Nov. 17, 2005

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• GAME STORYLINES
Looking for its first win of the young season, Wayne State continues its three-game road trip with a pair of contests against members of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at the Wheeling Jesuit Tip-Off Classic this weekend. The Warriors will face West Liberty State on Friday (6 pm), before taking on the host Lady Cardinals Saturday at 2 pm.

Friday's contest will be the season-opener for WLSC, while Wheeling Jesuit enters the tournament with a 1-0 record and WSU is 0-1 after the first game of the year.

WSU dropped its first game of the year at Indianapolis on Tuesday night, 74-58. Senior Shatona Clark had a team-high 11 points while newcomer Pam Wingate led the squad with seven rebounds.

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 is in her sixth season with a 66-71 mark. She is 180-140 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.

WLSC head coach Lynn Ullom owns the most wins in WVIAC women's basketball history with 276 victories. Wheeling Jesuit is coached by Joe Key who is his 11th season with the Lady Cardinals. The 1979 Miami graduate has a 178-108 record in that span.

• THE SERIES
Wayne State will be facing both West Liberty and Wheeling Jesuit for the first time in school history. The Warriors are 5-0 against the WVIAC with wins over Fairmont State (2-0), West Virginia State (2-0) and West Virginia Wesleyan (1-0).

• IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was selected to place sixth in South Division in the GLIAC coaches' preseason poll.

West Liberty State earned 140 points and placed fifth, while Wheeling Jesuit was third with 168 points in the 14-team WVIAC Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll.

• SCOUTING THE FIELD
WLSC returns seven letterwinners including Lena Kalvans (6-1, Jr., F, 14.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg), Leighann Fry (6-1, Sr., C, 11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Lisa Perry (5-4, Soph., G, 5.0 ppg, 7.4 apg).

After winning the 2005 WVIAC Tournament and making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, four starters and six letterwinners return for the Lady Cardinals that went 23-9 overall and 13-5 in the WVIAC a year ago.

WJU's Katie Hine had a team-high 19 points, connecting on five three-pointers, while Jade Eckleberry scored 17 in the Lady Cardinals' season-opening 75-72 win at Geneva College Tuesday night.

• LAST GAME NOTES
Wayne State fell at the University of Indianapolis, 74-58, on Tuesday, November 15, at Nicoson Hall. The Warriors dominated the first 10 minutes of action but were held to 34 points the rest of the game and that proved to be the difference.

After UI scored the first basket of the game, the Warriors went on an 8-2 run as senior Shatona Clark hit a pair of threes. The Greyhounds came right back to knot the game at 8-8. The Warriors then went on a 16-6 run as Nicole Rogers' three extended the lead to 24-14.

UI charged back with a 14-5 run as it cut the deficit to 29-28 to end the half. Clark led all scorers with seven first-half points. WSU forced 15 first half turnovers as 13 players saw action.

The Greyhounds took their first lead since the opening possession of the game at the 17:51 mark of the second half as they forced three Warrior miscues. UI built its lead to 46-38 at the 12:02 mark.

Four consecutive field goals by junior Cherita Smith helped spark an 8-1 run as the Warriors cut the lead to 47-46. UI answered right back with an 11-0 run as it took a 58-46 advantage at the 6:34 mark.

A three by freshman Chastidy Miller cut the deficit to 64-56 at the 1:38 mark. But UI ended the game on a 10-2 run as the Greyhounds cruised to a 74-58 victory.