Boxscore

Post-Game Interview with Assistant Coach E.J. Haralson

Midland, Mich. -- The 19th-ranked Wayne State University men's basketball team (14-4 overall, 13-2 GLIAC), playing without leading scorer Mike Hollingsworth for the third straight game, suffered only its second setback in the last 11 contests falling 74-63 at Northwood University (9-11 overall, 8-8 GLIAC) Thursday evening.

The Warriors fell behind 8-0 in the first three minutes as the WSU offense had trouble getting untracked.  Four points by senior forward Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance), three by junior forward Gerald Williams-Taylor (Flint, Mich./Northern) along with a free throw by junior guard Chene Phillips (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) in less than a two-minute span made it a 10-8 contest.

A 10-2 run by the Timberwolves put the hosts up 20-10 before the game was eight minutes old.  A jumper by Larkin at the 5:50 mark pulled Wayne State within three at 24-21, but Northwood ended the first half on an 11-5 run to open up a 35-26 advantage at intermission.

WSU shot 40 percent (10-of-25) in the opening 20 minutes, but the Timberwolves connected on 53 percent (12-of-22) of their shots including 46 percent (5-of-11) from beyond the arc.

Another jumper by Larkin and a triple by senior guard Cole Prophet (Sandusky, Ohio) cut the WSU deficit to four (35-31) just 90 seconds into the second half.  A three-pointer by junior forward Bryan Coleman (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) at the 16:08 mark made it a five-point contest (41-36), but Northwood answered with an 8-2 run pushing its lead to 11 at 49-38 at the 11:30 mark.

After a dunk by junior forward Jamar Ragland (Detroit, Mich./Loyola) cut the margin to seven points (59-52), Wayne State was never able to get closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

Larkin led four Warriors in double figures with 14 points.  It was his ninth consecutive game in double digits and he moved into 28th place in career scoring at WSU with 890 points.  Williams-Taylor and Phillips each chipped in with 13 points, while Coleman added 11 points.  Prophet contributed eight points and six assists with no turnovers.

Will Bowles tallied game-high totals of 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead five players in double figures for Northwood.

Wayne State plays another road game on Saturday visiting Saginaw Valley for a 5 p.m. tip.