KENOSHA, Wis. – Back inside De Simone Arena and still searching for their first GLIAC win, the Parkside women's basketball team returns home this week to continue conference play with a pair of key matchups against the league's other winless team and a Cardinal group that has already shown it can swing a weekend. The Rangers enter the week 5-7 overall and 0-4 in GLIAC play and will host Lake Superior State on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT before welcoming Saginaw Valley State on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.
Parkside comes home after an 0-2 start to the new year that was equal parts gut punch and offensive breakthrough. On New Year's Day, the Rangers suffered a heartbreaking 69-68 loss to Roosevelt despite leading by 11 at halftime, going ice cold in the third quarter (2-for-22), and watching Marie Outlay hit a buzzer-beating three to steal it late. Monday in Big Rapids, Parkside turned in its best offensive output of the season but fell to No. 23 Ferris State, 96-90, as the Bulldogs flipped the game with a dominant third quarter (30-16) and closed with late-game efficiency after shooting 55% from the field, 50% from three and 24-for-33 at the line. Emma Schierbeek led Ferris with 25 points on 8-for-11 shooting and 5-for-6 from deep, while Mya Hiram added 19. Parkside shot 49% from the floor and got a career-high 24 points from Katie Hamill and a season-high 18 from Peighton Nelson, with Hamill also posting a career-high eight assists, but the Rangers couldn't match Ferris State's 36 points in the paint, 34 bench points and timely scoring down the stretch.
Through 12 games, Parkside is averaging 66.2 points per game while allowing 65.2 for a +1.0 scoring margin. The Rangers are shooting 41% from the field, 27% from three and 75% at the line while holding opponents to 38% shooting overall. Parkside has been solid on the glass with a +1.6 rebounding margin (37.5 rebounds per game) and continues to impact games defensively with 4.8 blocks per contest, but the Rangers will look to clean up a -2.7 turnover margin (17.3 turnovers per game) as they try to break through in conference play.
Individually, Hamill has been the engine, leading Parkside at 15.7 points per game while shooting 45% from the floor and 33% from three, and she has been automatic at the stripe at 92% (34-for-37). Nelson continues to pace the attack as the primary facilitator with 62 assists (5.2 per game) while adding 9.0 points per contest, and she has been one of the league's most consistent minute-eaters at 33.9 minutes per game. Cassidy Arni adds 13.3 points per game on 46% shooting and contributes across the stat sheet, while Lillie Petersen has provided steady interior production at 9.9 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game. Parkside's depth has also shown with two Rangers averaging 6.0 points per game (Lexi Bugajski and Alli Hampel), while Hampel has been a presence defensively with 11 blocks.
Thursday, Jan. 8
Parkside vs Lake Superior State
5:30 p.m. CT | De Simone Arena | Kenosha, Wis.
Saturday, Jan. 10
Parkside vs Saginaw Valley State
1 p.m. CT | De Simone Arena | Kenosha, Wis.
SCOUTING LAKE SUPERIOR STATE:
Lake Superior State comes to Kenosha as the only other team in the GLIAC still searching for its first conference win, entering the week 3-9 overall and 0-4 in league play. The Lakers are coming off an 0-2 weekend at home, falling 70-66 to Purdue Northwest and 74-70 to Wayne State. Against the Warriors, Wayne State built a first-half cushion (36-23) and leaned on interior pressure and paint scoring, while Lake State made a late push behind Dara Capaldi's 19 points, Grace Bradford's 16 and Clare Conzelmann's 14, but early offensive struggles proved too much to overcome.
Statistically, Lake Superior State is averaging 62.8 points per game while allowing 72.3, and the Lakers are shooting 38% from the field and 25% from three. They have been strong on the glass at 40.3 rebounds per game with a +4.0 rebounding margin, but ball security has been a major storyline, as Lake State is averaging 19.4 turnovers per game with a -6.3 turnover margin. After finishing last in the league a season ago, the Lakers were picked to finish last again in the GLIAC preseason coaches' poll and are led by second-year head coach Grace Howrigon.
Bradford has been one of the league's most productive posts, leading the Lakers at 14.8 points and a GLIAC-best 11.4 rebounds per game, and she has already piled up six double-doubles. Capaldi adds 11.5 points per game and has been a steady second scorer, while Conzelmann provides a perimeter element with 9.2 points per contest and 25 made threes. Lake State's frontcourt activity shows up on the defensive end as well, with Seyyane Matthew (13 blocks) and Bradford (eight blocks) helping the Lakers average 3.3 blocks per game.
Parkside has historically controlled the series, owning a 19-1 all-time record against Lake Superior State and a perfect 15-0 mark at home. The Rangers are 14-0 against the Lakers in GLIAC play since the first meeting in 2002 and have won 15 straight in the series. Parkside took both meetings by double figures last season, winning 74-62 in Kenosha and 75-61 in Sault Ste. Marie. Lake State's only win in the series came on Nov. 16, 2008.
SCOUTING SAGINAW VALLEY STATE:
Saginaw Valley State enters the weekend 4-8 overall and 2-2 in GLIAC play and has already shown it can bounce back quickly. The Cardinals were routed 77-39 at home by Wayne State on Friday but responded with a 91-79 win over Purdue Northwest on Sunday. SVSU was picked seventh in the GLIAC preseason coaches' poll, highlighted by Megan McCalla earning Preseason All-GLIAC Second Team recognition after leading the league in scoring a season ago and collecting All-GLIAC First Team and D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second Team honors. The Cardinals also returned senior guard Lydia Meredith, an All-GLIAC Defensive Team selection a year ago, and added six newcomers (three transfers and three freshmen) to reshape the roster.
Through 12 games, Saginaw Valley is averaging 59.7 points per game while allowing 69.8, shooting 38% from the field and 21% from three. The Cardinals have been efficient at the free-throw line at 77% and are essentially even on the boards (+0.3 rebounding margin), but turnovers have been a consistent factor, as SVSU is averaging 20.0 turnovers per game with a -4.6 turnover margin.
McCalla leads the Cardinals at 15.2 points per game while shooting 46% from the field. Meredith has been a do-it-all force at 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while wreaking havoc defensively with 46 steals (4.2 per game). Freshman Kaitlyn Geurink has added a third double-figure scorer at 10.2 points per contest and has been one of the Cardinals' top perimeter threats with 14 made threes. Inside, Lauren Borsenik has anchored the rim protection with 15 blocks (1.3 per game) while shooting 50% from the floor, and Lainey Yater has helped stabilize the offense with 41 assists.
Parkside has had the upper hand in the series, owning a 13-4 all-time record against the Cardinals and winning three straight. The Rangers have taken eight of the last 10 meetings, are 7-0 at home in the series and are 9-3 against SVSU in GLIAC play. Parkside swept last season's matchups by double figures, including a 73-50 win in Kenosha that marked head coach Jen Conely's 100th career victory and the largest margin of victory over Saginaw Valley State in program history.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Following this home weekend, Parkside will hit the road next week to take on Wayne State in Detroit on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 4:30 p.m. CT before traveling to Hammond, Ind., to face Purdue Northwest on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m. CT.
To keep up with the Rangers, visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
