Third Quarter Woes Plague Wolverines on the Road
The University of Michigan-Dearborn women’s basketball team put together a spirited fourth-quarter rally, but an explosive third period from unbeaten Lourdes proved too much to overcome in an 85–66 setback Saturday afternoon in Sylvania, Ohio.
SLYVANIA, Ohio -- The University of Michigan-Dearborn women's basketball team battled early but struggled to keep pace with undefeated Lourdes, as the No. 15-ranked Gray Wolves used a dominant third quarter to secure an 85–66 win on Saturday.
Bailey Stimac delivered one of her best performances of the season, scoring a team-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including five makes from beyond the arc. Marissa Thomas added 17 points and Sydney Dixon chipped in five assists as the Wolverines worked to generate offense against a physical Lourdes defense.
Lourdes built a 40–28 lead at halftime, but the turning point came in the third quarter, where the Gray Wolves outscored UM-Dearborn 29–15 behind a barrage of scoring from Kaylona Butler. The Lourdes standout poured in a game-high 32 points while adding five rebounds and three assists.
Despite the deficit, the Wolverines showed resilience in the fourth, posting their highest-scoring frame with 23 points. Tamia Tounsel provided eight points and four rebounds, while Lillian Golson added 10 points as UM-Dearborn closed the game on a strong offensive stretch.
Michigan-Dearborn won the rebounding battle 44–43 and shot a solid 76.9% from the free-throw line, but Lourdes capitalized on turnovers, converting 24 UM-Dearborn giveaways into key points.
