DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (0-3 overall) concluded non-conference play with a 76-59 setback to visiting Lewis University (4-1 overall) Saturday afternoon at the Matthaei.

The Flyers scored the first seven points of the game as the Warriors missed their first four field goal attempts before an offensive rebound and put-back by sophomore Joel Ndondo (Ajax, Ont.).  LU's Max Strus tallied the first seven points on a triple, a fast-break lay-up and a pair of free throws.  WSU battled and pulled within four at 12-8 on a triple by sophomore Clark Bishop (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) off a feed from Michael Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) at the 13:36 mark.

After a three pointer by Lewis' Capel Henshaw, Bishop answered with back-to-back buckets on a jumper and another shot from beyond the arc to make it a two-point contest (15-13) with 11:19 left in the first half.  The Flyers recorded the next six points on baskets by three different players to regain the eight-point advantage at 21-13.  Freshman John Draper (Dayton, Ohio / Eastmoor Academy) had a steal and a fast-break lay-up then split a pair from the charity stripe before Ndondo scored from inside to cut the Wayne State deficit to three (21-18) with 8:29 left before intermission.

An 8-0 run by the Flyers was ended by a dunk from freshman Tristan Wilson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Skyline), but Lewis ended the opening 20 minutes on a 10-6 spurt to lead 39-26 at the break.  LU had a 22-8 edge in points in the paint along with a 14-5 margin in bench scoring.  The Flyers shot 47 percent (16-of-34) in the first half compared to 30 percent (9-of-30) for the Warriors.

Wayne State began the second half on a 7-2 run to pull within eight (41-33) on a fast-break lay-up by junior Gavin Toma (Troy, Mich. / Southfield Christian), who started post intermission with his second triple of the afternoon.  WSU would only get as close as 10 on three occasions, the last coming at 50-40, with Lewis responding with a 14-2 run to open a 22-point advantage.

Bishop led WSU with 13 points, while Lewis nearly had a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.

David Niggins scored a game-high 16 points in only 16 minutes on four triples to pace four Flyers in double figures.  Strus contributed 13 points. while Jeff Jarosz and Ryan Jackson each added 11 points.  Julian Lewis tied for game-best rebounding honors with nine, with Jackson grabbing eight boards and dishing out a game-high six assists.

Wayne State commences league play with a pair of home games this week beginning with a 7:30 p.m. contest on Thursday vs. Lake Superior State followed by a Sunday afternoon contest against Northwood.