ASHLAND, OH – Ike Udanoh (Detroit, Mich. / Warren Woods Tower) and Cole Prophet (Sandusky, Ohio) combined to score 33 points, including all seven during a decisive 7-0 run late in the second half, as Wayne State rallied in the final minutes for a 75-66 win at Ashland on Saturday afternoon in Kates Gymnasium.
 
The win allowed the Warriors to sweep the GLIAC season-opening road swing through Ohio, improving to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in league play.  Ashland slipped to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the GLIAC.
 
“The guys really stepped up this afternoon,” WSU head coach David Greer said.  “We could have easily folded when Mike (Hollingsworth) went down but we had a bunch of guys step up and make some shots that they wouldn't normally take and we were able to come through.
 
“This was a tough week, but it is good any time that you are able to win a pair of league games away from home.  We have now played four straight games on the road, including a long road trip to Missouri, so it will be good to play at home next week.”
 
With Preseason GLIAC Player of the Year Mike Hollingsworth on the bench after he reinjured his shoulder just seven minutes into the game, the Warriors struggled to find themselves offensively during the middle 20 minutes of the game.  WSU used an aggressive half-court defense and patient offense to pull out the win.
 
Udanoh led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Prophet added 15 points.  Gerald Williams-Taylor (Flint, Mich. / Northern) chipped in with 11 points, on five-for-seven shooting, before fouling out with 3:24 left. 
 
Evan Yates paced Ashland with 22 points and 13 rebounds, including the last 11 points of the contest over the final 6:44 of the game for the Eagles.  Ronnie Steward added 16 points and Will Evans chipped in with 13.
 
“Yates is a load,” Greer said.  “The officials were letting the guys play and that isn't necessarily good for us because it allowed Yates to establish himself in the low post.  I though Ike and Ian (Larkin) did a nice job on him but he got his points.”
 
After leading by as many as 12 in the first half, WSU found itself trailing 47-40 with 14:36 to play.  But the Warriors summoned the inner strength needed, running off 11 straight points to take a 51-47 lead with 11:09 to play.  Prophet started the burst with a three-pointer from the left side and Udanoh finished it with a basket inside and a pair of free throws.
 
“That was a great team effort,” Greer said.  “We were tired from the game on Thursday night at Lake Erie and with a couple of other guys sick and Mike hurt, our short bench got that much shorter but we were able to pull it together.  We were down by seven when things started to click and we took over.”
 
The lead didn't hold however as Ashland tied the game at 63-63 on a basket inside by Yates with 3:24 left.
 
Prophet and Udanoh took over from there, Prophet making one of two free throws to start the stretch before making a pair of driving baskets in the lane, being fouled on the second attempt.  When Prophet missed the free throw, Udanoh was in the right spot, easily tipping the ball in to put the Warriors ahead, 70-63.

Wayne State used its aggressiveness to force 18 Ashland turnovers while committing just 11 itself, holding a 14-8 edge in points off turnovers.  WSU had 13 offensive boards to claim a 36-35 rebounding edge and was 16-for-22 from the line (.727) while Ashland shot just .565 from the stripe (13-23), with Yates going just six-for-13.
 
Wayne State jumped out quickly, using their speed and athleticism to open up a 14-2 lead with 14:23 left.  Hollingsworth (6 points) and Prophet (5) did most of the early damage while the swarming Warrior defense did not allow the Eagles a basket in their half-court offensive set for the first six minutes of the game.
 
Things took a turn for the worse when Hollingsworth went down hard in the lane after a scrum for a loose ball, and did not return with the shoulder injury.  He scored six points in seven minutes with WSU holding a 14-7 lead.
 
With Hollingsworth and Larkin on the bench, Ashland took to the perimeter to score, going six-for-13 from beyond the arc to fuel the come back.
 
With the Warriors leading 31-23 (4:36), Ashland scored 11 of the next 13 points to take a 34-33 lead to the intermission.
 
After playing four straight contests on the road, the Warriors will return to the Matthaei Center on Thursday (Dec. 8) when WSU starts a three-game home stretch with a 7:30 p.m. meeting against Saginaw Valley State.  The Warriors will then host Ohio Dominican on Dec. 15 (7:30 p.m.) and Tiffin (3:00 p.m.) on Dec. 17.