Wayne State Men's Basketball Weekly Release

2010-11 RECORDS:
Wayne State 6-1, 3-0 GLIAC
Ohio Dominican 2-6, 0-3 GLIAC
Tiffin 2-5, 0-3 GLIAC

SERIES:
First meeting between WSU and ODU
WSU leads Tiffin 8-0

LAST MEETING:
WSU won 91-74 at home vs. TU on Feb. 20

RADIO: WDTK (1400 AM)

ONLINE AUDIO:   wdtkam.com

LIVE STATS:  livestats.prestosports.com/waynestate

* GAMES 8-9 STORYLINES

Following last Thursday's double-overtime triumph at Saginaw Valley, Wayne State is off to its best start (6-1) since the 2007-08 team started 7-1. The last WSU team to start 8-1 was the 1969-70 squad.

The two games this week for the Warriors will be the final league games until Jan. 8.

* ALL-TIME SERIES

Wayne State has never faced Ohio Dominican in men's basketball.

The Warriors have won all eight previous meetings against the Dragons.

* WEEK 4 RECAP

Wayne State only played one game last week but it took 50 minutes to decide the outcome.

The host Cardinals jumped out to a 15-8 lead (their largest of the game) less than eight minutes into the contest.

A 12-2 Warrior run culminating in a jumper by Stacey Waters gave the visitors a 20-17 lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.

WSU led 30-23 following a Jerry Oden bucket, but SVSU scored the next seven points until a Mike Hollingsworth hoop gave the Warriors a 32-30 lead at intermission.

The Warriors had a 7-0 run early in the second half, but Saginaw Valley answered back with a 11-7 spurt.Wayne State responded with 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 had a golden chance to win the game in regulation after calling a timeout with 27 seconds remaining but an offensive foul with 3.1 seconds left was whistled against WSU and the score tied at 62.

In the first overtime, Cardinal Chris Webb made two free throws with 10.8 seconds remaining to give the hosts a 75-73 advantage, but Bryan Smothers 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 Hollingsworth 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 Bryan Coleman. After SVSU had taken a lead, Ian Larkin hit a jumper to tie things at 83.

Michael 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.

* ON THE BENCH

David Greer, just the ninth head coach in 93 years of WSU basketball, is in his 10th season at WSU with a 133-122 record.  He is the fifth-longest tenured coach at WSU.

Artie Taylor is in his fourth year with the Panthers and has a 46-49 record at ODU.

Tiffin's John Hill has a 4-30 mark in his second year with the Dragons.

* SCOUTING OHIO DOMINICAN

The Panthers have lost four straight after back-to-back wins over Cincinnati Christian (87-59) and Mid-Continent (65-62).

Ohio Dominican has lost all five road games this season.

Aaron Gibbs leads ODU in points per game (11.4), assists (19), rebounds (54), blocked shots (7) and field goal percentage (56.2).

Zak Kapron is second on the squad in both scoring (9.8 ppg) and rebounds (49).

Kip Kelley has a team-best 14 triples and is shooting 56 percent (14-of-25) from beyond the arc.

* SCOUTING TIFFIN

The Dragons have lost four straight since winning two of three to start the year.

Joe Graessle leads the team in scoring (16.0 points per game) and three-pointers made (22), while ranking second in assists with 19.  He is 35th nationally in three-pointers made per game (3.1).

Either Rafael Cuellar (59 rebounds) or Travis Spahr (53 rebounds) have led the Dragons in rebounding every game.

Cuellar also leads TU in assists (20) and field goal percentage (56.8/25-of-44).

Karl Finley is second in scoring (13.4 ppg) and first in steals (8).

Brandon Harris has a team-high 12 blocks, which ranks 45th nationally at 1.7 blocks per game.

WSU-ODU SERIES NOTES

• First meeting

WSU-TU SERIES NOTES

• WSU leads 8-0 in the all-time series

• Wayne State is 4-0 all-time at Tiffin

• The Warriors have won by average of 21.5 points over the last six meetings

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS

Streaming video of Wayne State's home basketball games is available via Warrior All-Access for $5.95 per game, while a WSU Monthly All-Access Pass is available for $9.95.