WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Women's Basketball returns to action with a pair of MCCAA Eastern Conference games this week, traveling to Henry Ford College at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 14) before hosting Mott Community College at 1 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 17) from Wayne State University's Matthaei Center in Detroit. 
 
Macomb is 11-5 overall and 0-1 in league play after suffering a narrow 63-53 setback to the now third-ranked Ocelots of Schoolcraft College on Saturday. The Monarchs remained in the receiving votes category of the NJCAA Division II Women's Rankings despite the loss after holding a lead through three quarters and playing a back-and-forth game against a top five opponent.
 
SCOUTING HENRY FORD: The Hawks enter this week 2-9 overall and 1-0 in conference play after opening the MCCAA East slate with an impressive 71-69 road victory over Wayne County Community College District on Saturday.
 
Reigning MCCAA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Teona Gillette, leads the team in scoring with 18.9 points per contest, while Landen Smith has tallied 13.4 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game. Against Wayne County, Gillette posted a double-double of 27 points and 14 rebounds. Smith registered 16 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double of her own to help the Hawks earn the two-point decision over the Wildcats. 
 
The Hawks average 58.1 points per night as a team and earned their only other win this season on Dec. 5 when they defeated Lorain County Community College, 77-70. 
 
Charles Perez is in his first full season as head coach of the program after taking over at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.  
 
SCOUTING MOTT: The Bears are 6-7 overall and 0-1 in MCCAA East play after falling to St. Clair County Community College last Saturday in Flint by a 79-63 final tally.
 
Ella Prevost leads the team offensively with 10.9 points and 4.1 assists per game. As a freshman in 2024-25, Prevost earned Third Team All-Eastern Conference honors. Isabelle Bernthal has tallied 9.9 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds per contest.
 
Ryleigh Zinn led the team in the conference opener against St. Clair County with 18 points, while Ali Anderson recorded 15 points and eight rebounds. 
 
Mott is averaging 65.8 points per game as a team and is led by first-year head coach Ryan Trevithick. 
 
A LOOK AT MACOMB: Despite last Saturday's loss at Schoolcraft, Macomb has won six of their last seven games and is receiving votes in the NJCAA national poll for the first time in over four years. 
 
Standout sophomore forward Asiyah Jihad led Macomb on Saturday with her latest double-double, netting 16 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Janiya McWilliams added 10 points and six rebounds while MyKenzi Harris also had 10 points to go along with four rebounds. 
 
Jihad, an All-Region, All-MCCAA and First Team All-Conference selection from a season ago, continues to lead the team by averaging a double-double of 15.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Harris is also in double-figures offensively with 11.9 points per game. A'Liyah Forris is averaging 12.4 points and a team-leading 2.9 assists per game. 
 
As a team, the Monarchs are averaging 64.9 points per game while holding the opposition to 58.6 points per contest.
 
LAST SEASON: The Monarchs swept both Henry Ford and Mott last season to continue lengthy winning streaks over each opponent. In all, the Monarchs have won 12 straight over Mott with their last loss coming on Feb. 25, 2019, in Flint. The Monarchs have won all 21 meetings with Henry Ford dating back to the 2012-13 season when the NJCAA began tracking game-by-game results.
 
LIVE COVERAGE: Henry Ford will provide live video coverage of Wednesday's matchup here. Saturday's home game (at Wayne State's Mathaei Center) will include a live video broadcast with Tom Cavanaugh on the call. Live stats will also be available for Saturday's conference tilt here.
 
HOME GAME INFO: All Macomb Basketball home conference games this season will be played at Wayne State's Mathaei Center due to ongoing renovations to the Macomb Sports & Expo Center. Admission is $5.00 (cash or card). Wayne State charges for parking (cost is approximately $10.00).

UP NEXT: Macomb will host St. Clair County Community College next Wednesday (Jan. 21) at 5:30 p.m., before wrapping up a three-game homestand Saturday (Jan. 24) against Oakland Community College at 1 p.m. Both games will be at Wayne State's Matthaei Center in Detroit.