DETROIT -- In the final game of the regular season, the Wayne State University women's basketball program (15-12 overall, 9-10 GLIAC) will host No. 2 Ashland (27-0 overall, 19-0 GLIAC) on Thursday night.  Prior to the start of the game, seniors Nastassja Chambers, Alex Matus, Lyndsey Matus and Sadia Johnson will be honored as WSU celebrates Senior Night.

STORYLINES
Wayne State secured a spot in the league playoffs with a win at Saginaw Valley State last Saturday and are currently in sixth place in the GLIAC standings.  The Warriors will host second-ranked Ashland on Thursday night with a GLIAC quarterfinal contest looming on Tuesday.  WSU is 10-2 at home this season, which is the third-best mark in the league.

THE SERIES
The Warriors trail 15-41 in the all-time series against AU, which began in 1983.  WSU lost earlier this season (79-54) at Ashland when the Eagles were ranked fourth in Division II.  In the last eight meetings, the Eagles have been nationally ranked in the top seven for every contest.  AU has won 10 straight since an 87-78 Warrior victory in Ohio on December 18, 2013.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
The second-ranked Ashland squad has won all 27 games this season, including 19 GLIAC matchups.  Head coach Kari Pickens is in her second season leading the AU program.  Senior Jodi Johnson is the team's leading scorer (17.0 PPG), but five other Eagles are also averaging in double figures.  That group includes senior Sara Loomis (16.8 PPG), sophomore Hallie Heidemann (11.7 PPG), junior Karlee Pireu (11.0 PPG), senior Renee Stimpert (10.8) and freshman Annie Roshak (10.6 PPG).  Loomis leads the roster at 8.5 rebounds per game, while Stimpert leads the league in assists per game (7.9 APG).  As a team, Ashland is averaging 90 points per game, while allowing 61.3 points per night.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
The Warriors led 29-22 at Northwood on Feb. 20th but a 24-point third quarter gave the Timberwolves a 46-38 lead with one period left to play.   Wayne State was unable to get closer than four during the final period as NU won 58-49.  Nastassja Chambers scored a game-high 19 points and dished out a team-best three assists.  After blocking a game-high four shots, Sam Cherney tied WSU's single-season record for blocks.  She also contributed three steals and a game-best 14 rebounds.

Wayne State led by as many as 14 on Saturday at Saginaw Valley State and led for 84 percent of the contest.  The Cardinals pulled within four late in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors completed the season sweep of SVSU with a 68-62 victory.  Sadia Johnson had a career-high 33 points, which included 5-of-8 from three-point range, and 12-of-14 from the foul line.  Tori Perez and Nastassja Chambers chipped in with 10 points apiece, while Sam Cherney grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

GLIAC RANKINGS
Sophomore Grace George is second in the league in both rebounding categories at 9.1 boards per game and 247 total rebounds.  Classmate Sam Cherney is third in the GLIAC in both blocks per game (2.0 BPG) and rebounds (8.8 RPG).  Senior Sadia Johnson is seventh in the conference with an .840 free throw percentage (79-of-94).

Wayne State leads the conference with 41.6 rebounds per game, while ranking second in blocks per game (4.9), fourth in field-goal percentage defense (.391) and fifth in free throw percentage (.743).

DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Three players recorded their first career double-doubles this season, including sophomores Sam Cherney and Grace George, and junior Tori Perez.

George has tallied 10 double-doubles this season.  Her first nine were vs. Tiffin (11/26) with 11 points and 11 rebounds, at Ferris State (12/5) with 18 points and 12 boards, at Fairmont State (12/18) with 13 points and a career-best 18 rebounds, vs. Cedarville with 22 points and 16 boards, at Michigan Tech (1/2) with 13 points and 14 rebounds, against Davenport (1/9) with 15 points and 11 boards, at Parkside (1/16) with 20 points and 18 rebounds, at Purdue Northwest (1/18) with 14 points and 11 boards, and at DU (2/8) with 15 points and 10 rebounds.  Her most recent double-double was vs. PNW (2/13) with 10 points and a game-best 15 boards.

