DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (2-5 overall, 2-2 GLIAC) extended its winning streak to two games with a 77-64 home court victory over Michigan Tech (2-5 overall, 1-3 GLIAC) Sunday afternoon at the Matthaei.

HOW IT HAPPENED
In a very even first half in which the largest lead was nine (38-29) by Michigan Tech with just over three minutes before intermission was whittled away to one point as the Warriors went on a 8-0 run to end the opening 20 minutes.

WSU scored on its opening possession as junior forward Michael Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on the put-back, but that would be Wayne State's only lead before halftime.

After a triple by sophomore guard Marcus Moore (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly) knotted the game at 9-9, the Huskies had a 9-2 spurt with four different players making buckets.

The Warriors pulled within two (18-16) just once in the first 19 minutes, that coming on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Ronald Booth (Detroit, Mich. / Consortium) at the 11:39 mark.

Sophomore forward Chuck Key (Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech) scored the final six minutes of the first half.

MTU held a 54 percent (14-of-26) to 53 percent edge in field goal percentage as the Warriors were 16-of-30 in the first half.  Both teams tried 10 triples in the opening 20 minutes with the Huskies making five compared to WSU's four.

A jumper by Lewis to start the second half gave Wayne State its first lead since 2-0.  Three more lead changes occurred in the first 2:30 before the teams combined to go scoreless for the next 90 seconds.  A lay-up by Lewis put WSU ahead 46-45 before MTU's Kyle Monroe drained a three pointer just over 90 seconds later.

Trailing 48-46, the Warrior defense tightened holding the Huskies scoreless for the next four minutes, while the Wayne State offense totaled 10 points with sophomore George Spencer (Detroit, Mich. / Belleville) leading the way with a pair of baskets.

Back-to-back hoops by Key pushed the WSU lead to 10 (60-50) prior to a lay-up by Michigan Tech's Dillon Gordon which cut the Wayne State advantage to eight.  WSU's lead was never fewer than eight the rest of the way.

WSU LEADERS
Booth tallied a game-high 23 points (8-10 FG, 3-5 3PT, 4-4 FT) to lead three Warriors in double figures.  Key nearly had a double-double off the bench with 18 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes, while Lewis contributed 16 points and six boards.  Moore dished out a game-best nine assists, while notching three steals.

TEAM STATS RECAP
Wayne State improved its field goal shooting in the second half to 59 percent and finished the game at 56 percent (32-of-57).  Meanwhile, MTU dipped to 35 percent in the final 20 minutes to finish at 44 percent (23-of-52) for the contest.  Michigan Tech hit 10 triples in 23 attempts (44 percent) compared to 5-of-13 (39 percent) for the Warriors.  Both teams made eight foul shots in the contest with WSU attempting 14 to MTU's 10.

The biggest difference was in rebounding as the Warriors held a 41-18 edge on the glass, including 15 offensive rebounds by WSU leading to 21 second-chance points.  The Huskies had five second-chance points.

LEADING THE OPPOSITION
Monroe led Michigan Tech with 19 points and three steals, while Bryan Heath contributed 15 points.  Kyle Stankowski had a team-best four rebounds for the Huskies.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will take a break for exams and the holidays as the Warriors next game will be on Jan. 2 at Grand Valley State following a 19-day lay-off.