WSU Women's Basketball Game Notes (PDF)
GAME STORYLINES
The GLIAC-leading Warriors have a five-game winning streak heading into Monday's matchup against Lake Superior State. Wayne State, ranked No. 18 in the most recent Top 25 Coaches Poll, has won 15 of its last 16 games. WSU has a one-game lead over Michigan Tech for the best record in the GLIAC at 13-1.
The Warriors are the top scoring team in the conference, averaging 79.2 points per game. Wayne State also leads the GLIAC in field goal percentage (47.9 percent).
SCOUTING LAKE SUPERIOR
The Lakers have lost four of their last five games, most recently losing at Michigan Tech, 65-40, on Saturday. LSSU has played its last four games on the road entering Monday's game against Wayne State.
Junior Stephanie Fisher leads the team at 11.4 points per game, while junior Kandace Crittendon and senior Raven Trammell each average 8.9 points per game for LSSU. Senior Laura Vanes leads the Lakers in rebounding at 7.0 rebounds per contest and blocks with 36.
Fisher is Lake Superior's top three-point shooter this season, sinking 40 triples on the season.
Shannon Eggers is in her second season as head coach at LSSU and was promoted from interim head coach to head coach in April 2013.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. LAKE SUPERIOR
The Warriors have won their last six games against the Lakers, winning both contests in 2012-13 by more than 10 points. WSU is 29-38 in the all-time series against LSSU, which began in 1975. Wayne State is 11-21 on the road against Lake Superior, while coach
Carrie Lohr is 4-0 against LSSU in her WSU coaching career.
IN THE RANKINGS
Wayne State was ranked in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll for the third consecutive week on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Wayne State's No. 18 ranking is the highest ranking for a Warrior women's basketball team in program history. The Warriors are ranked No. 13 in the Massey Ratings, which were released on Feb. 2.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
WSU has won all eight games at home this season and the Warriors are 20-3 in their last two seasons when playing at the Matthaei Center. Wayne State is winning its home contests by an average of 12.0 points per game. Overall the past two seasons, WSU has a 16-game win streak on its home court.
GLIAC/NATIONAL LEADERS
Individually,
Shareta Brown ranks either first or second in the GLIAC in several statistical categories. Besides leading the conference in scoring at 21.2 points per game, Brown also leads the league in steals (2.4 spg), ranks second in rebounding (11.5 rpg) and is second in field goal percentage (63.8 percent).
Imari Redfield is third in the GLIAC in field goal percentage (61.2 percent), while
Jackie Jones is second in assists per game (4.3) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).
PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Shareta Brown earned GLIAC North Division Player of the Week honors on Jan. 13, one week after teammate
Imari Redfield also was the recipient of the weekly conference award. Brown averaged 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and shot 70 percent from the field in helping lead the Warriors to victories at Hillsdale and Findlay.
LAST TIME OUT
The No. 18 Wayne State University women's basketball team (16-2, 13-1 GLIAC) braved the snowy conditions to travel to Grand Valley (9-9, 7-7 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors trailed at the midway point by three points but rallied for 48 second-half points including 23 of those from
Shareta Brown to win 78-76. Brown collected her 10th double-double of the season, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. The win snapped GVSU's five-game home winning streak.
The Lakers led 20-14 at the at the 9:46 mark of the first half but a 10-0 run gave WSU a 24-20 lead with just under eight minutes to play before the break. GVSU led 33-30 at halftime powered by nine points from Dani Crandall to lead all scorers. The Lakers out-rebounded the Warriors 20-17 to collect 20 points in the paint during the first 20 minutes.
The Green & Gold started fast during the second half and led 38-35 with 17:26 left to play after a layup from
Ondrea Hughes.
Three straight three-pointers from Taylor Lutz, Jill Steinmetz and Kat LaPrairie gave the Lakers a 48-42 advantage with 15:03 to play. GVSU led until the 12:15 mark when Brown knocked down a triple to tie the game at 50-50.
Destiny Lavita-Stephens connected from behind the arc with 11:08 left to put the Warriors up 54-50. LaPrairie hit another deep ball to put GVSU back on top 55-54 with 9:52 to play.
Kristen Long drained a clutch triple to give WSU some breathing room at 61-55 with 6:57 remaining in the contest. The Warriors' lead reach 10 after two free throws from Brown at the 6:26 mark. GVSU stormed back to tie the game at 74-74 after two free throws from Crandall with 1:51 to play. The game remained tied at 76-76 after two more free throws from Crandall.
The Warriors called a timeout with 13 seconds left after two huge offensive rebounds to draw up a final play. Brown's number was called and she delivered on the block with a turn-around jumper to give WSU a 78-76 lead with eight seconds left on the clock.
GVSU final shot attempt never made it to the rim.
Joining Brown in double-figures were
Imari Redfield with 17 points, Lavita-Stephens with 13 points and
Kayla Bridges with 11 points.
Jackie Jones handed out seven assists. Crandall led five Lakers in double-figures with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
COACH LOHR
Carrie Lohr, who was named the 12th head coach in the history of women's basketball at WSU on May 11, 2011, is in her third season guiding the Warrior program. She was voted the 2012-13 GLIAC Coach of the Year by her peers after leading Wayne State to a share of the GLIAC North Division regular-season title, the first for the WSU women's basketball program since the 1980-81 season. Lohr also guided the Warriors to their first NCAA tournament victory (63-58 over Findlay) as well as the school's inaugural appearance in the NCAA Regional Championship game.
She recorded her 200th collegiate coaching victory on March 16, 2013, with WSU's 70-60 triumph over Wisconsin-Parkside in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. BCAM selected Lohr as the 2012-13 Women's College Coach of the Year.
COMCAST/XFINITY
Six games will be broadcast on Comcast Channel 900 in 2013-14. WSU hosted Tiffin on Dec. 5, and Michigan Tech on Jan. 23 before the Ferris State contest on Jan. 30. There are three televised dates in February with Wayne State hosting Northwood (Feb. 6), Saginaw Valley (Feb. 8) and Grand Valley (Feb. 22). Ryan Ermanni, Rod Beard, Joe Abramson and Kevin Brechmacher will call the action this season. The games will also be replayed the week following the live event.
ON THE CALL
Former Tartar great Shay Lewis will handle play-by-play duties for home games on Warrior All-Access, a live video webcast of every contest from the Matthaei. Lewis scored 991 points for the Green and Gold while starting all 78 games in her three seasons (1995-98) in Detroit. She also totaled 449 rebounds, 191 assists and 139 steals.
WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
The 2013-14 school year is the fourth season of Warrior All-Access at WSUAthletics.com. Not only will all home WSU basketball, football and volleyball games be available for viewing by a world-wide audience on a pay-per-view basis, but also the Warrior Daily ~ a video each weekday, available for free on WSUAthletics.com featuring interviews with WSU coaches, staff and student-athletes.
Fans wanting to watch Wayne State home events via Warrior All-Access will need a high-speed internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 or higher. Games will be sold on an individual basis with special viewing packages also available. Warrior All-Access will also feature On-Demand Audio and Video with the stored archived video and audio on WSUAthletics.com.
