DEARBORN, Mich. - The University of Michigan-Dearborn women's basketball team battled all night against highly-ranked Davenport University in the opening game of the 2016-17 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference schedule Wednesday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.

The Wolverines closed to within 10 of the No. 8 Panthers on a layup from Natalie Spala (SO/Livonia, MI) with just over seven minutes to play, but Davenport pulled away late and held on for a 75-54 win. The loss drops UM-Dearborn to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in the WHAC.

Spala had her best game of the season, scoring a game-high 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Spala added two steals and two assists. Kendall Rose (SO/Canton, MI) added 14 points, including three 3-pointers, while grabbing four rebounds. In her first action at home since joining the Wolverines following the volleyball season, Bri Alspaugh (JR/St.Louis MI) came off the bench to score eight points, while pulling down eight rebounds.

The Wolverines shot 22-of-60 from the field, 4-of-12 from deep and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. The Wolverines were outrebounded 42-30, while adding 12 assists and 16 turnovers.

Davenport was led by Courtney Murphy with 13 points, while Molly Babbs added 12 points and nine rebounds. The Panthers shot 25-of-59 from the field, 9-of-28 from behind the 3-point line and 16-of-24 from the line.

The Wolverines continue WHAC action at Lourdes University at 1 p.m. Saturday in Sylvania, Ohio.