The Warriors are coming off of a split in last week's contests, leading by as much as 13 against #1-Ashland before falling 101-84.   After four consecutive home games, Wayne State hit the road for a 66-59 win over Tiffin and will wrap up a brief two-game road swing against Grand Valley State on Thursday.  The Green & Gold will return to Matthaei on Sunday for the first-ever home contest against Purdue Northwest. 

THE SERIES
Wayne State is 26-46 all-time against the Lakers, with losses in four consecutive contests.  GVSU defeated WSU, 73-67, in an overtime battle at the Matthaei on Nov. 30.  The Warriors last defeated the Lakers in home contest on Jan. 2, 2015, as the 11th ranked WSU roster defeated #17-GVSU 89-63.

This is the second meeting between the Warriors and Pride.  WSU took the only other match-up, 93-61, on Dec. 2 in Hammond, Ind. 

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Grand Valley State is led offensively by three players averaging double-figures in sophomore Jenn DeBoer (13.4 PPG), and juniors Taylor Parmley (12.2 PPG) and Natalie Koenig (10.5 PPG).  Sophomore Cassidy Boensch is also a factor on offense, averaging 9.1 PPG while shooting 59.4 percent for the GLIAC's second-best mark.  GVSU is third in the conference in total points (1,560) and fifth with a 70.9 PPG average.  The Lakers are more known for their defense, however, limiting teams to a GLIAC-best 55.5 PPG, the 12th best average in the country.  GVSU also leads the GLIAC in opponents' three-point percentage (26.6 percent).  Senior Korynn Hincka averages 7.5 RPG and 1.6 SPG to lead the roster, while Boensch is grabbing 5.8 boards each time out and blocking 1.6 shots per contest.

PNW is paced by sophomore Shae Rhonehouse, who leads the team with 12.2 PPG and 1.5 APG.  Senior Ellie Michalski averages 9.3 PPG and leads the Pride in shooting percentage (.434), three-point percentage (.500), rebounds (9.1 PG), and blocks (1.2 PG).  Purdue Northwest ranks third in the GLIAC with 39.1 rebounds per game while limiting opponents to a fourth-best .313 three-point percentage.  

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State used a 21-point third quarter to push past Tiffin, 66-59, in the final meeting between the two teams as GLIAC counterparts.  The contest was tightly contested throughout, as the Warriors led by just three after one quarter (18-15) and one at the half (31-30).  Tiffin hit three three-pointers in the final period and got within five (64-59) in the final 37 seconds, but the Warriors will able to convert late free throws to hold off the Dragons.

Sophomore Nastassja Chambers led all scorers with 18 points, and sophomore Alex Matus contributed a career-high 16 points.  Junior Ja'Nae Williams (11 points, 10 rebounds) and senior Shannon Wilson (10 points, 10 rebounds) finished with double-doubles.

MATUS MATTERS
Sophomore Alex Matus had quite the week in the two contests against #1-Ashland and Tiffin.  Matus set a career-high with 15 points last Thursday against the Eagles, and then topped that with another career-best effort, scoring 16 points at Tiffin.  Matus' combined 31-point effort nearly equaled the 32 points she scored in 19 appearances during the 2016-17 campaign.  Last season, she connected on eight three-pointers; she equaled that total during last week's offensive outburst.  She also made her second career start on Saturday after debuting in the starting five against Davenport on Jan. 27.

QUITE THE TURNAROUND
Wayne State is one win away from doubling its eight-game win total for the 2016-17 season.  The Warriors have already doubled last season's GLIAC win total of five, and have protected home court this year with an 8-2 mark at the Matthaei.  Last year, the team was 7-7 at home. 

NATIONAL RANKINGS
WSU is once again among the nation's elite in several statistical categories.  The team is 11th in the country in fewest fouls committed (301) and tops in the GLIAC.  The Warriors are 15th in fewest turnovers (269), 22nd in fewest fouls per game (15.1) and 28th in turnovers per game (13.5). 

TOUGH OUTS
The Warriors have the 52nd toughest schedule in the country, with a combined opponent record of 178-150 (.543).  WSU's schedule is the fifth toughest in the GLIAC.  Wayne State has faced five teams that are currently ranked or have been ranked at one point this season (Ashland, Michigan Tech, Southern Indiana, Grand Valley State and Findlay).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TIMES EIGHT
Wayne State tallied its seventh and eighth double-doubles of the season at Tiffin last Saturday thanks to the efforts of junior Ja'Nae Williams (11 points, 10 rebounds) and senior Shannon Wilson (10 points, 10 rebounds).  It's the second time WSU has had two double-doubles in one contest, as Williams (13 points, 10 rebounds) and sophomore Nastassja Chambers (26 points, 13 rebounds) accomplished the feat at Ferris State on Jan. 4.  It was the first career double-double for Chambers.  Williams has five double-doubles and two more this year. Previously, Williams met the criteria on Dec. 2 (15 points, 10 assists) at Purdue Northwest;  in the season opener, she tallied 24 points and 11 rebounds in a win against Findlay.   Wilson has four career double-doubles, including two more this year:  22 points and 11 rebounds against 12th-ranked Michigan Tech on Jan.18, and 17 points and 10 rebounds at Oakland City on Nov. 16. 

GARNERING GLIAC AWARDS
Sophomore guard Nastassja Chambers became the second Warrior this season to earn GLIAC South Division Player of the Week honors after receiving the award on Jan. 8.  Chambers had her first career double-double (26 points, 13 rebounds) at Ferris State, and then had a game-high 17 points against LSSU. She averaged 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game in the two games on Jan. 4 and Jan. 6.  Chambers joins senior guard Shannon Wilson, who was named the GLIAC South Division Player of the Week on Nov. 13.  Wilson tallied 35 points in the overtime win against Findlay on Nov. 11 and followed that with a 16-point performance in the triumph over Lake Erie 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.

WARRIOR ADVANTAGE
Wayne State has had the lead at least once in all 20 contests played this season.  The Warriors led by as much as four in the first half against Southern Indiana, held a two-point advantage in the final nine seconds against GVSU, and led by as many as five in the first period at top-ranked Ashland.  In the rematch against the Eagles, Wayne State led by as many as 13 in the second quarter.  WSU has never trailed against five opponents this season (at Oakland City, vs. Wright State Lake, vs. Michigan-Dearborn, at Purdue Northwest and vs. Lake Superior State), and held leads against Lake Erie, Tiffin, Ferris State, #12-Michigan Tech and Davenport for the entire second half.  

A GRAND EFFORT
Senior Shannon Wilson became the 17th player in program history to reach 1,000 points in the fourth quarter of the Jan. 6 contest against LSSU.  Wilson enters this week's play with 1,126 points.

600 & 50
Sophomore Nastassja Chambers and senior Payton Birchmeier both reached career milestones against Davenport on Jan. 27  Chambers became the 50th Warrior to suprass 600 career points, while Birchmeier moved into the top-10 in blocks after earning her 50th.  Chambers has scored 644 points and is 44th all-time in program history.  Birchmeier now as 54 blocks, putting her eighth.

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 will be aired live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN 900.  Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will call the action.