Post-Game Press Conference

Detroit -- The Wayne State University men's basketball squad (10-12 overall, 8-10 GLIAC) lost in triple overtime, 101-99, to the visiting Findlay Oilers (17-6 overall, 13-5 GLIAC), who moved into a tie for first in the GLIAC with the win.

The contest was the first in 92 years of WSU basketball to reach a third overtime.  The Warriors have lost four straight by a combined 12 points, and have seven setbacks this year by five points or less plus a double overtime defeat at Northwood (94-85) on Dec. 9.

WSU scored first on a jumper by junior Jerry Oden (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech).  The Oilers grabbed their only lead of the first 48:50 on a triple by Marcus Parker.

Wayne State tallied the next seven points on a triple by junior Bryan Smothers  (Pontiac, Mich./Northern), a fastbreak lay-up by senior Bryan Wright (Warren, Ohio/Harding) and a pair of free throws by Oden.

After a UF bucket at 16:55 pulled the guests within five (11-6), the Warriors reeled off eight consecutive points for a 13-point advantage at 19-6.  Smothers had five points and Wright a triple during the streak.

Over the next eight minutes, WSU outscored Findlay 13-10 for a 16-point lead at the 5:52 mark following a pair of foul shots by senior Bryan Edwards (Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln).  The Oilers had just field goals during the stretch, both by Nathan Hyde.

An 11-3 Warrior run over the next three minutes gave WSU its largest lead of the game (24) at 43-19 with just over two minutes left in the first half.  Findlay ended the opening 20 minutes on a 7-2 run to close within 19 (45-26) at intermission.

Both teams attempted 22 field goals in the first half with WSU making 16 (72.7 percent), while UF connected seven times (31.8 percent).  Smothers had 13 points at halftime, while freshman Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) contributed 10.

The Warriors led by 21 (49-28) following an Oden jumper, but Findlay answered with the next nine points.

WSU had a 14-point advantage (53-39) following a jumper by Wright with 14 minutes left, but a 10-4 Oiler run made it an eight-point contest (57-49) with 10:30 left.

Wayne State led by 10 (63-53) after sophomore Dale Brundidge (Southfield, Mich./Detroit Country Day) hit a jumper with just over seven minutes left.

A 5-0 Findlay run was ended by a Smothers triple with four minutes remaining.  The Oilers then had a 7-2 spurt to pull within three at 68-65 on a fastbreak layup by Parker.

On WSU's ensuing possession, Wright made both ends of a one-and-one for a five-point lead with 2:05 left.

Neither team was able to score for the next minute, until Parker made a three-pointer 52.9 seconds left cutting the Warrior lead to two at 70-68.  After a missed jumper by WSU, Parker drove down the lane but Larry Edwards smacked the ball out of bounds.  Hyde found Tyler Sparks underneath on the inbounds for a tying hoop with 3.2 seconds left in regulation.

Wayne State scored the first four points of the first overtime stanza on two foul shots and a layup by Oden.  Junior Ike Udanoh (Detroit, Mich./Warren Woods Tower) made two free throws for a six point lead with 3:21 left.  A triple by Sparks was answered by a layup from Smothers.  Parker (UF) and Oden (WSU) each made two foul shots.  Jason Wehri made two free throws with 50.7 seconds left cutting the Warrior lead to three at 80-77.  Following a WSU turnover, UF's Jack Smith hit a jumper and a free throw to knot the game at 80 with 29.7 seconds remaining.

Smothers baseline jumper as the clock was about to expire was off the mark.

Parker made two free throws with 4:08 left in the second overtime giving UF its first lead since 3-2.  A tip-in by Bryan Edwards tied the game at 82.  Following a Findlay bucket, Smothers hit a triple for a one-point WSU advantage (85-84).  Each team made buckets on its next two possessions with Udanoh converting a conventional three-point play for a 90-88 lead with 45.6 seconds left.  Hyde made a pair of foul shots twice (33.2 and 10.1 left), but Udanoh sent the game into the third overtime with a last second offensive rebound and put back.

Wayne State scored five of the first seven points in the third overtime for a 97-94 lead with 3:26 left.  A triple by Hyde tied the game at 97 with just over three minutes remaining.  UF took the lead on a Smith layup, but a jumper from Smothers knotted the game at 99 with just over 90 seconds left.

Hyde scored the game's final points on a jumper with just over 60 seconds remaining.  Smothers missed a triple try but after a shot clock violation by Findlay, WSU was unable to get a potential game-tying shot off.

Six Warriors scored in double figures led by 25 from Smothers.  Oden (18), Wright (15), Udanoh (14), Larkin (12) and Bryan Edwards (11) were the other WSU players in double digits.

Hyde scored a game-high 34 points, while Parker added 28.  Wheri contributed a double-double for the visitors with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

In the three overtimes combined, each team attempted 11 foul shots with Findlay making all 11 and WSU 10.

Wayne State will try to snap its four-game losing streak at home on Thursday (Feb. 18) with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against Ashland.