Game Notes (PDF)
DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (5-2, 3-1 GLIAC) will look to get back into the win column this week as Walsh (6-2, 2-2 GLIAC) and Malone (4-4, 2-2 GLIAC) visit Midtown on Thursday and Saturday to open 2014.
GAME STORYLINES
WSU dropped an overtime heartbreaker at Ashland 67-66 on Dec. 18 to close out 2013. It was the first overtime game of the season for the Warriors. WSU went 1-2 last season in OT contests and under Coach Greer, WSU is now 13-15 in such games (2-2 against Ashland). On Dec. 7, Greer moved into second place on the WSU men's basketball all-time wins list surpassing the legendary Joel Mason with his 187th win. Walsh (92.5 PPG) and Malone (81.9) enter the week as two of the higher scoring teams in the GLIAC while WSU is foruth in points allowed per game (70.0).
SCOUTING WALSH/MALONE
Walsh enters with a 6-2 record (2-2 GLIAC) and has scored at least 88 points in all but one of its eight games. The Cavaliers lost 91-88 in overtime vs. Northwood and 68-65 against Lake Superior. Jesse Hardin leads the way at 17.1 points per game. Walsh is coached by Jeff Young who is in his 10th season and carries a 248-54 career record with the program. Malone is 4-4 overall and is also 2-2 in league action. Isiah Elliot is averaging 20.1 points per game and 4.7 assists per game to lead the Pioneers. Malone is coached by Tim Walker who is in his fifth season with the program and is 61-60 entering the week.
ALL-TIME SERIES
WSU has met its next two opponents a combined three times with two of those coming last season as Walsh and Malone became official league members prior to the 2012-13 season. Walsh won the first ever meeting last season 81-78 in North Canton, Ohio on Feb. 27. The series with Malone is tied 1-1 with WSU winning the first league game of the series 70-59 in Canton, Ohio on Dec. 19. The two teams met in December of 1977 and Malone won 83-68 in Detroit.
LAST TIME OUT
WSU took its spotless league record on the road Dec. 18 at Ashland (3-4, 1-3 GLIAC). The Eagles, who went 10-3 inside Kates Gymnasium last season and proved able to protect its home court again during the 49th meeting between the two programs with a 67-66 overtime victory.
Bryan Coleman hit a clutch three-pointer with 21 seconds left in the extra stanza to put the Warriors up 66-65. However, two Ashland free throws put the Eagles up one with seven seconds to play.
Chene Phillips was unable to connect on a contested lay-up to win the game. Coleman led the way for WSU with 21 points including three triples. Phillips finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Four Eagles scored in double-digits led by Will Evans' 17 points.
WINNING STREAKS
The longest winning streak in program history is 17 games done on two occasions. First, from Dec. 10, 1955 until March 12, 1956, and then from Jan. 29, 1994 until March 11, 1994. From Dec. 11, 1927 until Feb. 2, 1928 the program won 14 consecutive games. Beginning on Feb. 23, 1926 WSU won 12 straight until Jan. 7, 1927. Other notable streaks were 11 (2/23/52 - 1/10/53) and nine (12/19/98 - 1/23/99 and 1/8/87 - 1/29/87).
IN THE POLLS
The GLIAC released the 2013-14 Preseason Poll in November as voted on by 24 media members. Wayne State University was predicted to win the GLIAC North Division with 172 points and 10 first-pace nods. Also picking up first-place votes in the North Division Poll were Grand Valley (6), Michigan Tech (5), and Ferris State (3). Findlay was a unanimous choice to win the the South Division receiving all 24 first-place votes.
COACH GREER
David Greer is in his 13th season at the helm of the Warrior basketball program during the 2013-14 academic year. He is the fourth-longest tenured coach in program history. Coach Greer's squad returns nine letterwinners of which there are seven seniors including three starters from a squad that finished 17-10 (16-6 GLIAC) last season. Greer, who has directed the Warriors to a 189-150 record, was voted the 2012-13 GLIAC Coach of the Year by his peers. Greer coached his 300th WSU (non-exhibition) game vs. Northwood on Feb. 11, 2012, and his 200th GLIAC game vs. Grand Valley on Feb. 18, 2012. Coach Greer passed Joel Mason for second place in victories with his 187th win in the victory over Ohio Dominican on Dec. 7.
2012-13 RECAP
The Warriors won a share of the regular-season conference championship last season, the first for the WSU men's basketball program since the 1998-99 season, and played in the NCAA tournament for the 13th time in program history (fourth appearance under Greer).
PRESEASON ALL-GLIAC
Mike Hollingsworth (Utica, Mich.) was voted All-GLIAC First Team while
Chene Phillips (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection by the league's head coaches. Hollingsworth, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, led the Warriors with a 14.6 points per game average last season and was twice named GLIAC Player of the Week. He shot 49.4 percent from the floor and was third on the team in assists with 53 along with being voted to the All-GLIAC First Team. Phillips, a senior guard, was fourth on the Warriors averaging 11.5 points per game a season ago. A 6-foot-2 transfer after his sophomore season from Liberty University, Phillips started all 27 games for Wayne State last season and was first on the team in steals (45) and second on the squad in assists (94). Phillips also went to the charity stripe with great frequency, sinking 114 free throws last season.
COMCAST/XFINITY
Six games will be broadcast on Comcast/Xfinity Channel 900 in 2013-14, with home dates against Tiffin (Dec. 5), Michigan Tech (Jan. 23), Ferris State (Jan. 30), Northwood (Feb. 6), Saginaw Valley (Feb. 8), Grand Valley (Feb. 22) being shown throughout the state. Ryan Ermanni, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will provide Warriors fans with the live action.
ON THE CALL
Russ McNamara will call all of the men's action this season on 1400 AM and 92.7 FM The Patriot. Former Tartar and WSU Hall of Fame inductee Cliff Russell will provide analysis for every home game.
WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
The 2013-14 school year marks the fourth season of Warrior All-Access at WSUAthletics.com. Not only will all home WSU basketball, football and volleyball games be available for viewing by a world wide audience on a pay-per-view basis, but also the Warrior Daily ~ a video each weekday, available for free on WSUAthletics.com featuring interviews with WSU coaches and staff, and student-athletes. Fans wanting to watch Wayne State events via Warrior All-Access will need a high-speed internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 or higher. Games will be sold on an individual basis with special viewing packages also available. Warrior All-Access will also feature On-Demand Audio and Video with the stored archived video and audio on WSUAthletics.com.
