Wayne State University Athletics

The Warriors sit at 4-1 overall heading into conference play.

Women's Basketball 12/1/2021 8:56:00 AM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Basketball Opens GLIAC Play Against Davenport and Grand Valley State

The Warriors play Davenport on Dec. 2 and Grand Valley State on Dec. 4.

STORYLINES
After finishing non-conference action with a 4-1 record, Wayne State will open GLIAC play with trips to Davenport and Grand Valley State. The Panthers have yet to win a game this season (0-4), while the Lakers enter the week undefeated (5-0).

The Warriors are coming off of their first loss of the season, which came at sixth-ranked Ashland on Nov. 28. Senior forward Sam Cherney became the program's all-time leading rebounder in that contest. WSU has also seen the return of Grace George over the last two games after she missed the final 14 games last season with an injury. George had seven points and five rebounds in the win over Central State on Nov. 24.

SERIES HISTORY
WSU and Davenport have played eight games all-time, with the Warriors leading the series 5-3. The Green and Gold split a pair of games in Grand Rapids last season. Wayne State won the first match-up, 91-57, while the Panthers took the second contest, 60-58.

Grand Valley State has found success against the Warriors lately having won the last 13 meetings. The overall series favors the Lakers, 55-26. The last time WSU defeated GVSU was on Jan. 2, 2015, as the Green and Gold collected an 89-63 home court victory over the 17th-ranked Lakers.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Davenport is led by a pair of upperclassmen in Ajai Simmons and Loni Sales. Both Sales and Simmons average 12.5 points per game, while combining to add 6.5 rebounds per contest.

Simmons has been particularly strong from the outside, as she is draining 56 percent (9-of-16) of her shots from three-point range. Sales has made 3-of-4 attempts from beyond the arc as well.

Defensively, Scout Nelson has played a pivotal role, as she leads the team in both steals (11) and blocks (two). On the glass, freshman forward Lillee Gustafson leads the way, grabbing 5.5 boards per game.

For the Lakers, Emily Spitzley (12.6 PPG) and Hannah Kulas (11.6 PPG) bring a combined 24.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game to the table. Both are shooting over 45 percent from the field, and Kulas is 7-of-14 from beyond the arc and 15-of-17 from the charity stripe.

Aiding the attack is Rylie Bisballe, who averages 9.8 points. Bisballe is perfect from the line (9-of-9) and three-point range (2-of-2), while draining 53 percent (19-of-36) of her shots from the field.

As a team, the Lakers have played strong defensively, coming away with 44 steals and 15 blocks through five games. GVSU has forced its opponents to commit 97 turnovers.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
WSU ranks first nationally in defensive rebounds per game (35.2), third in rebounding margin (16.8), fourth in rebounds per game (49.6), 14th in blocked shots per game (5.2), 17th in scoring offense (80.6), tied-for-18th in total blocks (26) and 23rd in scoring margin (17.8).

The Warriors currently lead the GLIAC in points, rebounds and blocks per game.

Individually, Sam Cherney is tied-for-sixth nationally in blocks per game (3.0) and total blocks (15), eighth in rebounds per game (13.6), ninth in defensive rebounds per game (9.4), tied-for-15th in double-doubles (three), tied-for-17th in total rebounds (68), and tied-for-33rd in offensive rebounds per game (4.2).

Additionally, Alexis Miller is tied-for-28th nationally in three-point field goal percentage at 50 percent (12-of-24).

TABBED FOR THIRD
In the GLIAC Preseason poll, the Warriors were picked to finish third in the South Division behind Grand Valley State and Northwood.

Both of those teams received first-place votes. Michigan Tech and Ferris State were the top two teams in the North Division. Both of those squads received first-place votes.

CHERNEY MAKES HISTORY
In the loss at Ashland on Nov. 28, Sam Cherney collected a game-high 14 rebounds, which made her WSU's all-time leading rebounder. Cherney has 778 career rebounds passing former Warrior great Shareta Brown, who totaled 769 rebounds in her two seasons at WSU (2013-15).

REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
Graduate student Tori Perez became the 36th player in Wayne State women's basketball history to play in 100 career games, with her appearance against Cedarville on Nov. 17. The last Warrior to reach the century mark was Nastassja Chambers in 2020.

NON-CONFERENCE NOTES
The Warriors started the season 4-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign. However, WSU lost its first game of the season to No. 6-ranked Ashland on Nov. 28.

The Green and Gold opened non-conference play with a pair of double-digit wins in the GLIAC/GMAC Challenge. The Warriors defeated Lake Erie, 75-45, before upending GMAC pre-season favorite Walsh, 82-64.

The Warriors then eked out an 85-83 overtime win at Cedarville. WSU returned home and took care of Central State, 102-51, just before Thanksgiving.

WARRIOR COACHES
Assistant coach Karen Lafata, who holds three degrees from Wayne State, has been with head coach Carrie Lohr for all 10-plus seasons. Assistant coach Christina Green joined the coaching staff in the summer of 2019 as a graduate assistant coach and was elevated to a full-time assistant coach this past spring. Green played basketball for the Warriors between 2013 and 2017 scoring in double figures 19 times.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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