WAYNE STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY NOTES

2012-13 RECORDS:
#26-Wayne State 10-2 overall, 9-0 GLIAC
#40-Michigan Tech 10-4 overall, 7-3 GLIAC
Northern Michigan 4-10 overall, 3-7 GLIAC

SERIES:
Wayne State leads Michigan Tech 51-26
Wayne State and Northern Michigan are tied at 33-33

LAST MEETINGS:
WSU won 60-54 at Michigan Tech on Feb. 4, 2012
WSU won 72-55 at Northern Michigan on Feb. 2, 2012

WEEK 8 STORYLINES

The 2012-13 WSU squad became the first in school history to start a league schedule at 8-0, eclipsing the 7-0 marks by both the 2010-11 team and the 1986-87 squads in the GLIAC and the 1964-65 PAC team, with Thursday's win over Northwood.

Wayne State remained one of the hottest teams in the country by winning its fifth straight on Saturday which also gave the Warriors 10 “W's” in their last 11 contests.

WSU began North Division play with a pair of home court victories to improve to 7-1 at the Matthaei.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Wayne State has won the last four meetings vs. the Huskies and two consecutive at SDC to take a 51-26 lead in the all-time series.  The Warriors are 3-4 at MTU under Greer in a series which dates back to 1927.

WSU has been victorious in the last five meetings vs. Northern Michigan to even the all-time series at 33-33.  The Warriors are 9-19 all-time in Marquette having won the last three meetings at the Berry Events Center.

LAST WEEK

WSU began North Division play with a pair of home court victories over Northwood (74-71) and Saginaw Valley (90-56).

Despite being out-rebounded 36-24, and losing the second-chance points battle 17-5, WSU recorded a 74-71 triumph over visiting Northwood.

WSU led the entire second half except for a 24-second span (6:25-6:01) that the contest was tied at 60.  The Warriors margin was two to five points the rest of the way until a triple by NU's Andrew VanDierenDonck with 37 seconds left cut the WSU lead to one at 72-71.

WSU worked for a good shot and Cole Prophet drained a jumper with 12 seconds left putting the Warriors ahead by three.  Northwood's Wes Wilcox heaved a long desperation three just before the buzzer sounded that was off the mark.

Both teams put on a shooting show in the opening 20 minutes combining for 78 points (WSU 42-36).  Wayne State shot 55 percent (16-of-29), including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.

There were five lead changes in the first eight minutes of the Saginaw Valley contest before a pair of free throws by Jamar Ragland gave the Warriors a 9-8 lead at the 12:16 mark.  Ragland's two foul shots ignited a 12-4 WSU run over the next 4:30 which gave the Wayne State a 19-12 lead.

Ian Larkin drained a pair of triples to push the Wayne State margin to 10 (25-15).  WSU's largest lead of the half came just before intermission as Mike Hollingsworth connected from downtown.

Two Larkin triples just 75 seconds apart early in the second half started a 16-6 run to open up a 27-point advantage (62-35) with just under 13 minutes left.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN TECH

The Huskies enter Thursday's contest with a two-game losing skein (74-66 at Ferris State on 1/10, and 70-65 at GVSU on 1/12) after a seven-game winning streak.

Senior forward Ali Haidar leads the team in scoring (23.3 points per game), rebounding (10.1 rpg) and blocked shots (13).

Junior guard Austin Armga is second in scoring at 14.0 ppg, and is followed by sophomore guard Ben Stelzer (10.2 ppg) and sophomore forward Phil Romback (9.4 ppg).

Stelzer has a team-high 33 triples, while Romback leads the squad with 16 steals.  Junior guard Alex Culy has a team-best 35 assists.

MTU leads the GLIAC in overall field goal percentage (50.1) and is second in socring defense (61.1 ppg).

SCOUTING NORTHERN MICHIGAN

NMU enters Thursday's home game vs. Saginaw Valley on a two-game losing streak.  The Wildcats did win their last home series (73-66 over Ashland, and 66-52 vs. Lake Erie).

Junior forward Matthew Craggs leads Northern in scoring (14.2 ppg), rebounding (6.2 rpg), three-pointers made (22) and blocked shots (9).  Terry Nash, a freshman guard, is second on the squad in scoring at 9.5 ppg.

Sophomore guard Quinten Calloway leads the Wildcats with 33 assists, while sophomore forward Kendall Jackson has a squad-best 15 steals along with a team-high 57.5 field goal percentage (42-of-73).

Northern Michigan is last in the GLIAC in both assists per game (10.0) and free throw percentage (66.8) for all games.

IN THE RANKINGS

The Warriors are ranked 12th nationally in the most recent Massey Ratings, which were released on Jan. 16.

Michigan Tech is ranked 26th, while Northern Michigan is 220th out of 307 schools.

Two of WSU's non-league foes - Bellarmine (16th), and Drury (24th) are ranked in the top 25.

WSU is third in the Midwest Region behind Kentucky Wesleyan (6th) and Indianapolis (7th).

ON THE WAYNE STATE BENCH

David Greer is in his 12th season as the WSU men's basketball head coach.  Greer has a 177-140 record with the Warriors and is the fifth-longest tenured head coach in WSU men's basketball history.

Greer needs two wins to tie Newman Ertell (1929-48) for third place in wins at WSU with 179.

He will become WSU's all-time leader in GLIAC wins with his next league victory (Ron Hammye had 119).

ON THE OPPOSING BENCH

Kevin Luke is in his 19th year at Michigan Tech.  His overall record stands at 326-205.

Northern Michigan's Doug Lewis has compiled a 22-44 mark in his third year with the Wildcats.  Including seven seasons at Central State, Lewis' career record is 147-105.