SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University women's basketball team travels to Siena Heights (Mich.) in Adrian, Mich. for a WHAC tilt on Saturday evening. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m.
Lawrence Tech (8-3, 5-1) enters the game following a 66-51 win over University of Michigan - Dearborn on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Five players finished in double-figures including a game high 13 points from Christina Henry (SR/Lansing, Mich.). Henry also added eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Allison Kitchen (SR/Clio, MI) made LTU history, becoming just the second player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points. Kitchen finished the game with 12 points and four rebounds.
The Blue Devils are led by sophomore Nicole Buckingham (SO/Saginaw, Mich.) with 15.4 points per game with Kitchen averaging 6.6 rebounds per game and 2.91 steals per game. Cherilyn Banas (SO/Oxford, Mich.) dishes 3.6 assists per game while Danielle Hanson (FR/East Lansing, Mich.) has four blocks on the year.
Lawrence Tech ranks fourth in NAIA DII in scoring defense per game at 53.3, 13th in steals per game (12.3) and total steals (135). The Blue Devils rank 14th in turnover margin (6.3) and 16th in assist/turnover ratio at 0.994.
Kaitlyn Smith (FR/Holly, Mich.) ranks 12th in NAIA DII three-point field goal percentage (0.486), 15th in total three-point field goal mades (34), and 16th in three-point field goals made per game (3.091). Kitchen ranks 13th in total steals, 16th in steals per game, while Banas is 34th in total assists (40) and 44th in assists per game (3.6). Buckingham ranks 35th in free throw percentage (0.833) and 50th in total scoring (169), while Hayley Walkowski (JR/Marshall, MI) ranks 48th in assist/turnover ratio at 2.00.
Siena Heights (6-5, 2-4) opened the season 1-4, but have since won five of six including a 65-53 win over University of Northwestern Ohio on Wednesday. The Saints are led by April Watson with 19.36 points per game, 9.55 rebounds per game, and a team high 14 blocks. Azalea Miller leads SHU in assists with 45 while Jaaliyah Arrington has a team high 12 steals.
The Saints rank 19th in NAIA DII three-point field goal percentage (0.355), 21st in total rebound margin (6.6), 23rd in total rebound defense (33.7), 36th in field goal percentage (0.415), and 39th in defensive rebounds per game (28.3).
Clara Waidley ranks 11th in NAIA DII total three-point field goals made (35) and 12th in three-point field goals made per game (3.2). Watson ranks 12th in points per game and total scoring (213).
The Saints lead the all-time series 2-6, but Lawrence Tech have won the last two contests including a 72-57 win in Adrian on Jan. 16, 2016.
Live stats can be found here with live video found here.
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