Women's Basketball 11/15/2018 12:36:00 PM Lauren Bryne, Sports Information Graduate Intern

Women's Basketball Travels to Tiffin on Saturday

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (0-2 overall) looks to tally a win against Tiffin (2-1 overall) in its first road contest this Saturday, Nov. 17.

STORYLINES
Wayne State will travel to Tiffin, Ohio, on Saturday for its first away game of the season. After two losses in their season-opening GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge last weekend, the Warriors look for a road winagainst the Dragons.

THE SERIES
WSU leads 12-9 in the all-time series against Tiffin, which began in 1995. Since the beginning of Carrie Lohr's career as Wayne State's head coach, the Warriors have won seven of nine contests vs. the Dragons. WSU had its five-game winning streak against the Dragons snapped in 2016. However, Wayne State rebounded, winning the last two contests.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Tiffin ended the 2017-18 season with a 9-19 overall record. Part of the GLIAC last year, TU had a conference record of 5-15, losing five of the final eight games. The Dragons are competing in their first season as a member of the G-MAC this year. Returning for Tiffin are top-scoring senior guards Ali Schirmer (317 points) and Allie Miller (200 points). Junior center Madison Jackson is also returning after leading the squad with 104 rebounds last season.

Tiffin kicked off the 2018-19 season competing in the Purdue Northwest Tournament. On Friday, Nov. 9, TU fell 77-65 to Illinois-Springfield. The next day, Nov. 10, the Dragons notched a 76-74 win over McKendree. Tiffin traveled to Urbana University on Wednesday and edged the Blue Knights, 77-75. Leading TU in the first three contests were sophomore Annie Santucci (16.7 PPG) and freshman Aarion Nichols (15.7 PPG). Nichols also holds the top spot in rebounds per game, averaging 7.7.

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State concluded the GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge last weekend with a contest against Lake Erie College, falling 68-57. The Storm led in the last three periods, the Warriors having a three-point lead of 19-16 after the first. Freshman Alexis Miller and junior Alex Matus tied for the team-high points, tallying nine each. Seniors Ja'Nae Williams and Paige Villemure scored eight points each, while Williams grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds along with a team-high six assists.

NEW FACES
The 2018-19 campaign will feature four new faces on this season's 16-player roster. Freshmen Sam Cherney (6-3 forward), Grace George (6-0 forward), Alexis Miller (5-7 guard), and Kate Sherwood (5-8 guard) have joined the Warriors this year. Additionally, redshirt senior Daejia Hill will enter the lineup once again after rejoining the squad last January.

MAKING STRIDES
Following the 2017-18 season record of 19-8, Wayne State was tied-for-eighth in the 2018 Most Improved Teams, along with Union (TN). WSU enhanced its record by 11.5 games, after an 8-20 record during the 2016-17 season.

PRE-SEASON ACCOLADES
Junior guard Nastassja Chambers was named to the Preseason All-GLIAC South Division Team. It is the first time she has received this honor.

Chambers entered the 2018-19 season ranked 35th in career points (737) in just 55 games, and 11th with a 13.4 scoring average (min. 30 GP). She is also fourth in free throw percentage (.803 / min. 125 attempts), 10th in field goal percentage (.487 / min. 260 attempts), 12th in minutes played per game (30.0 / min. 30 GP), 25th in free throws made (163), 38th in field goals made (276), tied-for-40th in blocked shots (20), 41st in steals (95), 46th in games started (50), 49th in three-point field goals made (22), and 51st in minutes played (1,652).

MOVING UP IN THE POLLS
After being tabbed-for-fourth in the South Division of the 2017-18 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll (then finished fourth overall), WSU was selected to finish third in the South Division in this year's Coaches' Poll with 39 points. The Warriors recorded a league mark of 14-6 last year.

FROM WNBA TO COACHING
Plenette Pierson was named an assistant coach at WSU this past August, following a 15-year WNBA career. Pierson won three WNBA Championships while playing for the Phoenix Mercury (2003-05), Detroit Shock/Tulsa Shock (2006-10), New York Liberty (2010-14), Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings (2015-16) and the Minnesota Lynx (2017).

