Women's Basketball 12/24/2018 10:00:00 AM Lauren Bryne, Sports Information Graduate Intern

Women's Hoops to Host Final Contest of 2018 on Dec. 30

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (6-5 overall, 2-2 GLIAC) will host Fairmont State (5-6 overall, 2-4 MEC) in the final contest of 2018 on Sunday, Dec. 30, at 2:00 p.m.

STORYLINES
Wayne State will host Fairmont State University on Sunday, Dec. 30, with tip-off scheduled for 2:00 p.m. The Warriors won their previous contest, 91-50, against Notre Dame College on Dec. 19.

THE SERIES
This will be the fourth meeting between the Warriors and the Fighting Falcons. WSU leads 3-0 in the all-time series, which began in 1985. The last contest between the two schools took place on Nov. 20, 2001, making this the first game against FSU under head coach Carrie Lohr.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Fairmont State, who joined the Mountain East Conference for the 2013-14 season, went 16-14 overall and 10-12 in conference contests a year ago. The Falcons advanced to the MEC Tournament semifinals last March for the third consecutive year, but fell 83-69 to Glenville State. This season, they have started with a 5-6 overall record. In its previous contest on Dec. 17, FSU notched a 69-58 victory over Davis & Elkins, making 11 triples and shooting 45 percent (23-of-51) from the field.

Steve McDonald is in his 19th season as head coach at Fairmont State. McDonald has led the squad to 16 winning seasons, earning his 350th career victory last February. Last season, he coached two All-MEC Second Team honorees, Kelli Jo Harrison and Sierra Kotchman. Kotchman was also named the league's Freshman of the Year.

This year, Kotchman leads the Falcons in points, averaging 16.6 per game with a three-point field goal percentage of .366 (34-of-93). Junior forward Rachel Laskody also averages in double figures with 15.0 ppg, while snagging a team-high 8.9 boards per contest.

LAST TIME OUT
WSU notched a 91-50 victory at home on Dec. 19 against Notre Dame College. This was the first time in history that the women's squads have met. Junior guard Nastassja Chambers led the Warriors, scoring a game-high 16 points along with five rebounds and a season-high three steals. Freshman Grace George also tallied double digits with 12 points. Senior Ja'Nae Williams snagged a game-high eight boards for the Warriors. Wayne State shot 63 percent (12-of-19) from beyond the arc, while totaling 56 points from its bench.

GLIAC RANKINGS
Junior guard Alex Matus is tied-for-first in the league with 29 three-pointers made, with freshman guard Alexis Miller in 14th after making 16 triples. Senior guard Ja'Nae Williams is currently second in the conference, snagging a total of 100 rebounds in the first 11 contests. Freshman forward Sam Cherney is ranked fifth with 95 total boards. Junior guard Nastassja Chambers is tied-for-12th in the GLIAC with Williams at 12.0 points per game.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
Ja'Nae Williams leads the squad in rebounds, grabbing double-digit boards in eight of the 11 games. She has accumulated 100 rebounds (9.1 rpg) this season. In addition, William has three double-doubles: against Findlay (10 points & 12 rebounds), at Tiffin (14 points & 10 rebounds), and vs. Lake Superior State (18 points & 10 rebounds).

CONNECTING FROM LONG DISTANCE
Alex Matus can be found beyond the arc, shooting a triple. Last season, she connected on 37-of-106 three-pointers in 26 games. Matus has drained 29-of-71 triples in the first 11 games this year, for a three-point field goal percentage of .408 (compared to last year's .349).

TOUGH COMPETITION
As of Dec. 18, two GLIAC teams were ranked in the top 11 of the WBCA D2 Coaches Poll. Ashland (9-1) remained in the No. 8 spot after a win against Notre Dame (OH) on Dec. 17. Grand Valley State (9-1) remains ranked No. 11 after notching a victory over Central State (OH) on Dec. 17.

MAKING STRIDES
Following the 2017-18 season record of 19-8, Wayne State was tied-for-eighth among 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.

NEW FACES
The 2018-19 campaign features 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 enters the lineup once again after rejoining the squad last January.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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), Stony Brook (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.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4 Ja'Nae Williams: G; 5' 8"; Senior

#13 Sam Cherney: F; 6' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4 Ja'Nae Williams
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

#13 Sam Cherney
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: F