Cherney has four double-doubles.  She notched her first three against Central State (11/13) with 10 points and 11 rebounds; vs. Saginaw Valley State (1/23) with 11 boards and 10 points; and versus Northwood (1/25) with 12 rebounds and a season-best 13 points.  Her most recent double-double was in the win vs. Parkside (2/15) with 13 points and a game-best 10 rebounds.

Perez recorded her lone double-double versus Tiffin (11/26) with a career-high 12 points and 10 boards.

BUILDING BLOCKS TO SEASON HIGHS
On January 18, 2020, Wayne State had a season-high 10 blocks at Purdue Northwest.  WSU's previous season best was eight blocks at Michigan Tech on January 2, 2020.

The 2019-20 team is currently first in single-season history with 4.9 blocked shots per contest.  The current Warriors lead the 2012-13 squad that averaged 4.3 blocks per game.  This season, Wayne State has tallied 133 blocks, which is second in a single season at WSU.  The number one spot is occupied by the 2012-13 squad with 134 blocks.

REACHING MILESTONES
Many Warriors are moving up in both the WSU single-season and career rankings.

In single-season records, sophomore Grace George has grabbed 247 rebounds this year which is 16th.  Classmate Sam Cherney leads the squad in blocks with a school record 53, which eclipsed the previous mark of 50 set by Trena Sanders in 1989-90.  Cherney is also currently first in blocked shots per game (2.0) for a single season.  Trena Sanders (1989-90) has the current record at 1.9 blocked shots per game.  

As for WSU career records, in less than two seasons Cherney has already broken the WSU career mark with 83 blocked shots.  Jessica King (2000-03) had the previous school record with 82 blocks in three seasons for the Green and Gold.

Senior Alex Matus needs three three-pointers made to move into seventh place.  Classmate Nastassja Chambers has moved into second in career scoring (1,357 points), third in minutes played (3,185), and will tie-for-fifth in games played with her next appearance.

BEYOND THE ARC
Senior co-captain Alex Matus became the 13th player in Wayne State history with 100 made three-pointers vs. Wright State-Lake on Nov. 21, 2019.  Matus is currently tied-for-ninth in three-point field goals made (132) and 15th in three-point field goal percentage (.328 / 132-of-403 - min. 55 made).

By draining nine triples vs. Lake Superior State on Jan. 30, 2020, Matus tied the school record for three-point field goals made in a game.  The only other time that a Warrior women's basketball player recorded nine long-distance baskets during a game was by Brooke Bowers in January 2008 vs. Mercyhurst.  Matus' 32 points was a career high, with her previous career best at 18 points.  The last WSU player to score at least 32 points in a game was Shareta Brown in January 2015 versus Grand Valley State.

NATIONAL STATUS
In the Division II NCAA rankings, Wayne State is 13th in blocked shots (122), 16th at 4.9 blocks per game, 32nd in free throws made (367), 38th in rebounds (1043), and 46th in defensive rebounds per game (28.7 RPG).

Sophomores Grace George and Sam Cherney appear in the top 45 multiple times.  George is ranked 27th nationally in rebounds (240), 39th in boards per game (9.6 RPG), and 41st in defensive rebounds per contest (6.6 RPG).  Cherney is 32nd in the nation in blocked shots (46) and 45th with 1.8 blocks per contest.

NEW BASKETBALL ARENA 
In May of 2019, it was announced that WSU Athletics and the Detroit Pistons would be partnering to construct a $25 million basketball arena on the west side of the athletic campus.

The approved plan includes construction of a 70,000 square-foot arena near the intersection of Warren and Trumbull avenues with seating capacity for approximately 3,000 fans, office space and locker room areas for both WSU's men's and women's basketball teams, a concessions area and other ancillary spaces.  The arena will be ready for play in the 2021-2022 basketball season.

The Pistons G-League team will also call the new facility home.

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 home contests during the 2019-20 season will be available on All-Access.  Monthly passes are available for $9.95, and year-long access is offered for $69.95.