University Center, Mich. -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (6-1 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) perserved through two overtimes on the road for an 89-87 double overtime victory Thursday night at Saginaw Valley State University (3-4 overall, 0-2 GLIAC).

The Warriors had a golden chance to win the game in regulation after calling timeout with 27 seconds remaining but an offensive foul with 3.1 seconds left was whistled against WSU and the score knotted at 62.

In the first overtime, but Warrior big men – junior Jerry Oden (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) and senior Ike Udanoh (Detroit, Mich./Warren Woods Tower) received their fifth personal fouls. After Cardinal Chris Webb made two free throws with 10.8 seconds remaining to give the hosts a 75-73 advantage, WSU senior guard Bryan Smothers (Pontiac, Mich./Northern) drained a jumper with 0.8 ticks left sending the game into a second extra session.

Smothers hit a triple on the first possession after 6-1 sophomore guard Mike Hollingsworth (Utica, Mich.) won the tip. SVSU responded with a 6-0 run for an 81-78 lead. WSU tied the game at 81 following a conventional three-point play by freshman Bryan Coleman (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup). A Patrick O'Brien lay-up regained the lead for the hosts, but sophomore Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) hit a jumper to tie things at 83.

Each team failed to score on its next possession but Hollingsworth grabbed an offensive rebound and his jumper from the paint put the Warriors ahead 85-83 with 1:10 left. Michael Fugate made two fouls with 51.8 seconds remaining, but Smothers answered with a bucket with 40 seconds left. Fugate made two more free throws with 30.5 seconds left setting up the final possession. Smothers, with Cardinals draped all over him, hit a jumper from just inside the foul line with 2.8 seconds left and SVSU's final triple try did not fall.

The Warriors scored eight of the game's final 12 points despite having three starters on the bench after fouling out. In the two overtime periods combined, WSU made 11 field goals to five for SVSU, but despite both teams being in the double bonus, the host Cardinals attempted 15 foul shots (making all 15) compared to three for the Warriors.

Saginaw Valley started the contest strong opening up a 15-8 lead eight minutes in the game.

A 10-2 WSU run concluding on a Dale Brundidge (Southfield, Mich./Detroit Country Day) lay-up gave the Warriors their first lead since 2-0. The Wayne State spurt stretched into a 22-8 run over a nine-minute period giving WSU its largest lead of the first half at seven points (30-23). The Cardinals scored the next seven points to tie the contest, but Hollingsworth scored from inside in the final 20 seconds.

Webb starting the second half by splitting a pair from the foul line, and the Warriors responded with a 7-0 run. Saginaw Valley answered back with a 11-7 spurt, before Wayne State had an 8-0 run for its largest lead of the game at 12 points (54-42) with 10:15 left in the second half.

The Warriors led by 10 (57-47) with 6:23 remaining after an ally-oop dunk by Hollingsworth.

The Cardinals regained the lead at 58-57 with an 11-0 run. It was SVSU's first lead since 17-14.

Oden split a pair from the charity stripe to tie the game at 58, and Fugate gave the Cardinals a two-point advantage with a lay-up. Hollingsworth made two foul shots with 76 seconds left to tie the game at 60. Following a defensive rebound by Udanoh, he was rewarded with a bucket from inside with 49.9 seconds left giving WSU the lead. However, Webb made two foul shots with 32.1 seconds remaining setting up the aformentioned offensive foul call.

Hollingsworth led WSU with a career-high 25 points, while Smothers added 23. Both players played over 40 minutes in the contest. Udanoh grabbed a game-best 10 rebounds.  Junior guard Stacey Waters (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) scored eight of his 10 points in the first overtime including back-to-back triples 40 seconds apart.

Fugate led all scorers with a 30 points including 12-of-12 from the foul line. Three other Cardinals scored in double figures.

WSU led in points in the paint (40-34), points off turnovers (17-12), second chance points (11-9), fast break points (8-2) and bench points (23-11) and even shot nearly 10 percent better from the floor (49 percent to 40 percent).

The Warriors made 12 more field goal attempts (37-of-76 compared to 25-of-63 for SVSU). The biggest difference was in foul shooting were Saginaw attempted 34 compared to 18 for WSU.

Wayne State will play its final home of 2010 next Thursday, Dec. 16 with a 6 p.m. tip-off against GLIAC newcomer Ohio Dominican.