Wayne State has an overall record of 5-1.

Women's Basketball 12/3/2019 3:45:00 PM Lauren Bryne, Sports Information Graduate Intern

Women's Basketball Hits the Road for GLIAC-Opening Contests

The Warriors will travel to Ferris State on Thursday and Lake Superior State on Saturday.

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad will open GLIAC play at Ferris State (5-1 overall) on Thursday (7:30 p.m.), followed by a 1:00 p.m. contest at Lake Superior State (3-2 overall) on Saturday.

STORYLINES
Wayne State will begin GLIAC play at Ferris State on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. The Warriors will travel to Lake Superior State for its second league matchup on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

THE SERIES
The Warriors trail 33-39 in the all-time series against FSU, which began in 1976. WSU has won seven of the last 12 meetings. The teams split last season, which included a 68-51 Bulldog win in Detroit, followed by a 55-46 victory for the Green and Gold in Big Rapids.

Wayne State trails 36-40 versus Lake Superior State in the all-time series, which started in 1975. The Warriors have won 13 of the previous 15 matchups, including a nine-game winning streak between February of 2010 and December of 2014. WSU won the first contest vs. LSSU last season (73-59), but dropped the second game, 50-46, in Laker territory.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
To start the 2019-20 season, Ferris State split its GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge contests with a win at Lake Erie (85-64), followed by a loss at Walsh (89-74). The Bulldogs have won four consecutive contests since then, earning a 5-1 overall record.

Senior Riley Blair is currently fifth in the GLIAC with a team-best 17.5 PPG. Junior Adrienne Anderson (13.5 PPG), freshman Mallory McCartney (13.2 PPG) and senior Brayene Benner (10.3 PPG) also average in double digits. Benner leads in rebounds (5.8 RPG) and blocks (2.0 BPG), while junior Shaniya Huggins dishes out 4.8 assists per game.

Lake Superior State began its season with an overall mark of 3-2. The Lakers won their most recent contests vs. Tiffin (63-57) and Finlandia (60-52). LSSU will face Ashland on Thursday before hosting the Warriors.

Seniors Lexie Kohn (15.0 PPG) and Claire Radtke (10.4 PPG) lead Lake Superior State in scoring. Kohn holds the top spot in the GLIAC with a 68.2 field goal percentage. Freshman Mattison Rayman leads the squad in rebounding (7.2 RPG), with junior Jenna Gregory leading in assists (4.0 APG).

LAST GAME RECAP
Wayne State extended its winning streak to five games as it notched a 75-63 victory over Tiffin University on Nov. 26th at the Matthaei. Senior Nastassja Chambers recorded a game-best 21 points, including 8-of-8 from the foul line. Both Grace George and Tori Perez earned their first career double-doubles. Sophomore Alexis Miller dished out a career-high nine assists.

Wayne State shot 32 percent (21-of-65) from the floor, while Tiffin shot 33 percent (22-of-65) from the field. The Warriors connected on 29-of-34 (85 percent) free throw attempts, while TU made 9-of-14 (64 percent) from the charity stripe. The Green and Gold held a 52-41 edge in rebounds. The Dragons attempted 26 three pointers making 10 (39 percent), with WSU shooting 24 percent (4-of-17) from beyond the arc.

300 COLLEGIATE VICTORIES
Head coach Carrie Lohr recorded her 300th collegiate victory with the win against Central State on Nov. 13th. Lohr tallied 166 wins in her nine years of coaching at St. Clair County Community College (2002-11), before leading the Warriors to 137 victories since 2011.

Lohr became WSU's all-time winningest coach when last year's squad recorded a 76-67 win at Purdue Northwest on January 10, 2019. Lohr is the only coach with five consecutive double-digit win totals in program history. She was also the fastest to reach the century mark.

NEW FACES
The 2019-20 campaign features four new faces on this season's 14-player roster. Joining the Warriors this year are freshmen Rebecca Fugate (5-7 guard) and Mercedes Wagner (6-1 center), along with transfers Ariel Bethea (5-9 guard from Owens CC) and Kara Wilson (5-8 guard from Illinois-Chicago).

PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Senior guard Nastassja Chambers was named to the All-GLIAC South Division Preseason Team. It is the second time that she has received this honor.

