Women's Basketball | 11/14/2014 9:45:00 AM

DETROIT -- After a three game exhibition season the results will start to count on Friday night as the #17 Wayne State University (0-0) women's basketball team will  host Indianapolis (0-0) at 6 PM inside the Matthaei. The Warriors went 2-1 in their preseason contests but it was their loss that said the most about their quality. Wayne State fell at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 10th by three points in double-overtime.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior Shareta Brown was the program's first ever First Team All-American in 2013-14. She has scored in double figures 90 times in 98 career games. She has scored at least 30 points eight times and at least 20 points 47 times. She also has 47 career double-doubles.

STORYLINES
WSU returns seven letterwinners from last season and the Warriors have their sights set on a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Head coach Carrie Lohr begins her fourth season with the program and holds a 57-31 record. WSU ended UIndy's run last season in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, which was WSU's first-ever win over Indianapolis in four all-time meetings.

IN THE POLLS
The GLIAC released its preseason media poll on Oct. 29th and the Wayne State University women's basketball team was predicted to finish first in the South Division.  Returning All-American Shareta Brown (Pontiac, Mich. / Grand Blanc) was voted to the All-GLIAC South Division First Team in balloting conducted by the league's head coaches.  Junior Destiny Lavita-Stephens (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Goodrich) earned a spot on the South Division Second Team. The Warriors totaled 121 points including nine first-place votes to edge Ashland.

LAST TIME OUT
WSU concluded its three-game exhibition slate with a 98-95 double overtime setback at Eastern Michigan on Monday evening. The Warriors led three times in the early going on but by only two points each time at 2-0, 4-2, and 6-4. The Eagles went on a 14-4 run to open up an eight-point advantage at 18-10 just over six minutes into the contest. Shareta Brown had a monster game with 37 points, 30 rebounds (including 14 on the offensive end), five assists and five blocked shots.  Ondrea Hughes finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds and Destiny Lavita-Stephens contributed 15 points.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Indianapolis has combined for 78 wins over the previous four seasons including a 23-9 record a season ago. The Greyhounds advanced to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament before falling to the Warriors in Springfield, Mo. in the opening round, 63-58. Constantin Popa is in his fourth season as the head coach of UIndy. Popa will look to four returning letterwinners and three returning starters to keep the momentum rolling. UIndy begins with four GLIAC opponents this season as it will play at Grand Valley State on Nov. 22nd before hosting Northwood and Ohio Dominican at the end of the month. On Sunday, the Greyhounds fell in their exhibition at Indiana 88-49. Kelly Walter led UIndy with 26 points.

THE SERIES
Indianapolis leads the all-time series 3-1 with the last meeting going to the Warriors in the NCAA Tournament last season.

OUTLOOK
In head coach Carrie Lohr's second season (2013-13) she saw her Warriors win the GLIAC North title and collect their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory as WSU advanced to its first Sweet Sixteen in program history. Last season, Coach Lohr and the Green & Gold continued its impressive momentum earning a GLIAC Regular Season Championship with a 17-5 record. It was the program's first outright conference title since 1980-81. 

The Warriors topped #29 Indianapolis and #11 Lewis before falling to #6 Drury in the Regional Final contest.

In 2014-15, the Warriors return the core of their roster including the programs first-ever First Team All-American, senior center Shareta Brown. Brown became the first player in program history to record a 600 point season (20.2 PPG) and set WSU single-season records for field goal percentage (62.9), free throws made (165), free throws attempted (220), and rebounds (342).

Also returning after solid campaigns last season are Jackie Jones, Ondrea Hughes, Destiny Lavita-Stephens, Kristen Long and Brittany Streetman. The versatile and experienced group combined to play 151 games and make 90 starts last season.

Transfers Amber McCann (VCU), McKenzie Kudron (Hofstara), and Gabby Machado (Iowa) will look to help WSU take the next step. 

McCann played in 16 games last season for the Rams. Kudron played in seven games in two years with the Pride due to injuries but at 6-3 will aid the Warriors' efforts in the paint. Machado redshirted at WSU in 2011-12. She played in 31 games for the Hawkeyes in 2009-10 and averaged 3.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Coach Lohr and her staff of Karen Lafata and Darrin McAllister added three freshmen in Sara Ruhstorfer (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Flint Powers Catholic), Nina Foster (Lansing, Mich. / Everett) and Shannon Wilson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills). The addition of a Junior Varsity program this season will help the development of underclassman for future rosters.

Ruhstorfer was a 2014 BCAM Class B All-State Special Mention Team honoree and helped her team win the Class B State Title. Foster was named to the 2014 Detroit Free Press Class A Honorable Mention All-State team. Wilson was selected to the 2014 Associated Press Class A All-State team as well as the BCAM Class A All-State First Team.

After three exhibition contests including a game at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 10, the Warriors will host longtime power Indianapolis on Nov. 14 at 6 PM. Coach Lohr's alma mater Michigan-Dearborn visits the Matthaei the following week for a 7 PM clash before the GLIAC schedule begins. Home conference opponents include Lake Superior State, Northwood, Grand Valley State, Ferris State, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, Findlay, Tiffin, Lake Erie, Ashland and Malone.

In addition to its conference schedule, the program will host a Holiday Classic on Dec. 19th and 20th. Four teams will participate in the event as Northwood, Bellarmine and Salem International visit Motown. The Warriors will meet Salem International on Dec. 19 at 7 PM and Bellarmine on Dec. 20 at 4 PM. WSU returns to the GLIAC South Division after a very successful two-year stint in the North.

COMCAST/XFINITY
Beginning on Jan. 17th every men's and women's basketball home game will be broadcast live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN900.  Sean Baligian, Ryan Ermanni, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will bring you the action.

ALL-NEW MATTHAEI
The Matthaei has received a face lift over the course of the past decade. In January of 2014, a new scoreboard and video board were installed which features live action and replays. During the offseason, the Warriors added a new parquet floor and the sub-floor (circa 1965) was replaced. And finally a new basketball office expansion was completed in the fall on the northwest corner of the Matthaei. The new expansion includes six coaches offices, a theater-style film room and a reception area.

NEXT UP
WSU will host Michigan-Dearborn on Nov. 18th inside the Matthaei. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM following the women's junior varsity contest.