ADRIAN, Mich. - While it may still be considered part of their respective road trips, the Adrian men's and women's basketball teams will be in Adrian this week for the season's first doubleheader. For this affair, the Bulldogs venture across town to challenge the Saints of Siena Heights.

Members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), the men's and women's basketball teams of Siena Heights are on two very different paths to start their seasons.

While the men have dropped seven of their first eight, the women (6-1) only just suffered their first defeat of the 2021-22 campaign this past week at Concordia Ann Arbor.

The first contest of Tuesday evening will feature the women and will include an intriguing match-up between Siena Height's Peyton Banks and Adrian's Chelsea Palmer.

The two are leading their respective teams in both scoring and rebounding, and have a combined six double-doubled between them. In fact, Banks in one of only two players in the WHAC to be averaging in double-figures in both points (20.3) and rebounds (11.0).

Palmer, on the other hand, is a little off from 10-plus rebounds per outing, but does lead the Bulldog line-up with 14.8 points per game. The senior most recently recorded her tenth-career double-double at Manchester on Saturday.

Behind the efforts of Banks, as well as several other noteworthy contributors on the Saints' roster, Siena Heights has established itself as one of the hottest shooting teams in all the conference, ranking second in 3-point field goal percentage, and third in both field goal percentage and free throw percentage.

Along with Banks' plus-.500 mark from the floor, the Saints have also garnered a bulk of their scoring from Sha'kiya Parker.

The junior is also knocking down over 50 percent of her attempts from the floor en route to a 14.4 scoring average.

Allye Minor has played a major role in how her team moves the ball, chipping in a Saints'-best 32 assists.

As for the Bulldogs, Kiaya Warner has been the black and gold's primary dime dropper, dishing out 10 total assists.

Warner is one of four who have started in all five games so far for Adrian, including Rylee Campbell, who is actively second on the team with 9.4 points per outing. A large chunk of that average coming from her team-best 10 total 3-point baskets.

This season's meeting between the two sides will be the first since November of 2019, in which the Bulldogs snapped a nine-game losing skid to their crosstown-foe.

Following the women's action will be a bout between the Adrian and Siena Heights men's teams, both of whom will be searching for its second win of the 2021-22 season.

The Saints, losers of six-straight, are led by the scoring trio of Curtis Bell III (14.0 points per game), Davin Walker (11.3) and Jayden Sims (11.0).

Bell is also the team's leader on the boards with nearly 10 rebounds per outing, The junior, however, has committed more turnovers than any other player listed on the Siena Heights' roster, coughing up the ball 4.5 times per outing.

That stat will not fare well against an Adrian defense out-stealing its opponents by almost half a steal per game.

This past week, the Bulldog men's basketball team went on the road for the first time this campaign, dealing with several injuries to some of its key players, including Connor Pelham who had to sit out Adrian's trip to Ohio over the weekend with an ankle issue after dropping a career-best 26 points at Earlham on Wednesday.

De'Ovion Price and P'hariz Watkins stepped up for the 'Dogs during their most recent three-game stretch, averaging 15.3 and 12.0 points per game, respectively.

Jalen Paul played almost 30 minutes more than any other player for Adrian over the last week, ultimately leading to a team-high 15 assists, as well as 12 rebounds, one steal and 32 total points.

Tuesday's action at the Siena Heights Fieldhouse will be the first match-up between the two schools since November 26, 2019. Adrian won that bout, 86-85.

The latest edition of the crosstown rivalry tips-off at 6 p.m. with the women, followed by the men at 8 p.m.

Live stats and video will be available for both contests. Please see Siena Height's attendance protocol for more information.