The Warriors have won 12 straight home games versus the Lakers and six of the last seven overall meetings against Ferris State.

Women's Basketball 1/26/2022 8:51:00 AM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Basketball Returns Home to Face Lake Superior State and Ferris State

The Warriors had their first contest against LSSU postponed and defeated Ferris State, 60-45, on Jan. 6.

STORYLINES
Wayne State begins a three-game home stand on Thursday as visiting Lake Superior State visits the Wayne State Fieldhouse for the first meeting between the two schools this season. The Warriors and Lakers had their first game at LSSU postponed due to COVID protocols in early January. Thursday's contest features the only two players in the GLIAC to average more than 10 boards per contest in WSU's Sam Cherney (11.7) and LSSU's Mattison Rayman (10.3).

WSU and Ferris State will meet for the second time this year on Saturday with the contest playing a huge role in the conference standings. The Green and Gold at 6-3 sit a half game back of the 7-3 Bulldogs. WSU won 60-45 at FSU on January 6th.

SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors trail 40-41 in the all-time series against LSSU, but WSU has won four straight, including three games in the shortened campaign of 2021. WSU has won 12 straight home games against the Lakers. Lake Superior State has not won in Detroit since January 16, 2010.

The Warriors are 38-40 all-time against Ferris State, but WSU has won four straight and six of the last seven match-ups. If history has anything to say about this game, it will be close throughout. Prior to the Warriors' 15 point victory in the Jan. 6th contest, the previous five meetings were decided by a total of 12 points.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Lake Superior has three players averaging in double figures. Mattison Rayman is the team's leader in points, rebounds and blocks, as she scores 13.4 points, grabs 10.3 rebounds and blocks 1.4 shots per contest. Aiding the attack for the Lakers are Margot Woughter and Makenzie Bray. Woughter averages 11.9 points per game, while Bray chips in 11.2 points per contest. The duo leads the team in minutes per game at 32.8 and 33.0, respectively. Bray has made a team-high 14 triples, with Woughter shooting 89 percent (23-of-26) from the foul line.
Though the Lakers rank in the bottom half of the league in most categories, one thing they do well is get to the free throw line. They average just under 18 attempts from the charity stripe per contest, which is good for third best in the league.

Kadyn Blanchard leads the way for Ferris State as she ranks fifth in the league at 14.9 points per contest. Adrienne Anderson, Chloe Idoni and Mallory McCartney each average more than 10 points per contest and each have their own specialty.

McCartney leads the Bulldogs in assists, collecting 4.3 per night. Idoni is the one of the team's leading rebounders, grabbing 5.3 boards per contest. Anderson is a sharp shooter, making just under 40 percent of her shots from long range. Blanchard (47 triples) and McCartney (44 triples) have combined for more than half of the squad's three-point field goals.

As a team, Ferris State makes just under nine threes a game and leads the conference in long range shooting, burying 35.7 percent of its looks. The Bulldogs are also first in assists (16.9) and turnovers per game (11.8).

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State collected its third straight victory winning 60-48 at Purdue Northwest on Jan. 22nd..

The Warriors trailed 6-2 in the early going, but a Sam Cherney three-point basket at 5:29 kick started the Green and Gold offense. Beginning with that bucket, WSU ended the period on an 11-3 run, with Cherney, Alexis Miller and Becca Fugate each providing three points in the scoring outburst. Shea Tripp had the other basket. The Warriors led 13-9 after the first 10 minutes of play.

Alyssa Leister gave the Green and Gold a spark off the bench in the second period, scoring the Warriors' first five points. WSU led 18-11 with 6:57 to play before halftime. A Fugate jumper at the 5:30 mark of the frame paved the way for a massive WSU run. The Warriors scored on seven straight possessions and stretched their advantage to 32-13 at the 2:02 mark of the stanza. Kate Sherwood and Miller each had two baskets, while Cherney, Tripp and Fugate provided additional buckets. Purdue Northwest scored the final four points of the period, however, and WSU led 32-17 at the half.

The Pride came out swinging in the second half, cutting into the Warriors' lead immediately. An Abbie McDowell three pointer cut the Warriors lead to 12 two minutes into the period. The Green and Gold kept pushing, however, and saw its lead swell back to 17 after Miller and Sherwood dropped in back-to-back baskets. The Warriors led 42-25 with 4:23 to play in the third quarter. Purdue Northwest followed those buckets with an 8-0 run, cutting the lead to single digits. The Warriors led 43-35 heading into the final frame.

Grace George helped the Warriors stop the bleeding, hitting a lay-up to open the period and stretching WSU's lead back to 15 with a three pointer later in the frame. With just over five minutes to play in the game, Maxine Moore put the Green and Gold up 16 on a lay-up. Down the stretch, it was too little, too late for the Pride, as the Warriors never let the lead fall back to single digits. WSU went on to win by a final score of 60-48.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
WSU enters the week ranked third in defensive rebounds per game (31.1), 11th in rebounding margin (+9.6), 15th in rebounds per game (43.64), 25th in blocks per game (4.6), 31st in field-goal percentage defense (.354), tied-for-39th in fewest fouls (220), 45th in three-point field goal percentage (.344) and tied-for-45th in blocked shots (64).
The Warriors currently lead the GLIAC in rebounds and blocks per game, along with offensive rebounds per game (12.5).

Individually, Sam Cherney is 12th in blocked shots per game (2.57), 10th in rebounds per game (11.7), 15th in defensive rebounds per game (7.8), tied-for-16th in blocked shots (36), 26th in offensive rebounds per game (3.9), tied-for-28th in rebounds (164), and tied-for-44th 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-25th in terms of most in a single game this season.

STINGY DEFENSE
The Warrior defense has been outstanding so far through 14 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 35.4 percent from the floor. The school record is 35.9 percent by the 1977-78 team.

1: .354 / 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 874 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

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

#2 Alyssa Leister: G; 5' 10"; Freshman

#42 Maxine Moore: F; 6' 0"; Redshirt 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

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

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

#2 Alyssa Leister
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: G

#42 Maxine Moore
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior
: F

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