SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Lawrence Tech University could not overcome a cold second half and a series of timely Aquinas College 3-pointers, falling 71-57 in a road WHAC matchup Wednesday evening at Aquinas College.

The Blue Devils trailed just 38-34 at halftime after trading baskets through an up-tempo first half, but Aquinas gradually pulled away after the break. Lawrence Tech managed only 23 points over the final two quarters, while the Saints used a key third-quarter surge and a long-range shooting display to create separation. Aquinas outscored Lawrence Tech 17-12 in the third quarter and 16-11 in the fourth to seal the result.

Lawrence Tech hung tough early behind perimeter shooting, including an early 3-pointer from LaChelle Moreland-Jones that helped the Blue Devils keep pace in a 21-19 first quarter. Despite Aquinas taking the lead on a buzzer-beating triple by Rhema Dozier to close the opening frame, Lawrence Tech stayed within one or two possessions for much of the second quarter and trailed by just four after a late free throw from Aquinas standout Isabella Reemsnyder.

The turning point came out of halftime as the Blue Devils' offense cooled and Aquinas capitalized on Lawrence Tech turnovers. The hosts finished with 17 giveaways to 10 for the Saints, allowing Aquinas to get out in transition and find shooters on the perimeter. A third-quarter layup by Reemsnyder pushed the Aquinas lead to 44-41, and Dozier's fast-break 3-pointer late in the quarter opened a 55-46 margin that Lawrence Tech could not recover from.

Lawrence Tech shot 34.5% (20-for-58) from the field and 29.0% (9-for-31) from beyond the arc, numbers that dipped significantly after halftime as the Blue Devils tried to claw back from a growing deficit. The Blue Devils actually edged Aquinas on the glass 31-30, including a 6-3 advantage in offensive rebounds, but those extra opportunities were offset by the turnover differential and Aquinas' efficiency. The Saints shot 44.3% from the floor, went 7-for-19 (36.8%) from deep and converted 10 of 12 free throws.

Abbey Rey provided a strong scoring punch for Lawrence Tech, finishing with a team-high 13 points to go with five rebounds and 4-for-5 shooting at the free-throw line. Lawrence Tech also received contributions from its perimeter group, which combined for nine made 3-pointers, but Aquinas' defense forced difficult looks late in the shot clock over the final two quarters.

Reemsnyder led all scorers with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting for Aquinas, while Dozier added 12 points and three 3-pointers, and Paige Guernsey nearly recorded a double-double with 10 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. Despite the loss, the Blue Devils showed stretches of strong rebounding and perimeter scoring, elements they will look to build on as they move deeper into conference play.