STORYLINES
After splitting the first two GLIAC contests of season, Wayne State will look to make its mark in conference play by traveling to defending national champion and current No. 1 in the WBCA DIvision 2 Coaches Poll Ashland on Thursday.  The Warriors will host their final contest of 2017 on Saturday, bringing in Tiffin. 

THE SERIES
Wayne State is 15-36 all-time against Ashland in a series that began on Nov. 21, 1983.  The Warriors have lost five straight to the Eagles and 10 of the last 11.  WSU is 6-20 all-time while traveling to Ashland, but its last win against AU was on the road (87-78 on Dec. 18, 2013).

The Warriors are 10-9 overall against the Dragons, but have lost two straight.  On Feb. 4, 2016, Tiffin snapped a five-game losing streak to Wayne State and won 79-76 in OT during the only meeting last season.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Ashland enters Thusday's contest on a 45-game winning streak dating back to last season, and winners of 76 of its last 78 contests dating back to the 2015-16 season.  The Eagles are third in the country in scoring (93.1 PPG), third in scoring margin (30.1), fifth in field goal percentage (48.5) and seventh in free throw percentage (82.2).  Ashland has four players averaging double-figures per contest:  senior forward Laina Snyder (21.4 PPG), sophomore guard Jodi Johnson (19.9 PPG), junior guard Maddie Dackin (10.1 PPG) and senior forward Andi Daugherty (10.0 PPG).  Snyder also averages 6.8 RPG and 3.0 SPG while shooting .573, and Johnson adds a .602 percentage from the field with 6.0 RPG and 3.37 APG.  Snyder was this week's GLIAC South Division Player of the Week, while Johnson claimed the award last week.

Tiffin started the 2017-18 campaign at the same site as WSU, representing the other conference team at the GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge at Lake Erie.  The Dragons fell to the host Storm 78-60, before a 95-63 loss to Findlay.  Since then, however, TU is 3-2, coming off a 76-66 win at Lake Superior State on Saturday.  Junior guard Allie Miller leads the team at 15.4 PPG on 50 percent shooting with 6.0 RPG, while junior guard Ali Schimer adds 10.9 PPG.

LAST TIME OUT
After a 73-67 overtime loss to Grand Valley State on Thursday, the Warriors bounced back to defeat Purdue Northwest 93-61 in Hammond, Ind. on Saturday.

Fifteen players saw action against the Pride, with 11 registering points.  Ja'Nae Williams had a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 10 assists along with a career-high six steals. Williams was one of five Warriors to reach double figures, along with Shannon Wilson (16 points), Nastassja Chambers (14 points), Payton Birchmeier (12 points) and Jessica Murphy (11 points).
 
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 eight games, Wayne State finds itself among some of the nation's best in several statistical categories.  The Warriors have the eighth-best scoring margin in the country (26.6), rank 10th in scoring offense (84.8 PPG), 17th in field goal percentage (46.6 percent) and 24th in turnover margin (6.00).

WORTH A GRAND
Sophomore guard Nastassja Chambers eclipsed 1,000 total minutes played early in Thursday's contest with GVSU.  She's just the 80th Warrior to accomplish the feat and is curently tied-for-76th with 1,057 minues played.

Chambers is the fourth current Warrior to eclipse 1,000 minutes played, joining seniors Shannon Wilson (28th - 2,138 minutes), Payton Birchmeier (62nd - 1,432 minutes) and Sara Ruhstorfer (72nd - 1,131 minutes).  Graduate Assistant Coach Juanita Cochran is also a member of the club, as she finished her career at Wayne State with a 68th-best 1,331 minutes played from 2011 to 2013. 

DOUBLE UP
Junior guard Ja'Nae Williams recorded her second double-double of the season Saturday, scoring 15 points while dishing out 10 assists against Purdue Northwest.  Williams started the season with 24 points and 11 rebounds in an overtime win against Findlay.

MODELS OF CONSISTENCY
Several Warriors have tallied stat categories in every single outing.  Senior Shannon Wilson has a triple and an assist in all eight contests, adding at least one steal and one rebound in seven games.  Senior Payton Birchmeier has a rebound in every contest and a steal in seven games.  Junior Ja'Nae Williams has a point in every contest despite coming off the bench four times, and has a rebound in every game.  Sophomore Nastassja Chambers has recorded a free throw and a rebound in all but one competition.  Juniors India Hawkins and Paige Villemure both have at least one rebound in seven contests, while fellow junior Jessica Murphy has connected on a triple in seven games.

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

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.

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 Nov. 11 and followed that with a 16-point performance in the triumph over the host Storm on Nov. 13 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.