Boxscore

Post-game interview with Mike Hollingsworth.

Post-game interview with assistant coach E.J. Haralson.

Play #1 of the game - Bryan Coleman block and Mike Hollingsworth drive.

Play #2 of the game - Mike Hollingsworth lob to Ian Larkin.

Play #3 of the game - Chene Phillips steal, basket and one.

Allendale, Mich. – The Wayne State University men's basketball team (17-6 overall, 16-4) clinched a home court playoff game and moved within one win of claiming the 2012-13 GLIAC regular-season title with a 75-57 triumph Saturday afternoon at Grand Valley (17-8 overall, 14-7 GLIAC).

The last GLIAC regular-season title for WSU came in the final year of the Tartars (1998-99) before the nickname changed to the Warriors in the summer of 1999.

The contest was tight in the early going with five ties in the first eight minutes, the last coming on a jumper by junior forward Bryan Coleman (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) at the 12:08 mark which knotted the game at 11.  The Lakers scored the next four points to take their largest lead of the game at 15-11.

Back-to-back Warrior buckets by junior center Michael Martin (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and senior forward Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) along with a free throw by junior guard Mike Hollingsworth (Utica, Mich.) gave the guests a 16-15 advantage.

GVSU responded with a 5-0 run for another four-point lead (20-16), but WSU answered with a 11-2 run over the next 2:30 starting with a triple from Hollingsworth.  Junior forward Gerald Williams-Taylor (Flint, Mich./Northern) scored on a jumper and Larkin and Coleman followed with three-pointers 29 seconds apart giving the Warriors a five-point margin at 27-22. 

The teams combined to make just one field goal over the next two minutes until senior guard Cole Prophet (Sandusky, Ohio) sank a triple try, then after a GVSU basket, Larkin drained another three-pointer for the Warriors.

WSU led 33-28 at the intermission as both teams shot well in the opening 20 minutes – 54 percent (13-of-24) for WSU, including 5-of-11 (46 percent) from beyond the arc.  Meanwhile, GVSU shot 57 percent (12-of-21) from the floor, but just 1-of-4 (25 percent) from three-point range.

Wayne State started the second half with a Williams-Taylor lay-up for a seven-point lead (35-28).  Four consecutive GVSU points cut the Warrior lead to three (35-32), before a triple by Prophet preceded another four points by the Lakers making it a two-point game (38-36) at the 17:30 mark.

Wayne State responded with a 12-1 run as Grand Valley went over four minutes without a field goal.  Larkin and junior guard Chene Phillips (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) each had five points during the spurt.

GVSU's Tyrone Lee had a pair of dunks sandwiched around a triple by Prophet, but Larkin answered with his own dunk pushing the Warrior advantage to 14 (55-41) with 11:38 left.  After a steal by Coleman, Larkin sank two from the foul line.

GVSU would only get as close as 11 points (61-50) at the 7:27 mark the rest of the game.  Following the two free throws by Breland Hogan, Wayne State would finish the contest on a 14-7 run as the Lakers were just 3-of-10 from the floor (including an uncontested lay-up in the final 17 seconds) with four turnovers.

The Warriors defensive pressure helped the squad snap a three-game road losing streak.

Hollingsworth scored a game-high 19 points, his best game since returning to the lineup from injury.  Larkin added 17 points, while both Prophet and Phillips chipped in with 11 points.

Ricardo Carbajal tallied a team-high 15 points off the Laker bench.

Wayne State will conclude the regular-season next week with road contests at Walsh (Wednesday at 6 p.m.) and Lake Superior (Saturday at 1 p.m.).