 10 of the next 11 points over a four minute span to cut the deficit to two at 20-18. Junior Chastidy Miller (White Lake, Mich./Waterford Kettering) had back-to-back three point plays, one a conventional and another with a shot from beyond the arc, to start the run, and then finished off her 10 consecutive Warrior points with a jumper and a lay-up.
After an NMU triple by Natalie Larocque made it 23-18, the teams traded points the rest of the half with the Wildcats holding a 27-21 lead at the break.
Wayne State outscored the hosts 13-8 in the first 4:30 to pull within one at 35-34. Junior Monique George (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) scored WSU's first six points of the second half, and Miller followed with the next four before sophomore Brooke Bowers' (Delphos, Ohio/Jefferson) triple concluded the run.
NMU scored seven straight before back-to-back three-pointers by Miller cut the Wildcat lead to two at 42-40.
The Warriors tied the game at 44 as junior Jasmine McCall (Detroit, Mich./CMA) had a steal and George finished the play from inside. McCall then grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast to put WSU ahead for the first time in the game at 46-44 with 9:21 remaining.
The lead changed hands three times and the score was tied twice over the next five minutes before the Warriors took the lead for good at 53-52 on a lay-up by McCall with 4:23 left.
Miller grabbed a defensive rebound, then hit a jumper for a three point advantage. A McCall steal led to a jumper by sophomore Lindsey West (Royal Oak, Mich./Kimball) and a five point lead.
Nash made two foul shots with 54 seconds left to seal the win.
Miller led the Warriors with a team season-best 27 points. She scored 12 points in the first half and 15 in the second half. Carroll led NMU with 24 points. Miller led WSU with nine rebounds, while NMU's Casie Hegbloom had a game-high 10 boards.
WSU returns to the Matthaei to face Gannon at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
