Wright State University
9-12, 6-4HL
Detroit
3-18, 0-10HL
Women Defeat Detroit
2/9/2008 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Wright State shot 58 percent overall, 69 percent in the second half, and hit 20 of 26 free throws as the Raiders defeated Detroit 70-59 in Horizon League women's basketball action at the Nutter Center Saturday afternoon.
A 10-2 run, which included a three and layup from Whitney Lewis, put the Raiders up 20-9 with 8:49 to play in the first half. The Titans, though, followed with a 15-2 burst of their own, one that featured a pair of Kealy McNally three-pointers, to take the lead for the first time at 24-22 at the 3:28 mark.
Wright State, however, closed the period by scoring the final 10 points, the final five by Charne Dixon, to take a 32-24 advantage at the half.
Both teams shot the ball well in the opening 20 minutes as WSU was at 50 percent, including four of seven from three-point range, while Detroit hit for 47 percent altogether and was three of four from behind the arc.
Layups by LaShawna Thomas and Shey Peddy extended the Raider lead into double figures in the opening minute of the second half and Wright State gradually build on the margin from there, leading by as much as 54-34 on a Kanisha Ward three at the 9:34 mark.
Detroit closed to within eight at 67-59 in the final minute on a Chanica Hall three and two Sandi Brown foul shots, but the Titans could get no closer as Erica Richardson rounded out the scoring with a three-point play.
Wright State hit 11 of 16 shots, including both three-point attempts, in the final 20 minutes to finish the game at 58 percent and also connected on 14 of 19 from the foul line in the second half and 20 of 26 overall. Detroit, meanwhile, hit just 12 of 33 attempts in the second half for 36 percent to end up at 40 percent overall and was 15 of 22 from the stripe.
The Raiders also led in points in the paint (30-16), points off of turnovers (28-20) and fast-break points (14-4).
Peddy led WSU with 17 points, including 10 of 12 from the foul line, while Lewis added 15 and Thomas 10. Ward had nine off the bench.
Sandi Brown paced all scorers with 20 points for Detroit (3-18, 0-10 Horizon) while Hall had 14 points and seven assists.
Wright State, now 9-12 overall and 6-4 in the Horizon League, hosts two key Horizon League contests next weekend as the Raiders take on Cleveland State on Thursday, February 14, and Youngstown State on Saturday, February 16. The Cleveland State game will be at 5:30 before the Raider men take on Loyola at 8:00 while the Youngstown State contest will be at 1:00.
