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 Bethany Mesko had 13 points and nine rebounds Saturday. |
Feb. 25, 2006
DETROIT - The Wayne State women's basketball team (10-16, 7-10 GLIAC) secured the final spot in the GLIAC Tournament with a 70-44 win over visiting Hillsdale College (17-10, 10-7 GLIAC) on Senior Day. Seniors Casey Banks (Detroit, Mich.) and Kristen Rogers (Lansing, Mich.) were honored prior to the game. The fourth-seeded Warriors will travel to Ashland University for quarterfinal contest against the South Division's top seed.
Both teams started the game 1-for-6 from the floor, but Hillsdale took a 10-4 lead in the first six minutes. Things went downhill for the Chargers from there as WSU held them scoreless for 6:11.
Down by eight, junior Bethany Mesko (Traverse City, Mich.) scored six of WSU's next 10 points to give the Warriors their first lead of the day at the 7:09 mark. Kristen Rogers then knocked down a three with 5:49 on the clock and a fast-break layup by freshman Chastidy Miller (White Lake, Mich.) from Kristen Rogers was good to complete a 13-0 Wayne State run that put the Warrior ahead by seven.
Mesko then drove the baseline, got the layup to fall and converted the three-point play with just over two minutes left in the first. Guard Brittany White (Chicago, Ill.) then found Mesko wide open for her fifth basket of the half. Another three by Kristen Rogers with 10 seconds left gave WSU a 29-17 halftime lead.
The Warriors continued to pour it on in the second half as a three-pointer by Nicole Rogers (Lansing, Mich.) put WSU up 42-27 at the 14:40 mark. Following a Charger turnover, Kristen Rogers threw a laser pass to Nicole Rogers under the hoop for an easy basket.
Wayne State's lead increased to 25 points as Hillsdale didn't score for over five minutes. The Warriors finished the last 6:30 of the game on a 12-6 run.
Both Mesko and Nicole Rogers were a rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. Kristen Rogers finished with 12 points and tied a career-high with nine assists.
WSU made all 11 of its free throws in the game, led by Miller's 6-for-6 performance.
The Chargers suffered their worst loss of the year thanks to a poor shooting performance, making just 22.4 percent (13-of-58). Wayne State also outscored HC, 20-2, in the paint and out-rebounded the Chargers, 49-31.
