Women's Basketball | 1/11/2022 10:37:00 AM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Golden Eagles return after an unprecedented 13 days away from game action with games at UM-Dearborn and Aquinas this week. CU comes into this weeks action with a 3-12, 1-6 WHAC record looking to move up in the conference standings to begin the second half of the year. To view this week's action visit the links HERE.

COVID Reschedules

Cornerstone did not play last week as the WHAC continues to see multiple teams forced to reschedule due to COVID-19 issues. CU was scheduled to play at Madonna and UNOH last week and both games were postponed. The teams are currently finalizing reschedule dates for later in the year, as this week CU will take on UM-Dearborn and Aquinas for games five and six of the road trip. 

Finding the Offense

Cornerstone continues to search for their offense headed into 2022 scoring 57 points in each of the final two games in 2021 in a 62-57 loss at Grace Christian and 74-57 loss at Davenport. CU has now scored under 60 points in eight of their 15 games and gone 0-8 in those contests. On the year, Cornerstone is 3-12, 1-6 WHAC as they have 13 games remaining in the regular season with all of them being conference games. 

Helderop Double-Double

Point guard Kennedy Helderop earned her first career double-double in the loss at Grace Christian recording a career high 13 boards to go along with 11 points. Helderop hit a team high three shots from behind the arc to keep CU in the game on their worst shooting percentage night of the year. On the year, Helderop leads the team in assists and is second on the team in rebounds per game. 

First Half Around the WHAC 

CU's game at Aquinas marks the beginning of the second half of the conference season. In the first half, Indiana Tech sits in first place at 8-1 in WHAC play and is followed by Rochester at 8-2. Siena Heights is in third with a 5-2 record. CU sits tied for eighth at 1-6 as the standings currently sit. 

Scouting UM-Dearborn

The Wolverines come off a year that they did not compete due to COVID-19 which has resulted in a slight setback from their 17-14 record in the 2019-20 season. This season, the team has gone 4-14 and 2-7 WHAC overall. UMD has a few senior leaders supporting nine freshmen on the roster as they most recently defeated Lawrence Tech by 13 before the same Blue Devils beat the WHAC front-runner Indiana Tech. Offensively, no player scores more than 10 points a game as the team averages just 57.1 PPG. Three starters do average over nine points per game however, with Ro'Zhane Wells leading the way at 9.7. 

Scouting Aquinas

Cornerstone hung tough with AQ in the first meeting of the 2021-22 year, but fell at home in overtime to the tall defensive minded Saints. Aquinas is outstanding at defending the rim as they rank eighth in the country with 5.2 blocks per game. Senior Marissa Brady leads the block charge as she ranks second in the country with 64 to go along with her 11.3 rebounds per game. Aquinas in the first half have gone exactly .500 with a 9-9 overall record and a 4-4 WHAC record. In seven of the teams nine losses the opponent has scored more than 60 points per game, while in all of their wins opponents have scored under 60. AQ has won the last seven meetings against CU and nine of the last 10.