DEARBORN, Mich. -- The Siena Heights women's basketball team remained perfect in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) play after a 76-69 win over Michigan-Dearborn on the road Saturday afternoon. Peyton Banks (Wadsworth, Ohio) recorded her third consecutive double-double by tallying a team-high 25 points and 12 rebounds.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Siena Heights 76, UM-Dearborn 69
Location: Dearborn, Michigan (UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse)
Records: Siena Heights (15-1, 8-0 WHAC), UM-Dearborn (10-7, 3-4 WHAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Saints responded to a 5-0 run by the Wolverines with eight-straight points in the first quarter. UM-Dearborn retook the lead with an 8-0 run of its own to put the score at 13-8 with 5:47 remaining in the opening period. The Wolverines pushed the lead to eight points, 20-12, with just over 1:50 left in the first. Kelsey Wyman (Blissfield, Mich.) hit a layup in the final minute to cut the Saints deficit to six points.
A good three-point jumper in the first 12 seconds of the second by the Wolverines increased the advantage to nine points, 23-14. Wyman drilled three shots from beyond the arc to cut the UM-Dearborn lead to 25-24 with 6:24 left in the half. Addyson Tomczak (Bay City, Mich.) made both of her free-throw attempts, the first one tied the game and the second provided the Saints with the lead. Wyman hit another three to increase the SHU lead to four points, 29=25, with 4:35 left in the first half. Perimeter shooting helped the Wolverines keep the score close, but Siena Heights would hold a 35-32 lead at the intermission.
A 9-2 run by the Saints to start the third period would show the game's first double-digit lead, 44-34, with 7:15 left in the third stanza. Six points were as close as UM-Dearborn would get before the Saints would pull away, eventually building a 58-42 advantage with 2:43 left in the third.
Siena Heights held a 12-point lead going into the final quarter. That lead would climb to a 16-point edge, 69-53, as the Saints would never look back on the way to the win.
TOP SAINTS
• Banks was 10-19 from the floor and a perfect 5-5 from the free-throw line to lead the team. Seven of her game-high 12 rebounds gave SHU second chances on possessions.
• Wyman finished 6-14 from the floor and 5-10 from beyond the arc for 21 points. She also contributed with six rebounds and two steals.
• Demi Russell (Toledo, Ohio) totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Her 16 points also had her achieve the milestone of 1,000 career points.
• Anaya Powell (Grand Rapids, Mich.) played the role of the playmaker for the Saints as she dished 10 assists. It's the first game of the season with double-digit assists for Powell.
THE OPPOSITION
• Ro'Zhane Wells led the Wolverines with 22 points and nine assists.
• Sade Lemons (20 points) and Cydney Williams (13 points) each had double-digit points for UM-Dearborn. Williams led the team with nine rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Saints return home to host Calumet Saint Joseph (Ind.) in a non-conference game on Monday, January 6. The game is set to tip-off at 7:30 p.m., EST.
