Nov. 25, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

2008-09 RECORDS:
Wayne State 0-1, 0-0 GLIAC
Madonna 2-7, 0-0 WHAC

LIVE STATS: madonnacrusaders.com

SERIES: Wayne State leads 5-4

MADONNA GAME STORYLINES

Wayne State continues its season-opening three-game road trip with a Tuesday contest at Madonna.

In last year's match-up between the Warriors and Crusaders, Brooke Bowers led a feverish barrage of Warrior scoring with a then career-high six three-point buckets in a 90-52 win at the Matthaei.

The score was tied four times in the first 8:38 of the contest, the last coming on a triple by WSU senior Nicole Rogers to knot the game at 16 after the Crusaders had taken their largest lead of the game (three at 16-13) on a lay-up by Alyssa Guerin.

Rogers' three-point basket started a 13-0 run by WSU, which included at least one point from six different Warriors in the season's home opener.

The series began on Dec. 11, 1997, when Wayne State traveled to Livonia and suffered a 78-75 loss to the Crusaders. In the last five meetings, WSU holds a 4-1 record. The most recent Madonna victory was a lop-sided affair, a 75-59 setback on the Warriors' home court.

RECENT RESULTS

Wayne State began the 2008-09 campaign recording a 64-52 exhibition win at Detroit Mercy on Thursday, Nov. 6.

After a fast-break lay up by Jasmine McCall tied the game at six just five minutes in, the Titans rattled off nine consecutive points for a 15-6 advantage.

Wayne State had a 4-2 scoring advantage until intermission for a two-point halftime lead at 29-27.

Neither team had more than a two-point lead for the first 11:45 of the second half until Detroit's Jalesa Jones' conventional three-point play was followed by a jumper from Zemora Davis giving the hosts a 48-42 lead with 7:50 left.

McCall led all scorers with 21 points, while junior center Lindsey West had a game-high 13 rebounds. McCall also contributed four assists and six steals. Joy Nash had 13 points and three assists, with West adding 10 points, two assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Warriors then traveled to Northern Kentucky University for a Nov. 20 contest. Playing the defending national champion in its new basketball arena, the Bank of Kentucky Center, would prove to be overwhelming.

Senior Chastidy Miller scored from inside on the game's first possession then split a pair of foul shots 90 seconds later to knot the game at three. The Norse scored seven straight points before a pair of free throws by Nash made it a five-point game.

NKU had a 10-2 run before senior McCall and Bowers each sank two free throws to cut the deficit to 20-11. Six straight points by the hosts preceded a lay-up by McCall.

Bowers drained a triple from beyond the arc and Miller made the second of two foul shot attempts making the score 28-17 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.

The Norse had a 16-7 run to end the opening 20 minutes.

The Warriors were able to get within 17 just twice in the second half.

Wayne State held a 16-15 advantage in points off turnovers but Northern Kentucky shot 45.2 percent (28-62) from the floor compared to 15-of-53 for the Warriors (28.3 percent).

Miller scored a team-best 16 points, while Bowers scored 15 and added a team-high six rebounds. McCall contributed 11 points, five rebounds and five steals.

ON THE BENCH

Gloria Bradley is in her ninth season at WSU and 15th season overall with records of 101-118 and 215-187, respectively. She holds a 5-1 record against the Crusaders.

Carl Graves is in his third season at the helm of the Crusaders and has a record of 29-35. He is 0-1 vs. Bradley following last year's 90-52 WSU victory.

Noteworthy

Bowers needs one three-point basket made to move into a tie for eighth place in the Wayne State history books for three point field goals made with 97.

Countdown to 1000

Miller is closing in on the WSU 1000 point club. She is currently at 948 career points. This season Miller, who averages 11.7 points per game, will become the 14th player in WSU history to accumulate 1000 career points.

SCOUTING MADONNA

The Crusaders are 2-7 following a 92-38 setback at Eastern Michigan on Saturday.

Guard Katie Mount is the leading scorer for Madonna this season at 10.2 ppg. She scored a season-high 23 against Northwood on Nov. 18.

Senior Christie Carrico scored a career-best 30 points in a win over Davenport in the WHAC semifinals last year.

In the loss at EMU, Carrico contributed 13 points, nine rebounds, and a steal in the loss. Mount totaled only two points and was 0-5 from three-point range, despite shooting 35.9 % from beyond the arc this year.

Kim Olech averages 8.6 rebounds per game (77 total), while averaging close to 10 points per game (9.89).