Lourdes built a 15-point halftime lead on Saturday afternoon but Aquinas rallied late to defeat the Gray Wolves 74-72 inside the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
 
"We are playing a ton better on the road and I'm proud of the execution in the first half," head coach Tandy Bradford said afterwards.  "We lost focus and defensive discipline in the second half and a top player in the league like (Alona) Blackwell is going to expose that.  Offensively we still need to find a four-quarter rhythm."
 
Eight straight points midway through the opening period allowed Lourdes to jump in front 15-6 early.  The run was part of a 17-4 spurt as the Gray Wolves closed the stanza with a 21-10 lead.  With a 10-point lead and 1:23 to play before halftime, Lourdes closed on an 8-3 run, capped by a Nadeen Jemaa (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) three-pointer at the buzzer as the Gray Wolves took a 41-26 lead into the locker room.
 
Taylor Thomas (Marshallville, Ohio/Chippewa H.S.) drained a triple to open the third, extending the lead to 18 and the Gray Wolves maintained a double figure lead most of the quarter.  Aquinas closed the period on a 10-4 run though to pull within four heading to the final 10 minutes.
 
Lourdes maintained a lead until the 4:13 mark of the fourth when a pair of Saints free throws tied the game at 64.  The Gray Wolves immediately responded, retaking the lead and maintaining an edge until the final minute.  Blackwell then converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 40 seconds to play, giving Aquinas a 71-70 lead.
 
Nakiya Sigman (Lima, Ohio/Lima Senior H.S.) answered immediately, scoring in the lane with 27 seconds remaining, putting Lourdes back in front.  The Saints would respond with three free throws in the final 11 seconds though to cap the comeback.
 
Jemaa led Lourdes with a double-double, scoring 20 points and adding 11 rebounds while Macie Stringfellow (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) also tallied a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.  Sigman and Halle Barnett (Sylvania, Ohio/Southview H.S.) each scored 14 points for the Gray Wolves.
 
Blackwell led Aquinas (4-6, 2-3 WHAC) with 36 points, including 24 in the second half, while Ciara Hardy added 14 points.
 
Lourdes (3-5, 2-3) will close out its road trip on Thursday evening with a non-conference game against Spring Arbor.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. inside the McDonald Athletic Center in Spring Arbor, Mich.