CLEVELAND, OH (WKZO AM/FM) – The season ended for the Western Michigan University women’s basketball team Wednesday afternoon, falling to number one seed Toledo Rockets 72-61 during the quarterfinal round of the 2024 Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Senior guard Hannah Spitzley led the Broncos with a season-high 20 points after shooting 4-7 from three and grabbed a season-best nine rebounds against the Rockets.
During the first quarter of play, the Broncos shot off to a seven-point lead under the first two minutes of action after three consecutive possessions with a three-pointer made. Spitzley would make two three-pointers on the first two offensive possessions, while freshman Nile Muguira Orbe made a three-pointer on the third to push the
WMU lead to 9-2 at the 8:21 mark in the first quarter. The Broncos continued to attack offensively with a layup from Megan Wagner and another three from Spitzley, to propel the Brown and Gold to a 14-5 lead with five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Toledo would use those final five minutes of the quarter to build together an 11-6 scoring run to climb back into the game against WMU. After a buzzer-beating layup from Spitzley, the women’s basketball team would take a 20-16 lead into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, the Brown and Gold continued to tack on points, after shooting a game-best 64.29% from the field in the second. To begin the second frame, Spitzley, graduate student guard Kaitlyn Zarycki, and redshirt sophomore forward De’Ahna Richardson scored seven points on three straight offensive possessions to take a nine-point lead with 7:29 remaining in the half.
Richardson continued her offensive barrage by scoring two three-pointers over WMU’s next three possessions to help the Broncos take a 33-23 advantage with 4:13 remaining in the half. Both teams exchanged buckets over the final four minutes and change in the second quarter with Artemis Kouki and Spitzley scoring the last four points for the Brown and Gold to end the half.
At intermission, WMU took a 42-32 lead into the locker room after shooting an even 50% from the field during the first two quarters.
After the break, Toledo mounted its comeback by holding the Broncos to 25% from the field for a total of eight points in the third quarter. During the third, the Rockets outscored WMU 20-8 and the Broncos saw a 10-point lead turn into a two-point deficit at the conclusion of the quarter.
In the third, Zarycki would score six points, while Spitzley accounted for two points.
With 7:05 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Brown and Gold tied the contest up at 54 all after back-to-back layups from Zarycki and Richardson.
However, over the next five and a half minutes, the Brown and Gold were held scoreless and saw Toledo build a 15-point lead after the Rockets scored 13 straight points.
(reporting from WMU Athletics)
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