DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn (7-18, 4-13) women's basketball team played in their home gym for the first time in over two years on Wednesday (Feb. 8) against Aquinas. The Wolverines gave their fans a warm welcome back, taking down the Saints 67-61 at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.  

UM-Dearborn Leaders

Siena Smith led all scorers with 20 points on 5-9 shooting and 3-7 from behind the arc. Smith added five rebounds and a pair of assists with just one turnover. Jordan Banks finished with a double-double bringing down 11 rebounds and scoring 13 points. Banks nailed a deep triple late in the contest to help the Wolverines seal the victory. India Grissom facilitated the offense for the Wolverines, dishing out six assists on the night.

Aquinas Leaders

JaKarri Alven led the Saints with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Mauriya Barnes finished with nine points and four assists. Six Saints finished with seven or more points despite having just one player score in double digits. Alexis Thomas and Emily Cline added eight and seven rebounds to their final line. 

Inside the Game

UM-Dearborn shot 39.3% from the field, but their defense was the catalyst behind the home victory. The Wolverines held Aquinas to just 28.4% shooting from the field and just 3-20 from behind the arc. The Wolverines outrebounded the Saints 49-46 despite giving up seven more offensive rebounds. The Wolverines found themselves down 4-2 in the first three minutes of the contest but regained the lead on their next possession and would not relinquish their lead during the final 37 minutes of the game. 

Up Next

The Wolverines travel to Siena Heights on Friday (Feb. 10) for a makeup contest. Tip-off is set for 5:30.