The Warriors have won three straight games versus Parkside and seven of the eight meetings all-time against Purdue Northwest.

Women's Basketball 1/18/2022 1:53:00 PM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Basketball Hits The Road For Games Against Parkside and Purdue Northwest

The Warriors are coming off of a win against Northern Michigan.

STORYLINES
Wayne State enters the final week of the first half of the GLIAC schedule having split its last eight games overall. WSU's match-up on Thursday at Parkside will be another one to follow, as the two squads are neck and neck in the GLIAC standings at 4-3 and 3-4, respectively. Both teams are a few games back in the league title race, and a win would pay huge dividends in staying in that chase. The Warriors are two games behind Grand Valley State (6-1) in the league standings, while the Rangers are three games back. The Green and Gold's Saturday contest at Purdue Northwest will be the third straight meeting in Hammond, Ind. between the two schools.

SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State has won the last three meetings vs. Parkside to take a 6-5 lead in the all-time series. WSU had lost five of six to the Rangers prior to the current winning streak with the lone triumph coming in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. The Warriors are just 1-3 in Kenosha with the lone victory coming in the first-ever meeting on January 4, 1984 (83-61).

Wayne State is 7-1 all-time against Purdue Northwest, with the lone loss coming in the last meeting between the two squads as the Pride downed WSU, 81-64. The Green and Gold won the first meeting of last year's back-to-back, 61-56 in overtime. The Warriors are 4-1 in Hammond against the Pride.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Parkside relies on Alyssa Nelson and Hannah Plockelman to keep things going on both ends of the floor. Nelson is among the league leaders in scoring at 20.8 points per game, while Plockelman ranks in the top five in rebounding (7.1 RPG) and three-point shooting (43.% / 16-of-37).

Both Nelson and Plockelman shoot better than 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, the duo leads the team in rebounding, while Nelson is the team leader in steals (23) and Plockelman is the Rangers leader in blocks (5). Nelson has won GLIAC North Division Player of the Week twice (11/15, 12/13).
As a team, the Rangers' bread and better is scoring the ball. The team ranks in the top five in the GLIAC in points per game (70.9), field goal percentage (.431), three point field goal percentage (.334), free throw percentage (.791) and assists per game (14.9).

Purdue Northwest is a little more balanced, as three players average around 10 points per game.

Savaya Brockington leads the way, averaging 13.6 points per contest, while adding 6.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Dash Shaw is another double figure scorer, pouring in 13.1 points a night. She is shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Shaw was named GLIAC North Player of the Week on Dec.20.

Abbie McDowell and Anjel Galbraith also play key roles for the Pride. McDowell averages 9.3 points per game, while Galbraith has 52 assists and 20 steals.

As a team, Purdue Northwest is in the top five in the league in field goal percentage (.420), free throws attempted (309) and free throws made per game (206). The Pride turn it over nearly 17 times per contest.

LAST TIME OUT
After dropping a close game to Michigan Tech on Thursday, Jan. 13, Wayne State rebounded to defeat Northern Michigan 71-56 on Jan. 15 inside the Wayne State Fieldhouse.

The Warriors started strong, and never looked back from there. WSU opened with an 8-2 run, with five points coming from Grace George and Alexis Miller chipping in one of her four three-point baskets. The Wildcats would draw within one (12-11) at the 3:44 mark of the period on a triple from Kayla Tierney. However, the Green and Gold would close the frame on a 6-0 run, with four points coming from Sam Cherney and a basket by Rebecca Morrish as the clock was winding down.

Much like the first period, the Warriors started strong, posting the first eight points to extend their advantage to 26-11 with 7:10 to play before intermission. Miller hit another three, while Kate Sherwood added a pair of baskets, including one from long range. George would eventually put the Warriors up 19 (34-15) with a jumper at the 2:53 mark of the frame. Northern Michigan would close the gap to 34-22, but a Sherwood three-point play helped WSU take a 15-point lead (37-22) into halftime.

The Wildcats opened the third period scoring with a bucket and a free throw, but a Shea Tripp three-point play ended the run. Midway through the period, Miller drained yet another three-pointer to extend the Warriors' lead to 19 (47-28). Emma Anderson and Miller hit back-to-back threes on the next couple of possessions, helping the Green and Gold jump out to a 23-point advantage at the 3:12 mark. Down the stretch the Wildcats could only cut one point off the Warriors' lead, thanks to a late triple by Becca Fugate. The Warriors entered the final period leading 59-37.

The Wildcats bounced back in the last period, out-scoring the Warriors 19-12, but it was too little too late for Northern Michigan, as the Warriors went on to win by a final score of 71-56. George and Fugate had three-point baskets in the frame, while Sherwood, Cherney and Anna Ruhstorfer each added two-point buckets.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
WSU enters the week ranked second in defensive rebounds per game (31.8), sixth in rebounding margin (+10.8), ninth in rebounds per contest (45.58), 19th in blocks per game (4.8), 24th in field goal percentage defense (.346), and tied-for-39th in blocked shots (57).

The Warriors currently lead the GLIAC in rebounds and blocks per game, along with offensive rebounds per game (13.8).

Individually, Sam Cherney is ninth in rebounds per game (12.0), 10th in blocked shots per game (2.67), tied-for-13th in defensive rebounds per game (8.0), tied-for-15th in blocked shots (32), tied-for-23rd in offensive rebounds per game (4.0), tied-for-25th in rebounds (144), and tied-for-27th in double-doubles (6).

Additionally, Cherney's 21 rebounds against Ferris State (1/6/22) are tied for the 11th most in a game this season. Shea Tripp's seven steals against Northwood (12/11/21) are tied-for-21st in terms of most in a single game this season.

STINGY DEFENSE
The Warrior defense has been outstanding so far through 10 games.

In fact, this year's squad is on pace to have the lowest opponent field goal percentage in program history. WSU is currently allowing opponents to shoot 34.6 percent from the floor. The school record is 35.9 percent by the 1977-78 team.

1: .346 / 2021-22
2: .359 / 1977-78
3: .368 / 2012-13
4: .384 / 2014-15
5: .386 / 1980-81

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 854 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 ALL-ACCESS
Every home basketball game this season will be streamed at WSUAthletics.com/watch with Warrior broadcaster Kevin Brechmacher calling the action.

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

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

#42 Rebecca Morrish: C; 6' 5"; Freshman

#35 Anna Ruhstorfer: G; 5' 6"; Senior

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

#22 Emma Anderson: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

#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

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

#42 Rebecca Morrish
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: C

#35 Anna Ruhstorfer
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

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

#22 Emma Anderson
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F

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