Tiffin, Ohio – The Wayne State University men's basketball team (8-1 overall, 5-0 GLIAC) is off to the best start since the 1969-70 squad also started 8-1 following a 91-81 victory at Tiffin University (2-7 overall, 0-5 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors started strong building a five point lead at 10-5 on a conventional three-point play by sophomore guard Mike Hollingsworth (Utica, Mich.). The game was tied three times (at 10, 12, and 18) over a three-minute span before a 13-1 Warrior run turned a one-point deficit into an 11-point advantage (30-19), WSU's largest lead of the opening half. Freshman Gerald Williams-Taylor (Flint, Mich./Northern) finished off the spurt with four consecutive points.

The Dragons answered with a 15-7 run over the next four minutes to cut the Warrior lead to three at 37-34, but sophomore forward Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) had a conventional three-point play to regain a six point lead.

A 13-4 run by Tiffin to end the first half gave the hosts a 47-44 lead at intermission. Both teams made 16 field goals in the opening 20 minutes but the difference was TU made eight triples compared to four for WSU.

A triple by Dragon Karl Finley less than a minute into the second stanza had the hosts up five (52-47). Wayne State responded with five straight points on a jumper by senior forward Jerry Oden (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) and a conventional three-point play by senior guard Bryan Smothers (Pontiac, Mich./Northern).

After TU maintained a lead for the next three minutes, the game was tied at 57, 59, and 63.
Over the next four-and-a-half minutes, WSU outscored Tiffin 11-4 for a seven-point advantage (74-67). A triple by freshman Bryan Coleman (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) started the streak, while Smothers contributed a lay-up, and back-to-back dunks by Hollingsworth and Oden extended the stretch.

Following a Tiffin bucket with 5:53 left which cut the Warrior lead to five (74-69), Wayne State scored the next six points on a jumper by Larkin and back-to-back baskets by Hollingsworth.
The Dragons would never get closer than nine points until the final 30 seconds.

WSU's defense limited Tiffin to 35 percent (12-of-34) in the second half, while shooting an even 50 percent (15-of-30) themselves.

Hollingsworth scored a career-high 28 points which including 11-of-15 from the floor. Smothers added 25 points with both Oden and Larkin contributing 12 points. Larkin, starting for the injured Ike Udanoh (Detroit, Mich./Warren Woods Tower) and Smothers each grabbed nine rebounds.

Wayne State finished the contest with 15 assists to seven turnovers, compared to Tiffin's 16 assists and 15 turnovers. Joe Graessle led the Dragons with 25 points with 18 coming in the first half. He was 6-of-14 from beyond the arc.

The Warriors' next game will be Dec. 29 in Erie, Pa., against East Stroudsburg in Gannon's Porreco Cup.