Nov. 14, 2005

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• GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State women's basketball squad begins its 2005-06 regular-season schedule with a road trip to Great Lakes Region rival Indianapolis on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

The Warriors and `Hounds last faced off in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament as the top-seed Greyhounds (No. 7 nationally) defeated Wayne State, 91-83, on March 14.

WSU returns 12 letterwinners from last season's 6-20 squad led by senior guards Shatona Clark (Detroit, Mich./Cody) and Kristen Rogers (Lansing, Mich./Everett). Clark was the top scorer (14.5 points per game) and rebounder (6.9) while Rogers, a Second Team All-GLIAC selection, averaged 10.9 points and had a team-leading 85 assists.

Following the trip to the Hoosier State, Wayne State continues its three-game road trip with a pair of contests at the Wheeling Jesuit Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 18-19.

The Warriors will host their home opener against Concordia on Nov. 22, while the GLIAC opener is slated for Dec. 1 at Gannon in Erie, Pa.

• ON THE BENCH
WSU head coach Gloria Bradley enters her sixth season with a 66-70 mark. She is 180-139 in 12 overall seasons. Also returning to the coaching staff is Warrior alum LaTisha Martin who played for WSU from 2000-02. After completing her eligibility, Martin served as a student coach in 2002-03.

The Greyhounds are led into action by head coach Teri Moren who is in her sixth season at the helm. Indy is 103-46 under the 1992 Purdue graduate.

• THE SERIES
The only meeting between the two squad was that 2003 NCAA Tournament game. Jodi Young led all scorers with 29 points, while Keneisha Moss had 20 and Ebony Vincent had 10 assists in the Warriors' only Great Lakes Regional appearance in school history.

• IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was selected to place sixth in South Division in the GLIAC coaches' preseason poll. The Greyhounds were picked to finish in fourth in the GLVC East Division as they garnered 20 points.

• SCOUTING INDIANAPOLIS
Indy returns just four letterwinners, including two starters, from a 22-10 team that advanced to the Great Lakes Regional semifinal last season before falling to Grand Valley.

The Greyhounds suffered an 84-59 loss to Notre Dame in exhibition play a week ago. Junior transfer Mandy Geryak led all players with 23 points, going 8-for-13 from the field.

• WAYNE STATE NOTES
Wayne State hosted the Michigan Free Agents, a team made up of former collegiate players, in a women's basketball exhibition game on Nov. 11. The Free Agents came away with an 83-79 victory as 15 Warriors saw action on the court.

Sophomore Nicole Rogers hit back-to-back three-pointers to give WSU an 8-7 lead. Freshman Joy Nash then scored on consecutive jumpers as Nash and Rogers combined to account for all of Wayne State's first 16 points.

MFA held a 25-23 advantage with 8:59 to play in the first half when they went on 10-2 run the next three minutes for a 35-25 lead. A three-pointer by Kristen Rogers cut the deficit down to four with 4:24 left, but the Free Agents' lead grew back to seven minutes later.

Jumpers by Kristen Rogers and newcomer Pam Wingate brought WSU within two at 46-44 with just over a minute to go in the half, but MFA scored five unanswered points to hold a 51-44 halftime lead as they shot 51.4 percent (18-35) from the floor.

The Michigan Free Agents extended their lead to 12 points at the 13:27 mark of the second half when junior Cherita Smith knocked down a three. Bethany Mesko then hit a three-pointer of her own that cut into the MFA lead (76-71) with 5:23 remaining. Another Warrior three, this one by senior Shatona Clark, had them within four points at 81-77. The WSU defense held the Free Agents to two points in the final 3:39 of the contest, but the Warriors missed three of their final four shots in the closing minutes.

Nicole Rogers was a rebound shy of a double-double with a team-best 21 points and nine boards. Smith added 11 points, while Clark had 10.