FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Western Michigan University women's basketball team concluded the 2024 calendar year with an 83-75 loss to Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday. In the loss, graduate student Hannah Spitzley and junior Marina Asensio scored 46 points and supplied nine steals as a unit.  

The Brown and Gold and Mastodons raced off to an electric first quarter scoring on five consecutive offensive possessions.  The Broncos tied a team-best two three-pointers made in the first quarter Saturday en route to scoring 18 points in the frame. A three-pointer by Asensio propelled WMU to their first lead of the game at 11-10 with 6:18 remaining in the first. After the Mastodons completed a 12-5 scoring run over the next four minutes, Spitzley and Lauren Audino closed the quarter scoring a combined seven points to lead the Brown and Gold into the second frame.  

Entering the second quarter, WMU faced a 27-18 deficit. During the second frame, Audino, Spitzley, and Asensio scored field goals for the women's basketball team. The Brown and Gold would score 10 points in the quarter. At the half, WMU trailed the Mastodons 46-28. 

After the break, the women's basketball team poured on 19 points in the third quarter behind a 54.55% shooting display from the field. Facing a 19-point deficit with seven minutes in the quarter, the Broncos underwent a 7-0 run: After a jumper by Alli Carlson and a layup from Spitzley, Asensio was fouled while shooting a three-pointer. Asensio would make all three of her attempts to bring the Broncos within 12 with 5:49 remaining in the quarter. Neither team would gain substantial distance from each other over the remainder of the third. Entering the fourth, WMU faced a  61-47 deficit.

In the final frame, The Brown and Gold rallied by scoring a game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter. For nearly the entirety of the fourth, Purdue Fort Wayne managed to retain their lead over WMU by at least 10 points, and with 2:34 remaining, Purdue Fort Wayne built a 75-61 lead over WMU. Despite the large deficit, WMU caught fire and outscored the Mastodons 15-6 to climb within six points with 21 seconds remaining in the contest. Spitzley willed the Brown and Gold back into the game after knocking down two three-pointers in only six seconds.  

Historical Notes

Spitzley's six swipes tied Gabi Saxman (at Kent State 1/28/23, vs. App State 2/10/24) and Kaitlyn Zarycki (vs. Davenport 12/2/23) for the sixth most steals recorded in single-game program history. 

The graduate student from Westphalia, Michigan, improved her career steals total to 153 and counting. Spitzley is now seven steals away from becoming the 13th Bronco to accumulate at least 160 career steals.  Tonight, Spitzley joined WMU alums Saxman (three times), Denise Kirby (three times), Tiera DeLaHoussaye (three times) , and Maria Jilian (twice) as the only Broncos to capture six or more steals on separate occasions. Spitzley previously recorded a career high seven steals versus University of Akron on February 4, 2023.

Additionally, with her two treys, Spitzley increased her career three-point total to 94 and counting. Spitzley needs six more three-pointers to become the 18th Bronco to surpass the century mark from distance. 

Today, graduate student Megan Wagner improved her career assist total to 236 and counting. After tallying four more assists, Wagner will become the 16th Bronco to accumulate 240 career assists. 

Up Next

The Brown and Gold will travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan to face cross state rival Eastern Michigan University on Wednesday, January 1, at 1:00 PM on ESPN+.