Jan. 24, 2006

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Wayne State (7-9, 4-4 GLIAC) vs.
#15 Grand Valley (15-3, 8-1 GLIAC) &
#19 Lake Superior (15-3, 8-3 GLIAC)
Jan. 26 - 5:30 pm Jan. 28 - 1:00 pm

< GAME STORYLINES
Wayne State's women's basketball team hosts a pair of very similar GLIAC North opponents. Both teams enter the week at 15-3 overall, are ranked in the top 20 and have Lakers as their mascot. No. 15-Grand Valley State visits Detroit on Thursday (5:30 pm), while the 19th-ranked Lake Superior State Lakers come to the Matthaei on Saturday (1:00 pm).

The Warriors are in sole possession of third place in the GLIAC South Division and have won four of their last six games.

Junior shooting guard Cherita Smith is coming off her best week ever with back-to-back career-high 22-point performances in the U.P.

WSU returns to the road on Feb. 2 with a trip on I-75 South to Findlay.

< ON THE BENCH
Wayne State head coach Gloria Bradley has a 73-78 mark in her sixth season at WSU. Bradley is 187-147 in 12 seasons overall. GVSU's Dawn Plitzuweit is 78-31 in her third season with the Lakers. Eighth-year head coach Kris Dunbar is 148-67 in Sault Ste. Marie.

< SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Though the opponents look the same, GVSU wins with defense, while Lake Superior relies on sharp-shooting offense. Grand Valley, who leads the GLIAC in scoring defense at 52.0 points per game, is coming off Monday night's 68-51 win over Gannon in Allendale. The Lakers trailed by six early in the second half, but outscored the Lady Knights, 43-20, the remainder of the game.

GVSU has won 12 of its last 13 games, with the lone blemish a six-point loss at Michigan Tech. Niki Reams leads the Lakers as she ranks fourth in scoring in the GLIAC (16.8) and seventh in rebounding (7.0).

Lake State has also been on a hot stretch as of late. LSSU has won nine of its last 10, including the last three by an average of 31.3 ppg. The Lakers are the second-highest scoring team in the conference at 74.8 ppg.

Senior center Becky Marquardt-King leads the nation in field goal percentage at 71.9 percent (120-167) and is averaging a league-leading 17.6 ppg.

< IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was selected to place sixth in South Division in the GLIAC coaches' preseason poll. GVSU had six first-place votes and was picked atop the North poll with 36 points. Lake Superior had 24 points in third place.

< THE SERIES
Grand Valley leads the series with WSU 31-22, and has won the last three meetings. The Warriors also trail Lake State, 32-22, all-time. LSSU has beaten Wayne State nine straight times.

< LAST GAME NOTES
Wayne State senior Kristen Rogers made all four of her free throw attempts in the final 20.7 seconds to seal the Warriors' 67-63 win over Northern Michigan Saturday at the Berry Events Center. WSU was led by junior Cherita Smith who scored a career-high 22 points for the second straight game.

Trailing 9-2 in the first three minutes, Wayne State went on a 12-3 run spurred by a pair of Smith three-pointers. Leading by two, WSU outscored the Wildcats, 15-2, which included three-pointers by Rogers and sophomore Daijon Jefferson to pull ahead 29-14 with 9:10 left. The Warriors were also aided by three steals and nine NMU turnovers during the five-minute span.

Northern responded with a 16-4 run to close out the first half, but WSU led 33-30 at the break.

The `Cats scored the initial basket of the second half, but the Warriors' lead grew to six points on another triple by Smith at the 18:04 mark. Four minutes later, Northern tied the game at 38 after six straight points. Wayne State countered with back-to-back three-pointers by Jefferson and Rogers following an inbound steal.

Three steals in a row turned into a pair of easy WSU layups and Smith's fourth three of the day for a 51-41 lead that forced NMU to call a timeout with 11:06 to go. Smith had just six three-pointers all season.

The Wildcats reduced their deficit to just one point on four straight Tera Opperman points with 2:15 remaining, but a Ralphanee Peyton basket made it 63-60. After an NMU free throw, Rogers (an 85.0 percent foul shooter) made all four from the line for the win.

Besides Smith's 22 points, Rogers finished with 12 points, six assists and three steals. The Warrior bench outscored NMU's 25-2 led by Chastidy Miller's 11 points.