Women's Basketball 2/19/2021 10:51:00 AM Alexis LaCruze, Sports Information Graduate Intern

Women's Basketball Begins Four Game Road Swing At Saginaw Valley State

STORYLINES
Wayne State, winners of three straight and four of its last five games, looks to extend its winning streak this week playing at Saginaw Valley State on Friday at 5 PM and Saturday at 3 PM.

THE SERIES
The Warriors trail 36-39 in the all-time series versus Saginaw Valley State. WSU has won the last two games against the Cardinals. Wayne State has a 16-22 road records vs. SVSU. The Warriors are 5-2 in their last seven games at James E. O'Neill Arena.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Saginaw Valley State (6-8) has won its last two games (76-70 vs. Northwood on Tuesday, and 67-52 at Ferris State on February 13th to end a three-game losing streak.

SVSU is led in scoring by sophomore guard Kaitlyn Zarycki (13.5 PPG) and junior guard Maddie Maloney (10.4 PPG). Zarycki leads the Cardinals in rebounding (6.6 RPG), blocks (12) and steals (20), while Maloney has a team-high 51 assists. Maloney (23 triples) and junior guard Maddie Barrie (21 triples) have combined for 44 three-pointers.

Head coach Jenny Pruett is in her second season leading SVSU after spending the three previous years as an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure. She played collegiately at both Michigan State and Ohio University.

PARKSIDE SERIES RECAP
Wayne State swept its home series with Parkside winning 69-60, and 82-77 in overtime.

In the series opener, the Warriors led from start to finish in posting a 69-60 victory. WSU had a 38-23 lead at the half against the Rangers, but would be outscored 22-16 in the third quarter. Both teams totaled 15 points in the final stanza.

Kate McArthur scored a game and a then career-best 20 points. Sam Cherney tallied her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points, a game-high 11 rebounds, and two blocks. Kate Sherwood contributed nine points, while Alexis Miller had a team-best five assists.

WSU led by three (29-27) at the half against Parkside on Saturday. The third quarter was back and forth until Parkside snapped a 25-25 deadlock with an 8-0 run.

Three lead changes in the last three minutes of regulation preceded a three-point shot by UWP's Alyssa Nelson that tied the game forcing overtime. WSU scored the first seven points of the extra session and held on for an 82-77 overtime triumph.

McArthur connected on six triples for the second consecutive day in scoring a team-best 22 points. Cherney contributed 21 points and a game-best 18 rebounds, along with four steals. Miller chipped in with six points, four assists and four steals, while Sherwood added 19 points and three steals.

ASHLAND RECAP
The Warriors concluded their home-away series with a 65-64 victory over Ashland. The win snapped a seven-game home court losing streak to AU.

WSU had an eight point lead (36-28) at intermission after a strong start which saw the Warriors hold a 22-11 advantage after 10 minutes.

Ashland clawed its way back to take a four point lead (60-56) with just over three minutes remaining. Wayne State answered scoring nine of the final 13 points. AU called two timeouts in the final 16 seconds, but a last second shot was blocked by Cherney.

Cherney was on her way to a triple-double finishing with 12 points, 19 rebounds which equaled a career-best, and a career-high eight blocks. Sherwood matched her career-high with 19 points, while Tori Perez contributed 11 points.

NCAA STATS RECAP
WSU ranks 16th in NCAA Division II in blocked shots (64),
20th in blocked shots per game (4.6), 22nd in rebounding margin (+7.4), 41st in rebounds per game (41.86), 46th in rebounds (586), and 48th in defensive rebounds per game (28.8).

Junior forward Sam Cherney is seventh in blocked shots (38), 10th in both blocked shots per game (2.71) and rebounds per game (11.5), 14th in both offensive rebounds per game (4.2) and total rebounds (161), 21st in double-doubles (6), 23rd in defensive rebounds per game (7.3), and 41st in rebounds (113).

CHERNEY IS BLOCKING HER WAY INTO THE RECORD BOOKS
Wayne State junior Sam Cherney became the school's all-time leader in blocked shots with three rejections at Saginaw Valley State on February 22, 2020.

A year ago, she became the first player in school history to average over two blocks per game for an entire season.

This year Cherney is averaging nearly three blocks per game and has at least two blocks in all but four contests this season. Cherney had recorded at least one blocked shot in 17 consecutive games until having that streaked snapped at Purdue Northwest on February 6th.

TABBED FOR FOURTH
Wayne State was voted fourth in the GLIAC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Ashland was selected first in the South Division with 11 first-place votes and 61 points. Grand Valley State earned the other first-place vote and 43 points. Saginaw Valley State (39 points) and Wayne State (28 points) were ahead of Northwood (27 points) and Davenport (18 points).

GLIAC ACCOLADES
Junior forward Grace George was selected GLIAC South Division Player of the Week on January 25th after helping the Warriors to a split against Northwood. It was her first weekly honor from the conference office.

In the game one victory, George had game-high totals of 30 points and 12 rebounds, while shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. She scored a game-best 22 points in the game two setback, along with tying for team-high honors with three assists. For the weekend, George averaged 26.0 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 53 percent (19-of-36) from the floor, including 56 percent from three-point range (5-of-9). She was also 9-of-12 (75 percent) from the charity stripe, while contributing three assists and three blocks.

Junior Sam Cherney was selected GLIAC South Division Player of the Week this past Monday. In a sweep of Wisconsin-Parkside, Cherney recorded a double-double in both games. For the weekend, she averaged 19.0 points per game and 14.5 rebounds, along with 1.5 blocks, 2.5 steals and 3.5 assists. Cherney shot 52 percent (14-of-27) from the floor and 83 percent (10-of-12) from the charity stripe.

WARRIOR COACHES
Assistant coach Karen Lafata, who holds three degrees from Wayne State, has been with head coach Carrie Lohr for all nine-plus seasons. Graduate assistant Christina Green joined the coaching staff in the summer of 2019. 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

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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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