Northwest Wayne News

Wayne State University's women's basketball team secured its first win of the 2025-26 season with an 83-76 victory over the University of Alabama-Huntsville at the D2 CCA Tip-Off Classic in Denton, Texas. The Warriors now hold a 1-1 overall record.

McKenna Ferguson was named to the All-Tournament Team after contributing 23 points, five rebounds, and three steals in a previous game against No. 3 Texas Woman's University, and adding 19 points with four steals in the win over Alabama-Huntsville.

The game began with Alabama-Huntsville scoring first, but Wayne State responded with seven consecutive points. The Warriors led 22-14 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Taylor Thompson extended Wayne State’s lead with a three-point play, helping build a margin as large as 18 points before Alabama-Huntsville closed the half on an 8-2 run. Wayne State led at halftime, 45-33.

Alabama-Huntsville narrowed the gap early in the third quarter by scoring eight straight points. Ferguson then hit back-to-back three-pointers to restore a double-digit lead for Wayne State. Freshman AJ Rickli recorded her first career points for Wayne State during this period. The Warriors ended the third quarter ahead, 62-57.

In the fourth quarter, Thompson scored two free throws to start off before both teams experienced a scoring drought lasting over two minutes. Karrington Gordon broke through with a three-pointer to push Wayne State’s lead to eight points. Although Alabama-Huntsville reduced the deficit to four points twice late in the game, Wayne State maintained its advantage and finished with an 83-76 win.

As a team, Wayne State shot 44 percent from the field and made eight out of fifteen attempts from beyond the arc (53 percent). Alabama-Huntsville shot slightly better overall at 45 percent but managed only seven of twenty-eight from long range (25 percent). The Chargers outrebounded Wayne State by two (38-36), while assists were nearly even (12 for WSU, 11 for UAH). Personal fouls favored Wayne State as Alabama-Huntsville committed nine more than their opponent.

Four Warriors scored in double figures: Thompson led with 21 points followed by Ferguson (19), Gordon (10), and Jaci Tubergen (10). Thompson and Gordon each had four assists; Thompson also collected eight rebounds.

For Alabama-Huntsville, Lili Wilken scored a team-high seventeen points along with seven rebounds. Paris Opelt grabbed nine rebounds and Millie Brown had five assists.

Wayne State will next play Malone University in Canton, Ohio on Friday, November 14 at Osborne Hall.