Women's Basketball | 11/21/2016 1:22:00 PM

STORYLINES
Wayne State will have two home contests this week both against NAIA schools.  The Warriors host Keiser University from W. Palm Beach, Florida, for a 3 p.m. tip on Wednesday, while Michigan-Dearborn visits the Matthaei for 3 p.m. start on Sunday in WSU's final tune-up before GLIAC play begins on Dec. 1.

THE SERIES
Wayne State has never played the Seahawks of Keiser University in any sport.  However, the Warrior men's tennis squad will play a match at KU this March while on spring break.

WSU has a 20-1 all-time regular-season mark against Michigan-Dearborn, including victories in the last 14 meetings since the Wolves lone victory (81-67) on Jan. 6, 1987.  Wayne State is 15-1 in games played at the Matthaei.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Keiser enters Wednesday's contest with a 5-2 overall record plus a 75-67 exhibition win over Lynn (NCAA D2).  The Seahawks are led in scoring by senior guard Kaylee Patton (16.6 ppg), who is the squad's top outside shooter making 35 percent (17-of-49) from beyond the arc and is connecting on 77 percent (37-of-48) of her foul shots.  Senior forward Dominique Winbush is averaging a double-double with 10.9 rebounds per contest to go along with her 10.3 points per game.

Michigan-Dearborn hosts Indiana Tech on Nov. 22 and travels to Indiana-Kokomo on Saturday before coming to WSU on Sunday.  The Wolves are 3-6 overall and led in scoring by junior guard Megan Swick at 9.3 points per game.  Sophomore forward Emily Heinrich is the top rebounder for UMD at 6.4 boards per contest, while adding 9.2 points per game.  Swick also leads UMD in assists (27), steals (15) and three-pointers made (15).

LAST WEEK RECAP
Wayne State dropped its home opener, 67-55, to the visiting Screaming Eagles of the University of Southern Indiana (2-0 overall) on Nov. 17 at the Matthaei.

USI scored the first eight points of the contest as four different players accounted for two points each.  After being held scoreless for the first 3:25, the Warriors went a 13-0 run as the Screaming Eagles went pointless for over six minutes.  A lay-up by USI's Kaydie Grooms in the final 15 seconds of the opening stanza tied the contest at 13-13.  India Hawkins led WSU with four points in the first quarter.

The game was tied twice in the first 4:40 of the second period before Southern Indiana out-scored Wayne State 15-2 over the final 5:06 before intermission.  The Warriors shot just 23 percent (3-of-13) in the second stanza and were out-scored 20-7 in the period.  USI led 33-20 at halftime.

The Screaming Eagles increased their lead to 14 (34-20) in the first 20 seconds after the break.  Over the next 7:45, WSU responded with a 15-5 run to pull within four points (39-35) on a lay-up by Shannon Wilson.  The Warriors continued to claw their way back into the contest ending the third quarter by scoring five of the period's final eight points to make it a two-point game (42-40) heading into the final stanza.  Wayne State had a 20-9 edge in scoring during the third period.

Christina Green split a pair from the charity stripe on the opening possession of the fourth quarter, before a 7-0 spurt by Southern Indiana put the guests ahead by eight (49-41) with 7:45 left.  Wilson made 1-of-2 from the foul line at the 6:55 mark to get WSU within five (49-44), but the Screaming Eagles answered with an 8-0 run to open a 13-point advantage (57-44).  Wayne State was never closer than 10 the rest of the contest.

Wayne State shot 39 percent (19-of-49) from the floor compared to 31 percent (22-of-71) for USI.  Both teams attempted 15 three-point shots with the Screaming Eagles making three to WSU's two.  The Warriors converted 68 percent (15-of-22) of their foul shots, while Southern Indiana shot 65 percent (20-of-31) from the charity stripe.

Southern Indiana had a 20-rebound advantage (56 to 36) in the game, including 30 offensive rebounds to WSU's 28 defensive boards.

Nastassja Chambers tallied a team-high 14 points with Wilson adding 11 points.  Ajai Meeks grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

Morgan Dahlstrom recorded a double-double for USI with 12 points and a game-best 17 rebounds, while Tanner Macum totaled a game-high 17 points to lead four Screaming Eagles in double figures.  Grooms contributed 13 points, while Hannah Wascher had 12 points and nine rebounds.

IN THE POLLS
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced its women's basketball preseason poll and Wayne State was predicted to finish sixth in the GLIAC North Division with 17 points.  Grand Valley State was selected as the top team in the North Division, while Ashland was named the preseason favorite in the South Division.

WILSON LEADING SCORING PARADE
Junior Shannon Wilson, who was last year's leading scorer for the Warriors, has picked up this year where she left off last season.  She has twice led WSU in scoring this year, notching double figure totals in all three games.  Dating back to last season, Wilson has scored in double figures in six straight contests.  She had made a three-pointer in eight consecutive contests until going 0-for-3 vs. Southern Indiana from beyond the arc.

HAWKINS SCORING FROM LONG RANGE
After scoring in double figures three times a year ago, sophomore India Hawkins recorded double figure scoring totals in each of the first two games and tallied eight points in 18 minutes against the Screaming Eagles.  She made three triples in each of the first two games this season, to set a career-high.

CHAMBERS CONTRIBUTING ALL-AROUND THE COURT
Freshman Nastassja Chambers has totaled 39 points through the first three games shooting at least 50 percent from the field in each contest.  She has also recorded nine steals, eight assists and six rebounds.

GREEN MAKING HER MARK
Senior Christina Green recorded her first career double-double in the season opener with 10 points and 11 rebounds vs. Ursuline, and followed that performance with 10 points and nine rebounds against Bellarmine.  She has at least one blocked shot in each game this year and is shooting 83 percent (5-of-6) from the charity stripe.

COMCAST/XFINITY
Every women's basketball home game beginning in 2017 will be aired live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN 900.  Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will call the action.

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
All  Wayne  State  home  women's  basketball  games  can  be  watched  via  Warrior All-Access for a $5.95 per game fee.  All 14 home contests during the 2016-17 season will be available on All-Access.