ADRIAN, Mich. - The Adrian women's basketball team is coming home this week.

After playing a month's worth of road games, the Bulldogs will take to the hardwood of the Merillat Sport and Fitness Center for the first time this season on Saturday afternoon versus Saint Mary's.

But while the team's well-anticipated home-debut sits just around the corner, there remains one last stop on the local's season-opening road-trip.

On Wednesday, Adrian will venture south to Angola, Indiana to tip-off conference-play against No. 13 Trine.

The Thunder (5-1) recently dropped two spots in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Top 25 poll, moving them into a two-way tie with Simpson (Iowa).

After being defeated by then-unranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire on November 21, Trine bounced back with a 21-point victory at Ohio Northern on Saturday.

The senior trio of Tara Bieniewicz, Rachel Stewart and Kelsy Taylor are the Thunder's primary catalysts, averaging 11.3, 10.5 and 10.3 points per outing, respectively.

Stewart, who also leads her team with 11 steals and seven blocks, ranks second in the MIAA with a 70.6 field goal percentage.

As a team, Trine is managing a league second-best 47.6 percent from the floor, trailing only Hope (51.1).

Going into this week's match-up, the Thunder have won 10-straight against the Bulldogs, dating back to 2017. During that stretch, the black and gold have been held under 40 points five times.

Adrian's conference schedule continues against the Belles (1-5) on Saturday.

Saint Mary's lone win on the season came back on November 17 at Elmhurst by a narrow margin of 71-70. Aside from that result, only one other of the Belles games has been decided by less than 10 points.

Maddie Rzepka and Elle Deardorff lead the team with respective 9.7 and 9.5 scoring averages. Then, on the glass, Bella Dugas stands with a team-high 40 total boards, including 21 offensively.

The Belles well-rounded line-up carries on in the team's leading shot blocker, Anne Goralczyk, and the team's top dime-dropper, Nikki Murphy.

They will need every piece in tune if they are to knock-off a Bulldog squad that is outshooting its opponents from behind the three-point arc and in total from the field.

Despite these advantages, however, Adrian (2-4) has still come up on the losing-end in three-straight contests.

Chelsea Palmer, who was held to single-figures in scoring for the first time this season at Siena Heights, paces the black and gold with 13.6 points per game, 38 total rebounds and four blocks. The senior has also attempted eight more free throws than the next closest shooter for the 'Dogs.

Free throw shooting, in general has been a tough spot for Adrian. While the team is converting on just 64.9 percent from the line, opponents are registering a 74.5 percent mark from the charity stripe. In all, the Bulldogs' opponents have hit 26 more free throws, contributing to a 20-point edge that teams have over the locals in total scoring (380-360).

Also chipping in for Adrian in scoring are Rylee Campbell (9.2 points per game) and Makayla Clement (7.2). The latter of the two has, additionally hauled in a team-best nine steals, while Campbell has connected for 12 three-pointers to go along with 10 assists.

All told, the Bulldogs are averaging 60.0 points a night, which ranks sixth in the league.

This weekend's home bout with the Belles is slated to begin at 3 p.m.

Live stats and video will be available for both of this week's games.