WAYNE STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY RELEASE

2011-12 RECORDS:
Wayne State (12-7, 9-4 GLIAC)
Northern Michigan (8-11, 4-8 GLIAC)
Michigan Tech (10-9, 8-4 GLIAC)

SERIES:
WSU trails Northern Michigan 33-32
WSU leads Michigan Tech 50-26

LAST MEETINGS:
at WSU 77, NMU 69 (2/3/2011)
at WSU 84, MTU 61 (2/5/2011)

RADIO:    
WDTK 1400 AM (wdtkam.com)

VIDEO:
b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=17
michigantechhuskies.com

LIVE STATS:
livestats.prestosports.com/waynestate/
    
GAMES 20 & 21 STORYLINES

Wayne State enters the final month of the regular season just 1/2 game out of second place with six contests remaining.  All of three of WSU's remaining road games will be in the Upper Peninsula starting with Thursday's contest at Northern Michigan.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Wayne State has won four straight vs. the Wildcats including the last two meetings in Marquette.  WSU has an 8-19 record dating back to 1951 in games played at NMU.

The Warriors have been victorious in the last three meetings overall, and WSU's win in Houghton on Dec. 3, 2009, ended a three-game losing streak at the SDC.

ASHLAND RECAP

WSU started strong and led wire-to-wire in defeating visiting Ashland 79-71 on Jan. 26 at the Matthaei.

The Warriors opened a 10-point advantage (14-4) in the first six minutes of the contest.  Ian Larkin tallied WSU's first eight points on a dunk and two triples.

The Eagles never were closer than nine the rest of the half.  In fact, WSU led by as many as 21 on a couple of occasions (35-14 and 38-17).

The Warriors shot 58 percent (15-of-26) from the floor in the first half while limiting the Eagles to 33 percent (8-of-24)  to earn a 42-23 lead at intermission.  Three WSU players scored in double figures in the opening 20 minutes led by Bryan Coleman's 14 points off the bench.  He was 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

AU scored the first nine points of the second half before a dunk by Ike Udanoh started a 9-0 Warrior run.

WSU maintained its 17-plus point lead until a three-pointer by Ashland's David Harris with just under nine minutes remaining cut the Wayne State lead to 16 (63-47).

Udanoh made a pair of free throws three minutes later to regain the 19-point advantage (69-50), but the Eagles responded with eight consecutive points.  The Warriors led by 10-13 points the rest of the way until a late triple.

Coleman led five Warriors in double figures with 17 points, while Larkin and Stacey Waters each added 16 points.

LAKE ERIE RECAP

WSU extended its winning streak to three games by downing Lake Erie 92-57 on January 28 at the Matthaei.

The Warriors started the game on a 16-0 run and never led by fewer than 13 the rest of the way.

WSU made its first nine shots of the game including two triples by Waters to open a 20-2 lead in the first five minutes.  Meanwhile, Lake Erie had five turnovers and two missed lay-ups in its first seven possessions.

Wayne State scored the final six points of the first half for its largest lead of the opening 20 minutes (29 points) at 52-23.  The Warriors shot a torrid 66 percent (21-of-32) before intermission while forcing LEC into 12 miscues.

Every player dressed for the Warriors played at least 11 minutes.  Larkin tallied a game-high 22 points, with Waters adding 20 on 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.  Udanoh recorded his 10th double-double with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.