Complete PDF Notes
Upcoming in Gray Wolves Basketball: Postseason basketball begins on Thursday evening for Lourdes University as the sixth-seeded Gray Wolves travel to Grand Rapids, Mich. to face third-seeded Cornerstone in the quarterfinals of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament.

Head Coach Andre Smith: In his fifth season both on the Lourdes bench and overall as a men's collegiate head coach, Andre Smith has a 85-72 (.541) record.  He is the only head coach in Lourdes program's history.  Smith was the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2012-2013.

Series Notes: Cornerstone holds an 8-1 series edge against Lourdes dating back to Dec. 10, 2011.  The Golden Eagles won both meetings during the regular season, defeating the Gray Wolves 75-67 in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Nov. 19 before posting a 67-55 triumph at Tam-o-Shanter on Jan. 28.  Cornerstone has won six straight meetings between the two schools and is 4-1 against Lourdes in Grand Rapids.  Lourdes won the only previous WHAC tournament contest between the two schools, 67-58, in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Feb. 22, 2012 in the quarterfinal round.

Wrapping Up Last Week: Lourdes held fourth-ranked Davenport to just 21.6% shooting, including 3-of-27 from three-point range, while upsetting the Panthers 53-32 at home on Wednesday evening.  Zach Steinmetz scored 17 points and had seven rebounds while E.J. Blackwell added 15 points for the Gray Wolves.  Lourdes held Davenport to just 13 second half points.  On Saturday in the regular season finale, Blackwell tallied 20 points, but was the only Gray Wolf in double figures as Lourdes lost at Northwestern Ohio 71-59.  The Racers shot 53.1% in the victory.

Scouting Cornerstone: The Golden Eagles have won eight straight games and 16 of their last 17 contests overall after closing the regular season with a 76-67 victory at Lawrence Tech on Saturday.  Kyle Steigenga leads Cornerstone averaging 20.8 points per game while grabbing 7.5 rebounds per contest.  He ranks second in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 70.7% from the floor.  Ben Lanning adds 15.8 points and a team-leading 7.8 boards per game while Cory Cox is scoring 14.5 points per night.  As a team, Cornerstone is holding teams to just 28.8% shooting from three-point range, tops in the country, and 38.9% shooting overall from the floor, third best in the nation.

Sixth Seed for Second Straight Season: Lourdes enters the WHAC tournament as the sixth seed for the second straight year.  Last season the Gray Wolves traveled to Northwestern Ohio in the quarterfinals, falling to the Racers 83-69.  Lourdes was the seventh seed in 2012, the year the Gray Wolves earned an automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament, and the third seed in 2013.

All-Time in the WHAC Tournament: Lourdes sports a 3-3 record all-time in the WHAC tournament.  The Gray Wolves advanced to the championship game in 2012, defeating Cornerstone in the quarterfinals and Concordia (Mich.) in the semifinals before falling to Davenport in the title game.  In 2013, Lourdes won its quarterfinal game at home to Concordia (Mich.) before falling at Madonna in the semifinals.  Last year the Gray Wolves dropped their quarterfinal game at Northwestern Ohio.  

Three Straight Ranked Foes: Thursday's game at Cornerstone marks the third straight ranked opponent the Gray Wolves will have faced.  Lourdes is 8-24 all-time against top-25 teams after defeating #4 Davenport last Wednesday and falling to #17 Northwestern Ohio on Saturday.  The Gray Wolves are 1-5 against ranked opponents this year, with the win over Davenport being the highest ranked team Lourdes has ever defeated.

Another Winning Season: Lourdes has assured itself of its fourth consecutive winning season.  The Gray Wolves' 17 wins are tied with the 2011-2012 squad for the second most victories in a season in program history.  The school record for wins is 22 set in 2012-2013.

Steinmetz Earns Three League Honors: Zach Steinmetz was named the WHAC Player of the Week three times this season.  He earned the honor in back-to-back weeks on Nov. 10 and 17 while also garnering the award on Feb. 16.

Among the Nation's Top Defenses: Lourdes has given up just 58.1 points per game this season, a mark that ranks second in NAIA Division II.  The Gray Wolves finished in the top-five nationally in scoring defense each of the last three seasons as well.  Lourdes has also limited the opposition to just 40.1% shooting from the floor this season, the sixth best mark in the country.  

A Solid Defensive Effort: Lourdes held fourth-ranked Davenport to just 32 points last Wednesday, the fewest points the Panthers had ever scored in a game.  It marked the fewest points the Gray Wolves had allowed this season, and was the fewest Lourdes had surrendered since setting a school record by allowing just 21 points on Jan. 26, 2013 against Michigan-Dearborn.

Making Free Throws: E.J. Blackwell ranks 21st in the nation shooting 83.9% from the charity stripe this season.  He has made 27 of his last 28 attempts from the free throw line dating back to the Marygrove game on Feb. 11.  In fact, he had made 24 straight from the stripe until a second half miss at Northwestern Ohio on Saturday.

This and That: Jake DuPree ranks sixth in NAIA Division II tallying 2.40 steals per game and is 20th with a 2.72 assist-to-turnover ratio ... Zach Steinmetz is 15th nationally pulling down 3.23 offensive rebounds per game and 20th in the country grabbing 8.70 boards per night ... Lourdes is holding teams to just 28.0 points per game in the first half this season ... the Gray Wolves are on pace to set a school record shooting 36.7% from three-point range this year (previous best is 31.7% in 2013-2014).