Boxscore

DETROIT -- The top-seeded Wayne State University men's basketball team (17-9 overall) suffered its third consecutive setback by three points or less falling 70-68 to Lake Superior State University (15-12 overall) Wednesday evening in a GLIAC quarterfinal contest at the Matthaei.

The Warriors had their largest lead of the game (41-32) at the 17:43 mark following a lay-up by junior forward Gerald Williams-Taylor (Flint, Mich./Northern), who finished with 16 points and tied for team-high honors with six rebounds.

The Lakers responded with a 9-0 run to knot the game at 41 before junior guard Mike Hollingsworth (Utica, Mich.) hit a triple putting WSU ahead 44-41.  Wayne State led 48-43 with 11:44 remaining following a Hollingsworth lay-up.  After five straight LSSU points tied the game at 48, junior forward Bryan Coleman (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) drained his only three-pointer of the game.

Seven straight Lake Superior points put the guests ahead 55-51 before five consecutive points by Williams-Taylor put WSU ahead 56-55 with 6:31 left.  It would be Wayne State's last lead of the game as a Cameron Metz tip-in on the ensuing possession put the Lakers ahead 57-56.  Metz had a conventional three-point play on LSSU's next trip down the court prior to a field goal by junior guard Chene Phillips (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance).

Four points in a row by Lake Superior's Rashaun Carroll increased the visitors lead to six (64-58) with 4:41 remaining.  An 8-4 run by Wayne State was capped off by a jumper from senior forward Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) with 91 seconds left cutting the WSU deficit to two (68-66).  LSSU's Alex Williams jumper from the elbow with 55.8 seconds left preceded a pair of free throws by Williams-Taylor with 43.9 remaining.

The Warrior defense forced a long triple try by Williams which Phillips grabbed the rebound.  Larkin tried to win the game with a triple try and Phillips gathered the rebound but his last second shot didn't fall.

Hollingsworth tallied a game-high 28 points.

Metz led LSSU with 17 points, while Derek Billing had 16, including four triples.  Williams totaled 13 points for the Lakers who shot 50 percent (25-of-50) from the floor including 7-of-18 from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Wayne State shot 42 percent (21-of-50) and only 3-of-9 from three-point range.

WSU's post-season (NCAA) fate rests in the hands of the NCAA selection committee.  The Warriors were ranked seventh in the final regional rankings announced earlier today.  Both the GLIAC and GLVC tournament winners receive automatic bids with six at-large teams from the Midwest Region being selected to the field of 64.