SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's basketball team will host the Ashland University Eagles for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) series this weekend, in the final weekend of the regular season. The series will begin on Friday, Feb. 26 at 8:00 p.m. and conclude on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 4:30 p.m. in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Due to COVID-19 related changes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) scheduling process for the 2021 season, teams will play a pair of games against the same opponent each weekend.
The Lakers
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Lake Superior State has posted a 1-15 overall record in GLIAC play. Most recently, the Lakers played a pair of road games against Wisconsin-Parkside, dropping both games to the Rangers.
With the majority of regular season games played, the Lakers have been led by sophomore forward Mattison Rayman, who has started all 14 games she's played in this season. Rayman has averaged 13.9 points per game while also leading the team in rebounds per game with 7.4. The sophomore ranks tenth among all WCHA players in points per game and fifth in the conference in rebounds per game. Rayman, who averages 25.5 minutes on the floor each game, ranks second among her teammates with a 47.9 shooting percentage this season.
In the Lakers most recent game, Rayman scored a career-best 26 points, going 9-for-16 in the game and 8-for-9 in free throw attempts. Rayman has posted 10 games with double-digit point totals and is on a seven-game streak heading into the series against Ashland.
Newcomer Makenzie Bray, a transfer from Truman State University, has made an impact on the floor in her first season with the Lakers. Bray ranks second on the team with 9.2 points per game and averages 25.7 minutes per game, which ranks third on the team. In the Lakers game on Feb. 21, Bray scored 16 points, tying her previous season best. The forward has recorded eight double-digit point games this season and a double-double in the game on Feb. 20 (10 pts., 10 reb.).
As a team, the Laker offense is combining for 55.9 points per game this season on a 34.7 shooting percentage and a 24.9 percentage from three. Lake Superior has recorded an average of 31.8 rebounds per game this season.
Scouting the Eagles
Ashland will travel to the Upper Peninsula to face the Lakers in the final series of the 2021 regular season. The Eagles are led by head coach Kari Pickens, who is in her eighth season in the role at Ashland. Last season, the Eagles posted a 31-0 overall record (20-0 GLIAC) and was voted to finish in first in the standings in the GLIAC South Division Preseason Poll.
Last weekend, the Eagles split a road series against the Northwood Timberwolves, falling in the first game by a score of 74-67 and winning the second game, 65-61. Through 16 games this season, Ashland has recorded a 9-7 overall record.
The Eagles are led by the duo of Annie Roshak and Karlee Pireu, who have both averaged over 19 points per game this season. Roshak, a sophomore forward, leads the team with 19.6 points per game on a 50.5 shooting percentage and a 43.2 mark from three. Entering the final weekend of the regular season, Roshak leads all GLIAC players in points per game and has started 13 of the 14 games she has played in this season.
Pireu, a senior forward, ranks second among her teammates and third in the GLIAC in points per game with 19.4 this season. Pireu has started all 16 games this season and leads the Eagles with a 52.8 shooting percentage, which is the third highest in the GLIAC this season. The senior also leads her team in rebounds with 8.1 per game.
Junior guard Hallie Heidemann rounds out the top three scorers for Ashland this season with 12.2 points per game.
As a team, the Eagles offense is combining for 74.6 points per game this season on a 45.8 shooting percentage and a 33.4 percentage from three. Ashland has recorded an average of 33.4 rebounds per game this season.
Follow the Lakers
Due to State of Michigan, GLIAC and Lake Superior State University mandates, fans are not currently permitted to attend any Laker sporting events. Even though spectators cannot currently attend Laker home games, there are still a number of ways that fans will be able to follow the game action. All Laker home games during the 2021 season will be available to watch live on Stretch TV. For more information or to sign up for a subscription, visit https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lssu/. Fans can also tune in to the radio broadcast on ESPN 1400, the official radio station of Laker basketball.
For more information, visit lssulakers.com
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