The Warriors split two regular season contests with the Cardinals last season.

Women's Basketball 12/29/2021 9:16:00 AM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Basketball Set to Square Off With Saginaw Valley State

It will be the Warriors' first game since Dec. 11.

STORYLINES
The original match-up scheduled between Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State for Dec. 18th at the Wayne State Fieldhouse, was postponed due to GLIAC COVID protocols. WSU will play at SVSU on Sunday, Jan. 2nd at 1 pm, while the February 3rd contest will be played at the Wayne State Fieldhouse.

Both the Warriors and the Cardinals are in the top half of the GLIAC standings, making this a key battle in the early part of the season. SVSU is undefeated in conference play (3-0), while WSU has dropped just one league contest (2-1). Saginaw Valley State is receiving votes in the lastest WBCA national coaches poll, while Wayne State was receiving votes earlier this season.

SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors and Cardinals will hit the court for their 79th all-time meeting on Sunday at Saginaw Valley State. The Green and Gold trail 37-41 in the all-time series. However, WSU is 6-4 in the last 10 match-ups and has posted a 17-23 mark in games played at the James E. O'Neill Jr. Arena.

The two squads split a pair of regular season games in University Center, Mich., last season before the Cardinals upended the Warriors, 69-58, in the GLIAC quarterfinals.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Saginaw Valley State features four players who average double figures in scoring, but no one has been more important to the Cardinals' success than Kaitlyn Zarycki. She leads the conference in scoring, pouring in 22.6 points per contest. In conference play, that number has increased, as she has posted 23.7 points against GLIAC foes. Zarycki, who has won GLIAC South Division Player of the Week honors three times this season (11/29, 12/6 and 12/13), has a team-best 23 steals and ranks second in both assists (30) and rebounding (54).

Maddie Maloney is another player to watch out for, as the sharp shooter, collects 13.3 points per game. Maloney ranks second in the conference in three-point percentage, making 48 percent of her shots from deep (27-of-56) and is 24-of-24 from the charity stripe on the season.

Maddie Barrie and Tori DePerry each average just over 10 points a contest as well. DePerry is also the team's leading rebounder, hauling in 6.1 boards per game.

The Cardinals boast one of the top offenses in the GLIAC, entering the contest ranked first in three-point percentage (.369), free-throw percentage (.836) and field goal percentage (.469) and fifth in points per game (70.8).

LAST TIME OUT
Using a strong second quarter to build a 35-28 halftime lead, Wayne State was able to notch a 62-59 victory over Northwood on Dec. 11th inside the Wayne State Fieldhouse.

Northwood opened the contest with three makes from deep to build a 9-1 advantage just three minutes into the game. The Timberwolves led 19-12 after the first period.

Sam Cherney kicked off the scoring in the second stanza with a lay-up to draw the Warriors within five. However, a two-point jumper and a shot from beyond the arc stretched the Timberwolves' lead to 10 early in the quarter. Becca Fugate responded with a five-point run of her own, making a lay-up and connecting on a shot from three-point range. After trading free throws, a Grace George three-pointer cut the deficit to two midway through the second period. George would eventually put the Warriors in front 29-28 with a made free throw at the 2:37 mark of the quarter. Kate Sherwood scored the final six points of the frame.

Neither team could find the bottom of the basket over the first few minutes of the third period, but that drought was ended by a Makenzie Todd three-point basket to bring the Timberwolves to within four. After a Sherwood lay-up, Todd buried another triple to inch Northwood even closer. A pair of baskets by Fugate and Sherwood stretched the lead back to seven with 3:21 to play in the period. Northwood would get as close as one late in the period, but a Kate McArthur three with the clock winding down let the Warriors take a four-point edge into the final stanza.

Northwood tied the game at 46-46 early in the quarter, but a Shea Tripp lay-up at the 7:59 mark of the period would give the Warriors the lead for good. Northwood drew within one with just over two minutes to play in the contest, but the Warriors were able to toughen up on the defensive end and make free throws to put the Timberwolves away. The Green and Gold went on to win 62-59.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
WSU ranks second nationally in defensive rebounds per game (33.1), fourth in rebounds per game (46.75), ninth in rebounding margin (+10.5), 18th in blocks per game (4.8), 20th in field goal percentage defense (.341), and 30th in fewest fouls (132).

The Warriors currently lead the GLIAC in rebounds and blocks per game, along with offensive rebounds per game (13.6) and rebounding margin.

Individually, Sam Cherney is eighth in blocks per game (2.88), tied-for-17th in blocked shots (23), tied-for-23rd in rebounds per game (10.6), tied-for-32nd in defensive rebounds per game (7.1), and tied-for-50th in offensive rebounds per game (3.5).

Additionally, Shea Tripp's seven steals against Northwood (12/11/21) were tied-for-the-11th most in a single game this season.

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 alltime leading rebounder. Cherney currently has 795 career rebounds passing former Warrior great Shareta Brown, who totaled 769 rebounds in her two seasons at WSU (2013-15).

NON-CONFERENCE NOTES
The Warriors started the season 4-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign and lost its first game of the season at sixth-ranked Ashland on Nov. 28.

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

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

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

#34 Kate McArthur: G; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#21 Kate Sherwood: G; 5' 8"; Junior

#23 Shea Tripp: F; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#34 Kate McArthur
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: G

#21 Kate Sherwood
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G

#23 Shea Tripp
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: F