Defense Lifts Wolverines to Top-25 Win

DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn women's basketball team took over sole possession of second place in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference standings with a tough victory over Siena Heights University Wednesday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.

The No. 23 Wolverines trailed by a narrow margin at the break, but took control in the second half, outscoring the No. 20 Saints by 19 on their way to a 65-50 win. The victory moves UM-Dearborn to 19-4 overall and 11-3 in the WHAC as the team continues to set new program standards.

The Wolverines are in second place in the WHAC behind No. 3 Indiana Tech with six games remaining on the conference slate. The win was the first for UM-Dearborn in a top-25 matchup in program history and gives the Wolverines a season sweep over SHU.

UM-Dearborn is three games back of Indiana Tech and a half game ahead of Aquinas College. SHU drops to 10-4 in the league and a full game behind the Wolverines for second place.

After UM-Dearborn took a 10-9 lead after a defensive first quarter, the Saints scored 16 in the second to build a narrow 25-21 lead at the break. The Wolverines opened the third with a quick 7-2 run to move in front and the teams battled back and forth until an 11-0 run for the home team put UM-Dearborn ahead for good.

UM-Dearborn pressed throughout the fourth, forcing seven Saint turnovers, while Ro'Zhane Wells scored nine of her team-high 15 in the final 10 minutes.

Wells finished 5-of-10 from the field, with four rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Lauryn Carroll made a pair of tough layups in traffic late to bring her total to 12 points. Cydney Williams finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Jeorgia Jones added 10 points and six rebounds.

The Wolverines shot 22-of-66 from the field, 7-of-17 from deep and 14-of-23 at the line, while totaling 16 assists and nine turnovers.

Alyssa Larson was the lone Saint in double figures, scoring 16 off the bench. SHU won the rebounding battle 43-32.

The Wolverines remain home to welcome Lourdes University for a WHAC contest on Hall of Fame Alumni Day at 1 pm Saturday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.