Nov. 30, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

•GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (2-3 overall) begins league play this weekend with a pair of road contests in Erie, Pa., against Gannon and Mercyhurst.

The Warriors are coming off a 1-1 week at home which included a 91-47 victory over Concordia and a 76-48 setback to regional opponent Northern Kentucky at the Matthaei on Saturday.

WSU has a 1-2 mark on the road with a win versus West Liberty State, 79-74, on Nov. 18, in Wheeling, W.Va., sandwiched around losses at Indianapolis, 74-58, and Wheeling Jesuit, 83-69.

Wayne State continues on the road following this weekend with contests at Hillsdale (Dec. 10) at Southern Indiana (Dec. 18) before starting a five-game homestand.

•ON THE BENCH
Wayne State head coach Gloria Bradley has a 69-73 mark in her sixth season at WSU. Bradley is 183-142 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.

Cleve Wright has compiled a 51-40 record in his fourth season at Gannon. Karin Nicholls is in her second year at Mercyhurst and has a 8-24 mark with the Lakers.

•THE SERIES
Wayne State leads the all-time series against Gannon with a 16-11 mark. The Warriors recorded a 75-74 win at home in 2004-05, but lost 89-43 in Erie.

WSU has a 13-8 series lead versus Mercyhurst despite the Lakers winning both meetings, 87-81 in overtime in Detroit, and 68-58 in Erie, last season.

•IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was selected to place sixth in South Division in the GLIAC coaches' preseason poll. The Golden Knights were picked in a tie-for-first in the GLIAC South Division with Hillsdale. Mercyhurst was ranked fifth, just ahead of the Warriors.

•SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Gannon snapped a four-game losing streak with a 69-67 win over Clarion on Nov. 27. Christina Jackson leads the squad in points (15.5), rebounds (7.0) and steals (11). Carrie Nolan has made a team-best 15 three-pointers.

Mercyhurst is 0-5 following a 68-61 setback at Lock Haven on Monday. Stephanie Prischak has a team-best 9.6 points per game, while Erin Solada is averaging a team-high 5.8 rebounds per contest.

•LAST GAME NOTES
Wayne State lost to Northern Kentucky, 76-48, on Saturday afternoon in a women's non-conference basketball game. The Warriors committed 37 fouls as NKU went 37-for- 46 at the free throw line.

Center Ralphanee Peyton put WSU on the board in the opening moments of the contest. After five straight Norse points, freshman point guard Joy Nash threw a no-look pass inside to Peyton for her second score of the day. Following a fast-break layup by junior Cherita Smith, the Warriors began a slump of 5:18 that saw Northern Kentucky go on an 8-0 run and lead 20-8.

Both teams made nine field goals in the first half, but NKU held a 39-22 halftime lead thanks to a 19-of-21 performance at the line.

WSU's foul problems continued in the second half, making seven fouls in the first 5:06 after the break, putting the Norse in the bonus for the rest of the game. The Warriors also hit another cold stretch for nearly five minutes as the NKU lead grew to 19 points.

Neither team scored for two minutes, but a Chastidy Miller three-pointer cut the Norse lead down to 20 points with 8:35 to go. Northern Kentucky made seven of its last eight foul shots to hold on for the lead.

Nash and Miller each scored a team-high 10 points for WSU who shot just 27.5 percent (19-of-69) from the floor.