Game Notes (PDF)
DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (11-11, 9-10 GLIAC) are two games behind Malone (13-10, 11-8 GLIAC) for the final GLIAC Tournament berth with three games to play. The Warriors will look to end their three-game losing streak at Ferris State (7-15, 6-12 GLIAC) on Thursday night before rethurning to Midtown for a clash with rival Grand Valley (16-7, 12-7 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon. Saturday's contest will be the final regular season game broadcast on Comcast CN 900.
Last time WSU met FSU on Jan. 30th, the Warriors won 79-62. Four scored in double figures for WSU led by 20 points from
Bryan Coleman (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup).
On, Feb. 1, WSU edged Grand Valley in overtime, 69-64.
Gerald Williams-Taylor (Flint, Mich. / Northern) scored a career-high 21 points in the win.
GAME STORYLINES
With three games to play in the regular season, the Warriors are on the outside looking in with regards to the 2014 GLIAC Tournament. Wayne State is two games behind Malone for the final tournament berth. The Warriors need the Pioneers to go 0-3 while WSU needs to go at least 2-1 to have a chance at the tournament. WSU defeated both of this week's opponents (FSU & GVSU) earlier this season during a three-game win streak.
Bryan Coleman needs two points to become the 30th player in program history with 900 points. The Warriors have made the GLIAC Tournament the past five seasons. Last week's two opponents combined for 46 points at the charity stripe, with WSU losing both games by eight points.
SCOUTING FERRIS STATE / GRAND VALLEY
Ferris State enter's Thursday's contest at 7-15 overall and 6-12 in the GLIAC. The Bulldogs have lost two straight. Most recently, FSU dropped a thriller at Lake Superior 89-86. Drew Lehman leads the FSU offense at 13.4 points per game. Josh Fleming is averaging 10.5 points per game including a 20-point performance at first-place Lake Superior. Jared Stolicker leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game. Head coach Andy Bronkema is in his first season with the program. Grand Valley begins this week at 16-7 overall and 12-7 in the league, which is tied for the fifth seed. Last week's GLIAC North Player of the Week Ryan Sabin leads the way at 15.1 points per game and is 62-for-159 (39%) from behind the arc this season. Rob Woodson is averaging 12 points per game. Head coach Ric Wesley is in his 10th season with the program and carries a 221-76 record as the Lakers' bench manager.
ALL-TIME SERIES
WSU trails the all-time series against Ferris State 40-39 but is 6-4 in the last 10 meetings. Coach Greer is 12-7 all-time against the Bulldogs and 4-5 in Big Rapids. The Warriors also trail the all-time series with Grand Valley, 31-44. WSU has taken seven of the past 10 meetings including five straight. Coach Greer is 10-8 all-time against the Lakers and 5-3 at home.
LAST TIME OUT
WSU dropped its second straight contest Saturday, losing 74-66 at Northern Michigan. The Wildcats shot 61.5 percent from the field in the second half, sinking 6-of-7 three-point attempts to help clinch the victory over the Warriors. Senior
Gerald Williams-Taylor notched a double-double, totaling game highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds for Wayne State. Senior
Bryan Coleman also tallied a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while senior
Chene Phillips had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Warriors. WSU pulled within four points, 70-66, with six seconds left after Coleman buried two foul shots. Northern Michigan would go on to sink all four free throws in the final seconds to clinch the win. Wayne State shot 39.7 percent from the floor during the contest and made 3-of-12 three-point attempts. WSU was also 17-for-24 from the free throw line, while Northern Michigan made 19-of-28 foul shots. The Green and Gold had the rebounding advantage overall, 38-34. Northern Michigan had three players in double figures led by Marcus Hall's 18 points. The Wildcats shot 50 percent overall from beyond the arc, going 7-of-14 from three-point range.
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. Greer, who has directed the Warriors to a 195-159 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 at WSU with his 187th win in the triumph over Ohio Dominican on Dec. 7.
NEAR TRIPLE-DOUBLES
In the 61-51 win over Northern Michigan on Jan. 25th,
Chene Phillips flirted with the program's second triple-double. The senior guard finished with eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his 39 minutes of action. Phillips was at it again against Ferris State (1/30) with 10 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. The 12 helpers are tied for fourth-most in school history and is the second-highest total by a WSU player in the last eight years (Dale Brundidge had 12 assists at Tiffin on Jan. 19, 2012). 2014 Hall of Fame inductee Kris Krzyminski had two 12-assist contests in a 10-day period in Jan. 2006 (1/2 vs. Illinois Tech and 1/12 vs. Ashland). Phillips continued his hot streak with 22 points, 11 assists and seven boards against Northwood (2/6) and 19 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds against Saginaw Valley (2/8). The program's only triple-double came from Shane Lawal as he recorded 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks in a win over Michigan Tech on Dec. 4, 2008. He finished the year with 71 blocked shots, while averaging 11.7 points per game along with 8.5 rebounds per contest. Lawal earned GLIAC South Division Second Team honors and was also voted to the GLIAC South Division All-Defensive Team. Lawal was a member of the Orlando Magic's summer league team in 2013. P
PRESEASON ALL-GLIAC
Chene Phillips (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection by the league's head coaches. 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.
Mike Hollingsworth (Utica, Mich.) was a First Team All-GLIAC selection before the season started. Hollingsworth will miss the entire season due to injury and finished his career with 991 career points, which is 21st all-time.
COMCAST/XFINITY
The final of six broadcasts by Comcast/Xfinity Channel 900 in 2013-14 will be the Grand Valley contest on Feb. 22, which will be 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.
