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DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball program (21-7) will begin action in its second-straight NCAA Tournament on Friday at 1 PM against Indianapolis (23-8) in Springfield, Mo. on the campus of Drury University.
Both teams are coming off defeats in their conference semifinals and are looking to revert back to the level of play shown earlier in the season.
The winner will face either seventh-seeded Missouri-St. Louis (21-7) or two-seed Lewis (22-5) in the second round game on Sunday at 1 PM.
GAME STORYLINES
The Warriors qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second time in as many seasons, earning the No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region. WSU will face third-seeded Indianapolis in a rematch of a Nov. 30 regular-season contest. The Greyhounds won the first meeting in Indianapolis, 102-72. It was just WSU's second regular-season contest of the season and first road game of the year. The contest pits two of the better offensive teams in the nation. WSU averages 77.8 points per game (25th in the nation), while Indianapolis averages 78.4 points per contest (20th in the country). Both teams also rank in the top five in Division II in field goal percentage, with Indy ranking third (47.6 percent) and Wayne State ranking fourth (47.2 percent). The Warriors have met Indianapolis once before in the NCAA Tournament. WSU fell 91-83 to the regional host Greyhounds in a First Round NCAA Tournament game in 2003. NCAA
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The NCAA Tournament appearance is Wayne State's third overall, with the other two coming in 2003 and 2013. The Warriors are 2-2 all-time in the tournament, with both victories coming in last season's drive to the Midwest Regional Finals. Wayne State reached the Sweet 16 in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, falling 72-63 to eventual champion Ashland University. WSU's two victories in the 2013 NCAA Tournament came over Findlay (63-58) and Wisconsin-Parkside (70-60).
REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
Wayne State won its first conference title in 33 years in 2013-14 after having secured the best GLIAC regular season record of 17-5. The last league title for WSU came during the 1980-81 season. The Warriors also earned win No. 500 as a program in their regular-season finale. Wayne State has its first back-to-back 20-win seasons in program history and matched the 2012-13 team for most league wins in a season.
SCOUTING INDIANAPOLIS
The Greyhounds are missing leading-scorer Katy McIntosh (17.4 points per game), who is set to miss the rest of the season with an injury. Behind her, Indianapolis has six players that average 7.0 points per game or better. Kelly Walter and Princess German each score 10.7 points per contest. Eliza Wortman (9.8 ppg) scored 19 points off the bench in Indy's win over Wayne State on Nov. 30. Kirsten Gliesmann leads Indy in rebounding (6.6 rebounds per game), while Wortman is second (5.3 rpg). Indianapolis is effective from long range, making 7.8 three-pointers per game (12th in the nation) and 36.4 percent of its triple shots (24th in the country). The Greyhounds are also eighth in the nation in free-throw percentage (77.3) and 20th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.11). Head coach Constantin Popa has a 61-29 record in his third season at Indianapolis.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. INDIANAPOLIS
The Warriors and Greyhounds have met three times, with Indianapolis taking all three games. All three games were played in Indianapolis in the series. In Wayne State's meeting with Indianapolis this season, the Warriors shot 44.6 percent from the field but fell behind 51-33 at halftime. The 102 points scored by Indy was the most points allowed by WSU this season.
Shareta Brown scored 23 points, while
Imari Redfield and
Destiny Lavita-Stephens each posted 11 points in the loss.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Warriors received 12 votes in the most recent USA Today Sports' Coaches Poll, released on March 4, putting them in a tie for 33rd in the national rankings. WSU had been in the top 25 for six straight weeks earlier this season. Indianapolis received 26 votes in the same poll, giving the Greyhounds the No. 29 ranking.
GLIAC/NATIONAL LEADERS
Wayne State has been at or near the top in field goal percentage all season. The Warriors are fourth in the country in field goal percentage (47.2 percent). WSU is 25th in the country in scoring offense (77.8 points per game). Wayne State is also 18th in Division II in rebounding margin (+6.9). Junior center
Shareta Brown ranks first in the nation in field goal percentage (63.5 percent). Brown won the GLIAC regular-season scoring title, leading the conference with her 20.5 points per game average. She ranks sixth in the nation in double-doubles (17), ninth in rebounds per game (11.5) and 20th in scoring average (currently at 20.2 points per game). Junior guard
Jackie Jones is 10th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.22) and 15th in assists per game (5.1).
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
The Warriors are taking aim at a few team records this season. Wayne State is averaging 77.8 points per game, above the old mark of 77.3 set by the 2002-03 squad. WSU has a better field goal percentage (47.2) to this point than the current team record of 45.3 percent set during the 1994-95 campaign.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU
Shareta Brown became just the seventh player in program history to record 500 points in a season, after scoring 22 points against Grand Valley on Feb. 22. Her 545 points in 2013-14 is third all-time for a season. The record for points scored in a season is 586 by Monice Thomas in 1980-81. Brown also became the second player in program history to record 500 points and 300 rebounds in a season. Thomas was also the first player to do that. In addition, she was just named a Daktronics All-Midwest Region First Team. Brown has also set the WSU single-season record for free throws made (143) and has the top field goal percentage to date in a single season (63.5 percent). Her 311 rebounds this season ranks fourth for a single-season total. Trena Sanders set the WSU single-season rebounds record with 340 in 1989-90. Brown has 1,870 points during her three-year college career (including two seasons at Detroit Mercy).
2012-13 RECAP
The Warriors won a share of the GLIAC North Division title, advanced to the GLIAC tournament semifinals for the second time in school history and secured an NCAA tournament berth for the second time in program history. WSU won its first two ever NCAA tournament contests and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before falling at eventual national champion Ashland, 72-63, in a game which WSU led 61-60 with 4:34 remaining. Last season, the Warriors went 22-9 overall and 17-5 in GLIAC play while winning a share of the GLIAC North Division title. The 22 wins were one shy of the program record achieved in 1980-81 while the 17 conference wins were the most all-time.
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.
WDTK RADIO
Former WSU women's basketball standout Shay Lewis and play-by-play broadcaster Russ McNamara will call of WSU's postseason games on WDTK Radio. The radio broadcast is available at 1400 AM and 92.7 FM in Detroit. Fans may also listen online at wdtkam.com.
PANTHER ALL-ACCESS
Fans of Warrior basketball may also watch all of the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament games at DruryPanthers.com/showcase via a live video feed.
