Women's Basketball | 11/29/2017 9:09:00 AM

DETROIT -- Wayne State will open GLIAC play, while wrapping up a three-game homestand, against Grand Valley State on Thursday before a Saturday afternoon tilt at Purdue Northwest.

The Warriors opened the home portion of the schedule last week with two convincing wins over Wright State Lake (101-46) and Michigan-Dearborn (90-30).

THE SERIES
Wayne State is 26-45 all time against the Lakers dating back to the 1974-75 season.  Grand Valley State has claimed the last three meetings and four of the last five.  WSU is 4-16 since Jan. 2003 against GVSU. 

This is the first meeting between the Warriors and the Pride. 

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Grand Valley State enters Thursday's contest with an indentical record as Wayne State (5-1), and an identical lone setback against Southern Indiana.  GVSU fell to the Screaming Eagles on Saturday after leading by as much as 11 near the midway point of the third quarter.  GVSU has three starters averaging double-figures, led by junior guard Natalie Koenig (13.8 PPG) who is shooting 43.3 percent on the season and 43.8 percent on three-point attempts.  Sophomore guard Jenn DeBoer is scoring 12.3 PPG, while adding four RPG and four APG, with junior forward Taylor Parmley adding 10.2 PPG, while shooting 48.8 percent with six rebounds per contest.  The Lakers are leading the GLIAC with 29 defensive rebounds per game, with that effort anchored by Korynn Hincka (8.7 RPG).

Purdue Northwest is searching for its first win after an 80-72 loss against Illinois-Springfield on Saturday.  Three Pride players are averaging double-figures, led by sophomore guard Shae Ronehouse's 15 PPG.  Freshman guard Lanie Allen is adding 14 points per outing, while shooting 51.3 percent from the field (50 percent from three-point range), and junior guard Michaela Kikendall is adding 10 PPG.  Senior forward Ellie Michaelski is second in the GLIAC with 9.5 rebounds per game and also adds 8.5 PPG. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors took a lead just 28 seconds into the contest and never lost it in a 90-30 win over Michigan-Dearborn on Sunday afternoon. 

Fifteen Warriors registered points in the contest, with sophomore Nastassja Chambers contributing 16 to lead all scorers.  Senior Shannon Wilson and junior Paige Villemure each added 11, with Wilson adding four assists and three blocks.

Freshmen Cydney Williams and Tori Perez contributed in the win, as both grabbed five rebounds.  Williams added four steals, while Perez had one takeaway.

HIGH FIVE
Wayne State's 5-1 start is in rare company, as it's just the 11th time in program history the team has won five of its first six contests.  The Warriors most recently did so in 2013-14 (11-1) and 2014-15 (14-1).  It's just the fourth time since 2001-02 that such a feat has been accomplished. 

REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
The Warriors have reached the century mark twice this year, marking the first time since the 2002-03 season that WSU has accomplished this feat.  Prior to the current campaign, Wayne State had scored at least 100 points six times including the 2002-03 season.  The most recent time was a 111-106 double overtime setback at Ohio Dominican (Jan. 16, 2016).  Prior to that loss, WSU had won the five previous games (107-35 vs. Michigan-Dearborn on Nov. 18, 2014; 132-13 vs. Temple Baptist on Dec. 29, 2007; 102-73 vs. Mercyhurst on Feb. 28, 2004; 112-47 vs. Rochester on Jan. 30, 2003; and 102-73 vs. Madonna on Dec. 12, 2002).

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Through the first six games, Wayne State finds itself among some of the nation's best in several statistical categories.  The Warriors have the fourth-best scoring margin in the country (31.2) and sit eighth in scoring offense (86.3 PPG).  The team is also 12th in three-pointers made (9.3 per game) and 16th in field goal percentage (47.0 percent).

WARRIOR WELCOME
Freshmen Chavon Tiggs and Anna Ruhstorfer made their in-game debuts during Sunday's contest.  Tiggs scored three points and added three rebounds and a steal in nine minutes on the floor.   Ruhstorfer contributed four points, three rebounds and a steal in 10 minutes of play. 

HOLD THAT LEAD
Wayne State has led the entire game three different times this season (Oakland City, Wright State Lake, and Michigan-Dearborn).  The Warriors trailed by two against Lake Erie, but took the lead 1:12 into the contest and never fell behind again.

CHARITY STRIPE CHAMBERS
Sophomore Nastassja Chambers has made all of her free throw attempts this season, starting the year 17-for-17.  She's made at least one in five of the first six contests, and is one of only two qualifing players in the GLIAC (60 percent of games played; averaging 2 FTA per game) to have a perfect mark. 

For her career, Chambers is shooting .864 (102-of-118) from the free throw line, which is good enough for first all-time in program history (minimum 75 made).

TRANSFERRING TALENT
Sophomore transfer Sadia Johnson joined the Warriors after spending 2016-17 as a major contributor at Adrian College.  Johnson was the only Bulldog to start all 24 games and led the team in points (16.0 PPG), free throws made (92) and attempted (123), and minutes played (26.2 per game). She was also third in the MIAA in field goal percentage (42.4) and was tied for the team lead with 25 three-pointers.

TOUGH COMPETITION
Two GLIAC teams were ranked in the top 25 of the WBCA D2 Preseason Coaches Poll.  Defending national champion Ashland received 23 of the 24 first-place votes and was ranked No. 1 once again, with Michigan Tech ranked 20th after a 20-8 season in 2016-17. 

GARNERING GLIAC AWARDS
Senior guard Shannon Wilson was named the GLIAC South Division Player of the Week on Nov. 13.  Wilson tallied 35 points in the overtime win over Findlay on Saturday and followed that with a 16-point performance in Sunday's triumph over the host Storm to average 25.5 points on the weekend.  She shot 55 percent (17-of-31) from the field, and 88 percent (14-of-16) from the foul line, while contributing 11 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and one block.

NEW FACES
The 2017-18 campaign features four new faces on this season's 16-player roster.  Freshmen Tori Perez, Anna Ruhstorfer and Cydney Williams will join redshirt freshman transfer Chavon Tiggs on the Warrior roster this season.  Additionally, redshirt freshman Amber Stephens will join the lineup after missing all of 2016-17 with a pre-season injury.

DON'T I KNOW YOU?
This season's roster includes two pairings of sisters, as twins Alex and Lyndsey Matus will be joined by Sara Ruhstorfer and her sister Anna.  Freshman Cydney Williams will team up with former high school teammate Nastassja Chambers, as the two won a state championship at Arbor Prep in 2016.

PRE-SEASON ACCOLADES
Senior Shannon Wilson was named to the Preseason All-GLIAC South Division Team before the start of the season.  It's the first time Wilson has received the honor. 

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 12 home contests during the 2017-18 season will be available on All-Access.  Monthly passes are available for $9.95, and year-long access is offered for $69.95.

COMCAST/XFINITY
Every women's basketball home game beginning in 2018 will be aired live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN 900.  Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will call the action.