She was selected as the inaugural Sixth Woman of the Year in 2007 and a WNBA West All-Star in 2015. Pierson ranks 29th all-time in career points (4,258), 24th in rebounds (1,834), 24th in blocks (242), and 15th in field goal percentage (.439).

Pierson also played in 49 career playoff games. She ranks 27th all-time in playoff rebounds (208) and 19th in playoff blocks (31).

WARRIOR COACHES
Assistant coach Karen Lafata has been by head coach Carrie Lohr's side since about day one of Lohr's tenure. In Lafata's second year (2012-13), she helped guide WSU to the second-most wins in a season (22) as well as the first two NCAA Tournament wins in program history. The next year, Wayne State won the GLIAC regular-season title with a 17-5 record and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. In 2014-15, Lafata assisted the Warriors in tying the school record for wins in a season (23), claiming the GLIAC South Division title with a school record of 18 league victories, and advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. WSU qualified three straight seasons (2013-14-15) for the NCAA Tournament posting a 5-3 mark.

Graduate assistant coach Juanita Cochran is returning for her second season at WSU. Prior to the start of her coaching career, Cochran played for the University of New Orleans (2009-10), the Stony Brook Seawolves (2010-11), and Wayne State (2011-13). She started 51 games for the Warriors and ranks 46th in scoring, despite playing only two seasons for the Green and Gold. In 2013, Cochran helped WSU reach the NCAA Midwest Regional final (Sweet Sixteen), where she scored 15 points and grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds in the loss at Ashland.

TOUGH COMPETITION
Two GLIAC teams were ranked in the top 25 of the WBCA D2 Preseason Coaches Poll. Ashland was ranked No. 2 behind Central Missouri, after a 34-1 record in the 2017-18 season. Grand Valley State was ranked 13th following a 26-7 campaign.

COMCAST/XFINITY
Beginning in 2019, Wayne State's home women's basketball games will be aired live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN 900. Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will call the action.

SEASON PREVIEW
The 2018-19 women's basketball team looks to continue its rise in the GLIAC standings after a 14-6 league record a year ago. This season's experienced squad consists of nine players who are either in their third or fourth year of their college career.

Leading the returnees will be junior guard Nastassja Chambers, who started 26 games last season and contributed 379 points (14.0 points per game).

Senior guard Ja'Nae Williams will also be a leader for the Warriors after starting 23 games last year. She led the team in rebounds (187) and was second in both assists (69) and steals (43).

Veteran leadership will additionally come from seniors India Hawkins, Paige Villemure and Jessica Murphy. Hawkins played in 23 games last season making two starts. Villemure participated in 20 games, while Murphy started 14 times and made 23 triples.

Junior twins Alex and Lyndsey Matus also return, along with classmate Sadia Johnson, redshirt sophomore Chavon Tiggs, and sophomores Anna Ruhstorfer and Tori Perez.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#3 Nastassja Chambers: G; 5' 9"; Junior

#32 Grace George: F; 6' 0"; Freshman

#20 India Hawkins: G; 5' 5"; Senior

#2 Daejia Hill: G; 5' 6"; Redshirt Senior

#14 Sadia Johnson: G; 5' 7"; Junior

#11 Alex Matus: G; 5' 7"; Junior

#12 Lyndsey Matus: G; 5' 6"; Junior

#10 Alexis Miller: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

#33 Jessica Murphy: G/F; 6' 1"; Senior

#44 Tori Perez: F; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#35 Anna Ruhstorfer: G; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#21 Kate Sherwood: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#3 Nastassja Chambers
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G

#32 Grace George
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: F

#20 India Hawkins
: 5' 5"; Senior
: G

#2 Daejia Hill
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Senior
: G

#14 Sadia Johnson
: 5' 7"; Junior
: G

#11 Alex Matus
: 5' 7"; Junior
: G

#12 Lyndsey Matus
: 5' 6"; Junior
: G

#10 Alexis Miller
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G

#33 Jessica Murphy
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G/F

#44 Tori Perez
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: F

#35 Anna Ruhstorfer
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: G

#21 Kate Sherwood
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G