Women's Basketball 1/21/2021 8:55:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Women's Basketball Hosts Northwood For Weekend Set

Pair of 3-1 squads to do battle in the Matthaei.

DETROIT -- After beginning the year with four games in six days, Wayne State play its next three games in a five-day span (January 22-23-26). The Warriors host Northwood this weekend. Friday's tip-off at the Matthaei is slated for 6 p.m., while Saturday's series finale starts at 2 p.m. WSU then visits Ashland for a 4 p.m. contest on Tuesday.

THE SERIES
Wayne State leads 32-29 in the all-time series against Northwood. The squads have split the season series each of the last two years. The home team in the series has won the last five match-ups. WSU is 21-10 at home vs. the Timberwolves having won six of the last seven regular-season games at the Matthaei. NU did post a 64-56 triumph in Detroit in a 2018 GLIAC quarterfinal contest preventing the Warriors from winning all three meetings that season.

Wayne State trails 15-42 in the all-time series versus Ashland. The Eagles have won the last 11 meetings overall and the last seven contests in Ashland since an 87-78 Warrior victory on December 18, 2013.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Northwood split at Michigan Tech this past weekend winning 58-56 on January 15, before falling 67-48 the next day to the Huskies. The Timberwolves began the 2020-21 campaign with a pair of home court wins (99-67 and 87-58) over Davenport.

NU is led in scoring by Adele Kemp (13.5PPG) and Makenzie Todd (12.3 PPG). The tandem has combined for 19 triples already this season. Maizie Taylor (6.3 RPG) and Jayla Strickland (5.8 RPG) are the top-two rebounders, while Kenzie Seeley has a team-high 17 assists.

Head coach Jeff Curtis is in his 17th year leading the Northwood women's basketball program. He has led the Timberwolves to a 225-219 overall record.

Ashland began the year with a home sweep of Ferris State (79-55 and 60-45) before falling twice at Grand Valley State (73-68 and 70-67) on January 16-17.

Annie Roshak scored 58 points in the two games at GVSU to earn GLIAC South Division Player of the Week recognition. Karlee Pireu (19.0 PPG) and Hallie Heidemann (11.3 PPG) also average in double figures. Pireau leads the Eagles in rebounding (9.3 RPG), while Heidemann has team-high totals of 13 assists and nine steals.

Head coach Kari Pickens, a former All-American for AU, has compiled a 62-5 record in her third season leading the Eagles.

DAVENPORT SERIES RECAP
Wayne State split its first road series of the season winning 91-57 at Davenport on Friday before losing 60-58 on Saturday.

In game one, WSU was led by Becca Fugate, who tallied a career-high 24 points, which included four triples along with four assists. Grace George contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and two steals. It was her third consecutive 20-point performance. Sam Cherney grabbed a game-best 10 rebounds. Alexis Miller chipped in with 15 points and a game-high five assists.

Wayne State shot 51 percent (33-of-65) from the floor, including 12-of-21 (57 percent) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Davenport was 19-of-67 (28 percent) from the field, including 4-of-16 (25 percent) from beyond the arc. Both teams were stellar at the free throw line. WSU shot 87 percent (13-of-15), with DU making 15 of its 18 attempts (83 percent).

Playing its fourth game in six days, George led the Warriors with 19 points in the series finale. Cherney contributed 13 points, a game-best nine rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Fugate helped with 12 points.

Wayne State made 44 percent (22-of-50) of its field goals and 20 percent (3-of-15) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Davenport shot 33 percent (20-of-60) from the floor and 25 percent (5-of-20) on shots from beyond the arc. DU made 83 percent (15-of-18) of its foul shots, while the Warriors connected on just 50 percent (11-of-22). The Panthers held a 42-32 edge in rebounds.

NCAA STATS RECAP
WSU ranks second in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (29.6), 11th in scoring margin (+18.2), 12th in blocked shots per game (5.0), 14th in both scoring defense (57.5) and defensive rebounds per game (31.2), 22nd in rebounds per game (44.50), 24th in field goal percentage (44.9), 25th in rebounding margin (+7.5), 26 in three-point field goal defense (25.9%), 32nd in scoring offense (75.8), 34th in assists per game (15.5), 36th in assist/turnover ratio (0.97) and 50th in offensive rebounds per game (13.2).

Junior forward Sam Cherney is third in blocked shots per game (3.00), 20th in blocked shots (12), 22nd in field goal percentage (59.0) and 42nd in both defensive rebounds per game (6.8) and rebounds per game (9.5). Junior forward Grace George is 25th in scoring (20.5 PPG) and 44th in field goal percentage (54.2), while junior guard Alexis Miller is 34th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.14).

PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Junior forward Grace George was named to the All-GLIAC South Division Preseason Team.

TABBED FOR FOURTH
Wayne State was voted fourth in the GLIAC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Ashland was selected first in the South Division with 11 first-place votes and 61 points. Grand Valley State earned the other first-place vote and 43 points. Saginaw Valley State (39 points) and Wayne State (28 points) were ahead of Northwood (27 points) and Davenport (18 points).

WARRIOR COACHES
Assistant coach Karen Lafata, who holds three degrees from Wayne State, has been with head coach Carrie Lohr for all nine-plus seasons. Graduate assistant Christina Green joined the coaching staff in the summer of 2019. Green played basketball for the Warriors between 2013 and 2017 scoring in double figures 19 times.

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
Every home basketball game this season will be streamed live for free. Former Warrior 1,000-point scorer Shannon Wilson will call Friday's game, while veteran Detroit sportscaster Joe Abramson will handle Saturday's contest.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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