Northwest Wayne News

Wayne State University's women's basketball team is set to face Saginaw Valley State University in their final regular-season game on Saturday, March 2. The match, which will take place at the University Center in Michigan, holds significance for both teams as they prepare for the upcoming GLIAC Tournament starting March 6.

Saginaw Valley State currently leads the series with a 44-39 advantage over Wayne State in their previous 83 encounters. In their last meeting on January 20, Wayne State secured a narrow victory of 74-69. This weekend's game will be crucial for determining seeding positions within the eight-team tournament bracket.

The Cardinals have experienced mixed results recently, with a record of four wins and six losses in their last ten games. They are ninth overall this season with a 9-18 record and are placed sixth in the GLIAC standings. Their defense has been noteworthy, allowing an average of just 62.6 points per game, ranking them fourth in the league.

Junior guard Aleshia Jones is a standout player for Saginaw Valley State, averaging 13 points per game and leading her team in several categories including field goals made and blocked shots. Other key players include Emma Dziezgowski with a team-high of 38 three-pointers and Lydia Meredith leading in steals.

In contrast, Wayne State has faced challenges recently with consecutive losses against Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan during their final home games last week. Despite these setbacks, individual performances such as Taylor Thompson's career-best score of 23 points have been highlights.

Wayne State enters this week's match ranked sixth in the conference with a record of nine wins and eight losses within the GLIAC. Depending on outcomes from other games this week, they could finish anywhere between fourth and sixth place before entering the tournament.

The Warriors' success this season can be attributed to their strong finishes during games; they have won all matches where they led at halftime or were tied at intermission. Notably, Wayne State ranks high nationally across several statistical categories including bench points per game and free throw percentage.

Individual players like Shea Tripp have also received recognition for their performances. Tripp came close to achieving triple-doubles last week against Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan while Becca Fugate reached significant milestones including surpassing 1,000 career points earlier this season.

Saturday's game will be broadcasted on FloSports as part of an agreement with the conference streaming service while audio coverage by Kevin Brechmacher will be available through WSUAthletics.com starting at tip-off time.