Women’s Basketball Falls to UMD on Senior Day

DETROIT, Mich. — The Marygrove women’s basketball team (2-27; 0-22 WHAC) played with plenty of emotion and pride and senior day Saturday (Feb. 22), but could not overcome a slow start and a dry spell midway through the second half as they lost to the Wolverines of Michigan-Dearborn (3-25; 2-20 WHAC) by an 83-66 final. The senior day setback puts a cap on the 2013-14 season for the Mustangs and their six seniors: Arielle Edwards (Grand Rapids, Mich./Ottawa Hills), Candice Minus (Flint, Mich./Mott CC), Ciara Moore (Detroit, Mich./Northwestern), Kaitlyn Pusey (Holly, Mich./Holly), Anastasia Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Bluefield State) and Adrienne Weaver (Flint, Mich./Mott CC).

To open the season finale, the Mustangs dug themselves a 15-point hole as they watched the visiting Wolverines shoot out to a 28-13 lead over the first nine minutes of action. The Mustangs, battling another case of cold shooting, played well enough to climb their way back into the contest over the waning minutes of the opening half. A 19-13 spurt, led by Smith and Kierra Jordan (Westland, Mich./John Glenn) with nine points each, brought the Mustangs back to within single digits at the half with the Wolverines leading, 41-32.

Winless in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) since joining in 2012, the Mustangs played off of a great crowd at Detroit’s Northwest Activities Center (NWAC) and eventually got to within two possessions with 9:42 remaining in the game. Down five, 59-54, the Mustangs could not find a way to overcome the Wolverine lead as the visitors ended the game on a 24-9 run to defeat the Green & Gold on the final day of basketball for the season.

The Mustangs were once again hurt by an unlucky day from the floor as the team only managed to shoot 31-percent. The Wolverines countered at a 41-percent clip to get the victory.

Playing in her final game, Edwards had one of her best outings of the season with a team-high 18 points to go along with eight rebounds. Smith, also a senior, ended her collegiate career with 12 points, while Jordan, a freshman, added 11 for the Mustangs. Seniors Moore and Minus chipped in with seven each in the season-ending setback.

The Wolverines were led by Jalissa Williams with a game-high 27 points and 18 rebounds.

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