FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Jan. 8, 2013)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's basketball squad prepares for its opening homestand of the 2012-2013 Great Lakes Valley Conference season after splitting a pair of road GLVC games in the Show Me State. The Rangers host Rockhurst University on Thursday before tipping off against William Jewell College on Saturday.

The Rangers tip off at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday while hitting the court at 1 p.m. on Saturday against the Cardinals. Live stats, video and audio will be available for both games. Steve Kratochvil will be providing play-by-play for both contests while Jim Kramer will be providing color commentary on the audio feed available online and on WRJN 1400 AM in the Kenosha-Racine area.

Saturday's game is Racine Raiders Day as the UW-Parkside athletic department will honor the 2012 Semi-Pro National Champions during the game. The Raiders finished the year with a 14-1 record, winning the Mid States Football League Championship before defeating the Nashville Storm 38-24 on Nov. 10, securing the organization's eighth national title and first since 2001.

About the Rangers: UW-Parkside opened its GLVC slate last week, falling 69-66 to Missouri S&T in Rolla before edging Drury, 70-66, on Saturday in Springfield, Mo.

Last Thursday's showdown against the Miners was a game of runs featuring seven lead changes and seven ties. The Rangers utilized a 10-1 run late in the game to take a 60-51 lead with 5:56 left before host S&T pieced together a 16-3 run to secure a four-point lead with 15 seconds left. UWP cut the gap to just a point off a Jaleesa Trussell three but an untimely turnover and free throws gave the win to Missouri S&T.

Jenna Endisch led the Rangers with 20 points in the loss, hitting five three-pointers on the night.

Against Drury, UW-Parkside erased a 19-point deficit in another back and forth affair with 10 lead changes and six ties. UWP rolled up the opening nine points of the game. The Panthers rebounded with a 42-15 run to grab the lead, enjoying a 15-point halftime buffer. Drury's lead increased to 19 points with 16:59 left before the Rangers rallied with a 26-6 run, including a span of 11 straight points, reclaiming the lead. The lead changed hands several times until a 7-0 run gave UWP a five point edge with under two minutes to go.

Endisch once again led the Rangers, collecting 17 points on the afternoon. The senior leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game while Gaby Bronson adds 10.6 ppg along with 5.0 rebounds per game. Trussell averages a shade under 10 a game (9.5 ppg) with Danielle Slivka leading the team on the boards with 5.4 rpg. Sierra West chips in 8.3 ppg along with a team best 4.9 assists per game.

Jan. 10 vs. Rockhurst at DeSimone Gymnasium (Live Stats)(Video)(Audio)

Series History: The Rangers and Hawks have met six times on the hardwood with UW-Parkside winning all six meetings.

Last Meeting: The Rangers and Hawks last met on Dec. 5, 2010 with the visiting Rangers prevailing 55-34. UWP led wire-to-wire and limited Rockhurst to shooting just 25.6 percent (11-for-43) from the floor.

About the Hawks: Rockhurst (3-6, 1-1 GLVC) rolls into Wisconsin having lost four of its last five games. The Hawks split a pair of contests last week, downing Saint Joseph's College 60-44 on Jan. 3 in the GLVC Opener before falling 53-47 to then seventh-ranked University of Indianapolis on Saturday.

Allison Streich is the lone Hawk averaging double figure scoring, coming into Thursday with a 10.4 ppg average. Kara McFarland adds 9.3 ppg while Kendall Hart and Lauren Meyers add 7.4 and 7.1 ppg, respectively. McFarland leads Rockhurst on the glass with 7.0 rebounds per game.

Rockhurst ranks 19th nationally in turnovers per game with 14.8 and is 25th in blocked shots, recording 4.8 blocks per game.

Jan. 12 vs. William Jewell at DeSimone Gymnasium (Live Stats)(Video)(Audio)

Series History: The Rangers and Cardinals have never met on the hardwood. 2011-2012 was WJC's first season in the GLVC and NCAA Division II. Jewell previously competed in the NAIA in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

About the Cardinals: Jewell (7-3, 1-1 GLVC) heads into Thursday's game against Lewis having split its last four games, including a pair of GLVC contests. William Jewell opened the conference slate last Thursday, suffering a 57-40 setback to then seventh-ranked UIndy before downing St. Joseph's 76-62 on Saturday.

WJC and UWP have played one common opponent in Upper Iowa University. Jewell opened the season with an 82-77 overtime defeat to the Peacocks on Nov. 10 in Fayette, Iowa while the Rangers downed UIU 60-53 three days later on the Peacock's home floor.

Holly Switzer leads the Cardinals in scoring and is one of three players averaging double figure scoring. Switzer averages 13.2 ppg while Chelsea Meeks averages 10.9 ppg and Katlyn Wood adds 10.0 ppg. Wood and Cassy Nicolay pace the squad on the boards, both averaging 5.9 rpg.

Jewell ranks fifth nationally in turnover margin (+8.5), 11th in turnovers per game (13.7) while checking in at 18th in steals per game (13.3) and 28th in scoring margin (+14.4) and scoring defense (55.1). Individually, Aerial Smith is third nationally in assist to turnover ratio (2.82) while Wood is 34th in blocks per game (1.8) and 76th nationally in double-doubles, having recorded three on the season.

Home Cooking: The Rangers have been nearly unbeatable at home in recent years, winning 51 of their last 54 games inside DeSimone Gymnasium. UWP compiled a 14-1 home record in 2011-12, the only blemish a one-point 68-67 defeat to Kentucky Wesleyan on Dec. 1.

National Rankings: The Rangers rank eighth nationally (of 277) in free throw percentage, hitting 77.1 percent from the charity stripe. UWP checks in at 15th nationally in field goal percentage (44.7) and 28th in three-point field goal percentage (36.4). Individually, Jenna Endisch sits 19th in three-point field goals per game, averaging 2.9 a contest while Sierra West is 29th nationally in assists (4.9).

WBCA Coaches' Poll: UW-Parkside dropped out of the national rankings in the week six poll, released on Jan. 8. The Rangers are the top team among "others receiving votes," garnering 75 points, nine points shy of 25th-ranked Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. UIndy is the lone GLVC squad in this week's rankings, climbing two spots to fifth.

5x10: The Rangers have utilized the same starting lineup in all 10 games this season. Endisch, Bronson, Trussell, West and Slivka have been the only starting five this season for UWP while Tara Knapstein is the only other Ranger to appear in all 10 games this season. Knapstein averages 5.7 ppg and is second on the team in steals with 18 on the year.