Women's Basketball 3/2/2020 9:24:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Women's Basketball Starts Post-Season Play Tuesday At Ferris State

Warriors are looking for their second win in Big Rapids this season.

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball team will begin 2020 GLIAC Tournament play at Ferris State with a 5:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday, March 3rd. The winner will advance to the league semifinals on Saturday, March 7.

STORYLINES
Wayne State qualified for the GLIAC Tournament for the sixth time in the last eight years, but will be on the road for the second consecutive season. Last year, the eighth-seeded Warriors fell, 73-50, at top-seeded Grand Valley State. The last time, WSU faced Ferris State in the GLIAC quarterfinals was a March 6, 2013, matchup at the Matthaei in which Wayne State prevailed 68-59. The Warriors are looking to make their first GLIAC semifinal appearance since 2014.

WSU is the sixth seed after edging Michigan Tech in the GLIAC points tiebreaker system (67.5-64.5) based on strength of league schedule.

THE SERIES
Wayne State is 34-40 against Ferris State in the all-time series that began in 1976. In the first meeting this season, the Warriors notched a 78-75 victory at FSU in the GLIAC opener, before the Bulldogs won 86-85 in overtime in Detroit on February 1st. WSU is 15-23 in Big Rapids, including victories in the last three contests at Jim Wink Arena.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Ferris State won its final six regular-season contests to secure third place in the GLIAC, along with a GLIAC North Division title with a 15-5 league mark. Kendra Faustin is in her fifth season leading the Bulldogs. Senior Riley Blair is the team's leading scorer (20.9 PPG), while junior Adrienne Anderson (15.1 PPG) and freshman Mallory McCartney (12.0 PPG) also average in double figures. Blair and McCartney both grab 5.6 rebounds per contest to lead FSU. McCartney has a team-high 118 assists and 58 triples, while Anderson has a squad-best 78 steals.

LAST GAME RECAP
In a game that featured eight lead changes in the first 6:25, Wayne State led 11-10 prior to visiting Ashland going on a 10-0 run. After that, the Warriors were only able to get within six (20-14) as the second-ranked Eagles posted a 92-61 win at the Matthaei.
Wayne State shot 34 percent (22-of-65) from the floor, compared to 62 percent (39-of-63) for the Eagles. WSU was 4-of-17 (24 percent) from beyond the arc, with Ashland making 56 percent (9-of-16) of its three-point attempts. The Warriors were 13-of-18 from the charity stripe (72 percent), with AU connecting on 56 percent (5-of-9) of its foul shots. Ashland had a 41-31 edge in rebounding.

Senior Sadia Johnson tallied a game-high 21 points, while classmate Nastassja Chambers contributed 11 points. Sophomore Sam Cherney notched a double-double with 10 points and a game-best 12 rebounds.

Renee Stimpert led six AU players in double figures with 15 points. Sara Loomis and Hallie Heidemann each scored 14 points, with Heidemann recording a team-high eight rebounds.

GLIAC RANKINGS
Sophomore Grace George is second in the league in both rebounding categories at 8.9 boards per game and 250 total rebounds. Classmate Sam Cherney is third in the GLIAC in both blocks per game (2.0 BPG) and rebounds (8.9 RPG). Senior Sadia Johnson is sixth in the conference (min. 60 made) with a .840 free throw percentage (84-of-100).

Wayne State leads the conference with 41.2 rebounds per game, while ranking second in blocks per game (4.9), fourth in field-goal percentage defense (.400) 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 a season-high 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 five double-doubles. She notched her first four against Central State (11/13) with 10 points and 11 rebounds; vs. Saginaw Valley State (1/23) with 11 boards and 10 points; versus Northwood (1/25) with 12 rebounds and a season-best 13 points; and vs. Parkside (2/15) with 13 points and a game-best 10 rebounds. Her most recent double-double was in the regular-season finale against Ashland (2/27) with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Perez recorded her lone double-double versus Tiffin (11/26) with 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.

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 137 blocks, which eclipsed the previous school record of 134 set by the 2012-13 squad.

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 250 rebounds this year which is 15th. Classmate Sam Cherney leads the squad in blocks with a school record 56, 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 86 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 two three-pointers made to move into seventh place. Classmate Nastassja Chambers has moved into second in career scoring (1,368 points), third in minutes played (3,212), and will tie-for-fourth 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-eighth in three-point field goals made (133) and 15th in three-point field goal percentage (.326 / 133-of-408 - min. 60 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 Brittany Streetman on February 1, 2016, at Findlay, when she scored 40 points.

LIVE ON WDTK
Kevin Brechmacher will call Tuesday's contest live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM). Fans can also stream the action online at PatriotDetroit.com.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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