Box Score
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Box Score

NCAA Division II Tournament Bracket

ASHLAND, Ohio. (Mar. 16, 2013)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's basketball squad was unable to bottle up Wayne State University over the final three minutes of play as the Warriors tallied the final 12 points of the contest, downing the Rangers 70-60 on Saturday inside Kates Gymnasium in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

The back and forth affair featured 17 lead changes and seven ties before Wayne State (22-8) pulled away in the final minutes.

A Sierra West trey with 3:55 remaining pushed the seventh-seeded Rangers (21-10) in front of the sixth-seeded Warriors, 60-58. Wayne State responded over the final three minutes of play, rolling off 12 consecutive points to secure the victory and advance to the Sweet 16 against host Ashland University.

Talisha Bridges knotted the score at 60 with 2:44 left before reclaiming the lead the ensuing possession with Bridges converting another layup. Phaebre Colbert drained a jumper with 25 ticks left for a four point margin before four straight free throws and an Imari Redfield layup secure the final 10 point margin. UW-Parkside misfired on its final five shots while committing two turnovers over the final three minutes of action.

The Rangers owned a 36-34 advantage at the halftime break despite trailing by as many as eight points. The two teams were deadlocked at 17 before the Warriors utilized a 10-2 spurt to claim a 27-19 lead with 8:02 left in the first half off a layup from Juanita Cochran. UWP responded with 10 of the next 11 points, reclaiming the lead with a Tara Knapstein three before building a four points edge with 2:26 left off a Jalessa Trussell jumper.

Neither team led by more than four points in the second half until the Warriors pulled away in the final minutes of play.

Knapstein paced the Rangers with 15 points, draining four three-pointers on the afternoon while bringing down six rebounds. Trussell came off the bench and tallied 13 points, hitting six of her 11 shots from the floor and grabbing five rebounds while Sierra West contributed 12 points, five boards and four assists. Danielle Slivka collected five assists and was a menace on defense, collecting four steals.

Cochran carried the Warriors with 15 points and 16 rebounds, including 12 boards on the offensive end. Bridges added 19 points while Redfield contributed 10 points off the bench.

UW-Parkside shot 50 percent (13-for-26) in the opening 20 minutes but hit just 37 percent (10-for-27) in the second half. Wayne State was just the opposite, struggling in the first stanza, hitting only 35.1 percent (13-for-37) before draining 50 percent (13-for-26) from the field in the second 20 minutes of action. Wayne State owned a 38-22 edge in the paint while holding a 39-33 rebounding edge, grabbing 21 offensive boards.

The Rangers have made five appearances in the NCAA Tournament in program history, all coming under the direction of head coach Jenny Knight-Kenesie while advancing past the first round in each of the past three seasons.

Four-year seniors Cheryl Leyns and Kiah Simon close their careers as the winningest pair of Rangers in program history, compiling a 92-31 record with four NCAA Tournament appearances, two trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 and two Great Lakes Valley Conference division crowns.