Wayne State University Athletics

The Warriors are 33-30 all-time against Northwood.

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

Women's Basketball Returns Home to Face Northwood

The Warriors split their opening two GLIAC games against Davenport and Grand Valley State.

STORYLINES
Wayne State and Northwood will both be looking to get back in the win column, as the Warriors fell 72-35 at Grand Valley State on Dec. 4th, and the Timberwolves were downed 80-73 at home by Michigan Tech last Saturday.

Both teams rank in the top half of the conference in a wealth of categories, but offense could be key to victory, as the Warriors and Timberwolves each average more than 70 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY
When WSU and Northwood hit the court on Saturday, it will be the 64th overall meeting in the series. The Warriors currently hold a 33-30 edge. The last 10 match-ups have been even tighter, as each squad has taken five games. The Warriors hosted Northwood twice last season, due to the revised schedule. The Green and Gold took the first meeting, 77-69, while the Timberwolves emerged victorious in the second contest, 78-63.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
After opening the season 5-0, Northwood has dropped its last three contests, including a pair of games at home to Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech to open GLIAC play. NU travels to Saginaw Valley State on Thursday before coming to Motown on Saturday.

Makenzie Todd, Alana Nelson and Ellie Taylor are the three to watch for the Timberwolves, as the trio leads the team in just about every statistical category.

Todd leads the way in points per game, averaging 15 per contest. On the season, she has hit 34 percent of her shots from three-point range and 93 percent of her shots from the foul line (14-of-15). Todd was named the GLIAC South Player of the Week on Nov. 15.

Nelson enters the game averaging 12 points and a team-leading 6.5 rebounds per contest. She is shooting better than 45 percent from the field (37-of-82). Nelson earned GLIAC South Player of the Week honors on Nov. 22.

Taylor enters the week averaging double digit in points, collecting 10.5 per game. In addition to her scoring contributions, she leads the team in assists at 3.6 per game.

The Timberwolves are the second best offense in the conference, averaging 71.6 points per game. They also rank top five in the GLIAC in assists, rebounds, steals and fewest turnovers per contest.

GLIAC OPENING WEEKEND
The Warriors had a gritty performance in their conference-opening win at Davenport on Dec. 2. The Green and Gold claimed a 58-50 win over the Panthers.

Becca Fugate helped lead the charge, notching a game-high 15 points, while adding two steals.

Following that win, WSU fell 72-35 at Grand Valley State on Dec. 4. Kate Sherwood led the way with seven points.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
WSU ranks first nationally in defensive rebounds per game (33.1), ninth in rebounds per game (46.6), 13th in rebounding margin (+10.6), tied-for-29th in total blocks (31), tied-for-33rd in blocked shots per game (4.4), 38th in field-goal percentage defense (.344), and tied-for-40th in total rebounds (326).

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

Individually, Sam Cherney is 11th in both total blocks (18) and blocks per game (2.6), 27th in rebounds per game (10.9), tied-for-27th in defensive rebounds per game (7.4), and tied-for-34th in total rebounds (76).

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 currently has 786 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 at sixth-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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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