Wayne State University Athletics

Women's Basketball 10/27/2021 5:19:00 PM Zachary Manning, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Basketball Readies to Face Detroit

STORYLINES
Wayne State opens the season at Detroit Mercy in an exhibition contest on Nov. 4 as the Warriors will look to fine tune themselves. WSU will play its first game in the new basketball facility (WSU Fieldhouse) on Nov. 13 vs. Lake Erie as part of the GLIAC/GMAC Challenge.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Detroit Mercy enters the 2021-22 campaign after having collected a 1-13 overall record and 1-9 Horizon League mark last season.

Maxine Moore transferred to Wayne State from Detroit Mercy and will get a chance to square off against her former team. Last year for the Titans, Moore averaged 4.0 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.

Last season, the Titans averaged 57.4 points per game, while allowing opponents to rack up 72.9 points per contest. Detroit shot the ball at a 36 percent clip, while opponents shot 45 percent. Detroit has a completely new roster for the 2021-22 campaign.

2021-22 SEASON OUTLOOK
The Wayne State University women's basketball squad enters the 2021-22 campaign looking to build upon a 12-8 overall record and 11-7 GLIAC mark last season. The Warriors bowed out of the GLIAC Tournament in the quarterfinals with a 69-58 loss to Saginaw Valley State.

WSU will look to pick up where it left off last season, with the squad winning four of its last five contests. All five starters from last year's season finale return for the Green and Gold, as Carrie Lohr enters her 11th year as the Warriors' head coach. She is the school's all-time leader in coaching victories. WSU added five newcomers to the roster, including one transfer and four freshmen.

The Warriors will return their top six leading scorers, with seniors aiming to pave the way. Senior Grace George led the team in scoring last year at 22.3 points per game, adding 8.2 rebounds per contest. She was limited to just the first six games, however due to an injury. Behind her, the Warriors have a pair of double-digit scorers in seniors Kate Sherwood and Sam Cherney. Sherwood scored 11.9 PPG, while Cherney added 11.4 points per contest.

Sherwood was second on the team in assists last season and shot just over 89 percent (49-of-55) from the free-throw line. Cherney was a force down low, leading the GLIAC in rebounds (11.9) and blocks (2.6). Cherney was the only player in the league to average double digits in rebounds and had nearly double the amount of blocks per game than the second highest player.

Becca Fugate led the squad with 34 triples last winter, while senior Alexis Miller dished out a team-best 58 assists.

The five newcomers include freshman guard Alyssa Leister (St. Louis, Mich. / Alma), forward Ally Shagena (Fort Gratiot, Mich. / Port Huron Northern), forward Emma Anderson (Menominee, Mich.), and forward Shea Tripp (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center), along with Detroit transfer Maxine Moore (Southfield, Mich. / Detroit Country Day).

The Warriors will begin their season against Detroit Mercy in an exhibition contest on Nov. 4 at Calihan Hall. From there, the Green and Gold will host the GLIAC/GMAC Challenge, where it will play Lake Erie on Nov. 13 and Walsh on Nov. 14. WSU will also have non-conference games against Cedarville, Central State and Ashland. Conference play will begin on Dec. 2 with a trip to Davenport. The GLIAC Tournament will run from March 2-6.

LEADING THE WAY IN 2020-21
WSU tied-for-19th nationally in blocks per game (4.5), ranked 15th in total blocks (90), and 22nd in rebounding margin (+6.5) a year ago. The Warriors led the GLIAC in all of those categories.

Sam Cherney led the GLIAC in total blocks (53), blocks per game (2.65), defensive rebounds per game (7.5), double-doubles (8), offensive rebounds per game (4.3), total rebounds (238) and rebounds per game (11.9).

Nationally, the bruising forward was fifth in total blocks, ninth in blocks per game, 10th in offensive rebounds per game, 11th in total rebounds, 19th in rebounds per game, 26th in defensive rebounds per game and 27th in double-doubles.

Additionally, Kate Sherwood was 13th nationally with an .891 free-throw percentage (49-of-55).

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

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

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

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

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

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

#10 Alexis Miller: G; 5' 7"; Graduate Student

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

#14 Ally Shagena: F; 5' 11"; Freshman

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

#10 Alexis Miller
: 5' 7"; Graduate Student
: G

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

#14 Ally Shagena
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: F

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

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