Nov. 10, 2010

Game Notes
Live Stats
Live Video

GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State women's basketball team plays its first five games of the 2010-11 season on the road, starting this weekend against the University of Southern Indiana on Friday and Kentucky Wesleyan College on Sunday.

WSU will be looking for its first victory over both schools.

This will be the 9th time in 11 years the Warriors have started the season on the road, with their only two home games coming last year versus Southern Indiana and in 2000 against Fairmont State.

ON THE BENCH
Gloria Bradley, the longest tenured women's basketball coach in Wayne State University history, begins her 11th season at WSU and her 18th as a head coach. Bradley's record at Wayne State is 116-156, while her career record stands at 230-225. Her 230 wins ranks 47th amongst active coaches in Division II.

Bradley is seeking her first wins over both Southern Indiana and Kentucky Wesleyan.

In his 12th season as Southern Indiana's head coach, Rick Stein has led the Screaming Eagles to a record of 189-131, including guiding them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004 and the eighth time in the program's history in 2009-10.

After serving the past season as assistant coaches, Caleb and Nicole Nieman begin their first season as co-head coaches of Kentucky Wesleyan.

SERIES NOTES
Wayne State suffered a tough loss to start the 2009-10 campaign (11/15/09) when the Screaming Eagles downed the Warriors 69-68 in a back-and-forth game that featured seven lead changes and nine ties.

The previous three games have been decided by a combined nine points; 72-69 in 2007, 80-75 in 2008 and 69-68 in 2009.

This will be the first meeting between Wayne State and Kentucky Wesleyan since the two teams clashed on December 16, 2006. The Panthers came away with a 92-69 win in the contest that saw four Warriors score in double-figures.

WARRIOR YOUTH MOVEMENT
The 2010-11 edition of the Wayne State Warriors features 10 underclassmen (seven sophomores and three freshmen). Chelsea Kouri is the lone senior, while Felicia Thomas and Kiara Smith make up the junior class.

WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
-- After posting a 4-15 start, the Warriors ended 2009-10 on a high note, playing .500 basketball in their final eight games, which included a 56-48 win over GLIAC South Division winner Findlay.

-- Junior Felicia Thomas scored in double-figures seven times last season, averaging 6.9 ppg.

-- Sophomore forward Deanna Crumpton matched Kelly Kowalski (1986-87) with the most starts by a true freshman at 27. Crumpton averaged 7.8 ppg and 4.6 rpg during her freshman campaign.

-- Sophomore forward Amelia Davis led the Warriors in rebounding six times last season.
­
-- Sophomore guard Paige Sickmiller scored in double-figures twice last season and was third on the team in field goal percentage.

-- As a freshman, Chelsea Davis led the team in rebounding (5.2) and was second in scoring (8.4).

-- In her final eight games a year ago, sophomore Tyler Hardy was at the top of her game, accumulating over 53 percent of her points, rebounds, assists and steals.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN INDIANA
The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team is coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004. The Screaming Eagles were 22-9 overall and finished second in the GLVC East at 13-5.

The Screaming Eagles, who went 7-1 against East Division foes a year ago, return five of their top six leading scorers, including Division II Bulletin preseason honorable mention All-American senior guard Ellen Young and All-GLVC senior guard Amie Newhart.

Young averaged 15.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per appearance a year ago, while Newhart chipped in 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per contest last season.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY WESLEYAN
Kentucky Wesleyan prepared for the 2010-11 season traveling to three Division I programs for exhibition bouts against Morehead State, Illinois and Kentucky.

The Panthers return four starters from a squad that went 12-16 overall and 5-13 in the GLVC East a year ago.

Katie Behrens averaged 9.6 ppg and Lauren Goffinet 9.1 ppg last season.

While the Warriors had a day's rest before meeting the Panthers, KWC is playing the second of back-to-back contests.

WAYNE STATE ALUMNI GAME
The Wayne State women's basketball team won its lone exhibition game over the Wayne State Alumni team, 91-68, on Oct. 30 at the Matthaei Center.

Thomas and Hardy both scored a game-high 17 points, while Davis added 11 points.

After jumping out to a 22-7 margin early in the first half, the Warriors went into halftime with a comfortable 48-31 lead. They would continue to pour it on early in the second half, going up by as much as 27.