WARRIORS COMPETE IN WHAC TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND AT LOURDES

*# indicates WHAC seed

SYLVANIA, Ohio - Thursday marks a big day for the #6 Warriors (17-11, 12-10), as the team begins the 2024 WHAC Tournament at #3 Lourdes (21-5, 17-5) on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m.

THREE KEY THINGS

WARRIORS LOOK TO FIGURE OUT GRAY WOLVES

The Gray Wolves took both regular season games from the Warriors this year, including last week's Wednesday contest at the Russel J. Ebeid Center 87-70. The Gray Wolves held a significant rebounding margin over the Warriors in both matchups. For Rochester, it'll be essential to be efficient inside the paint while limiting second-chance opportunities on the other end of the floor.

WARRIOR GUARDS PROVIDE BURST

Several guards on the Warriors have made a mark in the team's gameplan throughout the last couple weeks, with Gunner Walters, Brody Parker, Anthony Cukaj, and Bralin Toney making significant scoring contributions. Lourdes brings talented guards of their own, so it'll be an exciting matchup to see how the teams fare in the playoffs.

TURNING IT AROUND

Rochester ended the season on a sour note, conceding the last two games of the year to two of the top-seeded teams in the conference. For Rochester to make a run in this tournament, the Warriors will need to bring out all the stops and play some of their best basketball of the season. It won't be easy, with the WHAC being filled top to bottom with talented teams, but the Warriors have had breakout performances throughout the year, including forward Brett White.

COACH'S CORNER

Head Coach Klint Pleasant had this to say on the matchup:

"We just have to have sustained toughness and energy on the defensive end. And we have to keep them off the offensive glass. Hitting shots is always needed in big games, but sustained effort on the defensive end is the focus, for sure."

SPORTS INFORMATION SPOTLIGHT

Parker has had a strong end to the season off the bench, averaging 17 points per game on 55% shooting.

THE FIELD

Next to the Gray Wolves and Warriors are crosstown rivals #2 Cornerstone and #7 Aquinas. On the other side of the bracket, #1 Madonna hosts #8 Siena Heights, and #4 Indiana Tech takes on #5 Lawrence Tech.

Hussein Murray - RU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Hanna Swanson - RU Athletics