Chambers became the 18th player in school history to reach the 1,000 point plateau with a basket on Feb. 16, 2019. She is currently fifth in free throw percentage (.797 / 244-of-306 - min. 100 made), sixth in free throws made (244), 11th in points (1,133), 13th in both field goals made (428) and in scoring average (12.7 PPG - min. 30 games played), 15th in minutes played (2,600), 16th in blocked shots (41), 17th in field goal percentage (.463 / 428-of-925 - min. 150 made), 18th in minutes per game (29.2 - min. 20 games), tied-for 20th in games started (68), 25th in steals (133), 30th in assists (140), and tied-for-41st in three-pointers made (33). Chambers has scored in double figures 60 times with 12 games of at least 20 points.

TABBED FOR FOURTH
Wayne State was voted fourth in the GLIAC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Grand Valley State was predicted to win the South Division with 11 first-place votes and 61 points, followed by Ashland (1 FPV - 51 points), Northwood (38 points), WSU (30 points), Davenport (20 points) and Saginaw Valley State (16 points).

In the North Division, Michigan Tech earned eight first-place votes and 58 points. Trailing the Huskies were Northern Michigan (4 FPV - 53 points), Ferris State (40 points), Wisconsin-Parkside (32 points), Lake Superior State (19 points) and Purdue Northwest (14 points).

WARRIOR COACHES
Assistant coach Karen Lafata has been by head coach Carrie Lohr's side almost since 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 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.

Assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jaresha Obey joined the Green and Gold in June of 2019. Prior to her time at WSU, Obey racked up nine years of collegiate coaching, including the last four at the University of the District of Columbia. She helped the Firebirds reach the East Coast Conference semifinals in her inaugural season at UDC, and was instrumental in the development of five All-Conference players, including the 2017-18 ECC Rookie of the Year. Obey has also coached at Delaware State (2014-15) and her alma mater, Rochester College (beginning in 2010). She was a three-year starter and a two-year team captain for RC, along with pursing a bachelor's degree in Sport Management. Obey earned a master's degree in Sports Administration from WSU in 2014. A Commissioned Officer in the Air Force Air National Guard, Obey attended the 2017 NCAA Women's Coaches Academy.

Graduate assistant Christina Green joined the coaching staff in the summer of 2019. Green played basketball for the Warriors between 2013 and 2017. She finished her collegiate experience ranked sixth in career field goal percentage (.510 / 173-339, min. 150 made) and tied-for-19th in blocked shots (33). Green also scored in double figures 19 times, 10 of which were during her senior year. Green earned her bachelor's degree in Management from Wayne State in May of 2018 and is currently pursuing a master's in Sports Administration.

TOUGH COMPETITION
Two GLIAC teams were ranked in the top 25 of the WBCA D2 Coaches Poll on Dec. 3rd. Grand Valley State remained third behind Drury and Lubbock Christian, after opening the season with a 6-0 record. Ashland continues to rank sixth (5-0) in this week's poll.

SEASON PREVIEW
The Wayne State University women's basketball squad looks to improve upon its 13-16 overall record from a year ago, and 8-12 mark in the GLIAC which saw the Warriors qualify for the conference tournament.

Four starters return for the Green and Gold, along with six other letterwinners. Head Coach Carrie Lohr enters her ninth season as the school's all-time leader in coaching victories. WSU added four newcomers to the roster, including two transfers and two freshmen.

Seniors Nastassja Chambers (11.6 PPG) and Alex Matus (51 triples) are the top two returning scorers, while sophomore Sam Cherney is top returning defensive player after grabbing 211 rebounds and blocking 30 shots last season. Sophomores Alexis Miller (second on the team with 45 assists) and Grace George (led the team in field goal percentage at .469) return after starting 18 and 17 games, respectively in 2018-19.

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Players Mentioned

#30 Ariel Bethea: G; 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior

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

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

#4 Becca Fugate: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

#32 Grace George: F; 5' 10"; Sophomore

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

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

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

#23 Mercedes Wagner: C; 6' 1"; Freshman

#2 Kara Wilson: G; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#30 Ariel Bethea
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior
: G

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

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

#4 Becca Fugate
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G

#32 Grace George
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: F

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

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

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

#23 Mercedes Wagner
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: C

#2 Kara Wilson
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G