Men's Basketball | 12/24/2015 10:00:00 AM

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (2-5 overall, 2-2 GLIAC) will aim to keep the momentum rolling after a 19-day break for the holidays as it travels to Grand Valley State (8-2 overall, 2-2 GLIAC) on Jan. 2 and Ferris State (8-2 overall, 2-2 GLIAC) on Jan. 3.  WSU is coming off back-to-back wins over Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech to conclude 2015.  In both games, WSU overcame a one-point halftime deficit to collect the victory, its first two of the season.  Against NMU, the Green & Gold trailed by five (36-31) five minutes into the second half before a 20-9 run gave the Warriors the lead for good.  In the MTU contest, WSU trailed by nine (38-29) late in the first half prior to a 31-12 run which put the hosts in front by 10.  Both games marked the first time this season, Wayne State had rallied for a comeback victory.

THE SERIES
Wayne State trails the all-time series against Grand Valley State 31-46 (29-33  in GLIAC games).  WSU is 13-23 in the series on the road.  However, WSU has won six of the last 10 meetings despite the fact the Lakers have captured the last two contests.  Head coach David Greer is 10-10 vs. GVSU, including a 5-5 mark in Allendale, Mich.

The Warriors trail 39-42 in the all-time series against Ferris State (30-33 in GLIAC games).  Wayne State has a 15-24 mark in games at FSU.  Coach Greer has a 12-9 record against the Bulldogs in his time at WSU, including a 4-6 mark in Big Rapids, Mich.  The teams have split the last 10 meetings with FSU taking the last two.  During the 2010-11 season, WSU and FSU met three times, including twice in the postseason.  WSU won the GLIAC Championships game at FSU before dropping a two-point decision in the NCAA Midwest Quarterfinal to the Bulldogs.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Grand Valley State extended its winning streak to three games with a 51-48 non-league victory at Cedarville on Dec. 19.  Four seniors and a junior lead the Lakers this year with third-year guard Luke Ryskamp averaging a team-best 16.0 points per game along with making a team-high 19 triples.  Senior forward Ricardo Carbajal is averaging 11.7 ppg and is second in rebounding (5.4 rpg).  Senior guard Darren Kapustka has a team-high 28 assists despite not starting a single contest.  Senior forward Chaz Rollins leads GVSU with 15 blocked shots, while junior forward Trevin Alexander has team-best totals of 60 rebounds (6.7 rpg) and 17 steals.  The Lakers are led by 11-year head coach Ric Wesley, who has compiled a 232-79 record.

Ferris State begins 2016 after winning eight of its first 10 games, including its first seven contests.  The Bulldogs concluded play before the break with an 83-71 win at Ohio Dominican and an 84-83 loss at Tiffin.  FSU returns to the court on Jan. 2 vs. Findlay.  Head coach Andy Bronkema is in his third season at the helm of the Bulldog program and has a career record of 41-27.   Jared Stolicker leads the team in scoring (17.0 PPG) and rebounding (9.9 RPG), while Josh Fleming is scoring 14.8 points per game.  James Chappell is averaging 12.8 points per contest.  As a team, FSU is shooting  47.8 percent from the floor, 31.0 percent from behind the arc and 60.8 percent from the free throw line.  The Bulldogs are scoring 80.6 points and allowing 67.4 points per game.

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State extended its winning streak to two games with a 77-64 home court victory over Michigan Tech on Dec. 13th.  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 George Spencer leading the way with a pair of baskets.  Back-to-back hoops by Chuck 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.  Ronald 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 Michael Lewis contributed 16 points and six boards.  Marcus Moore dished out a game-best nine assists, while notching three steals.  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

GREER NEARING MILESTONE
Head coach David Greer won his 200th game last season at Wayne State and now has 203 WSU victories, which is nine victories shy of matching Ron Hammye's (1988-01) program record of 212 wins.

IN THE POLLS
The GLIAC released its preseason coaches poll on Oct. 28 and Wayne State was predicted to finish fourth in the South Division.  Clark Bishop was voted to the All-GLIAC South Division Second Team in balloting conducted by the league's head coaches.  The Warriors totaled 99 points, behind Ashland, Findlay and Walsh.

NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
In the Dec. 20th NCAA statistical release, Wayne State ranked 29th in the nation and lead the conference with 14.14 offensive rebounds per game.  WSU is eighth in fewest turnovers with 94 and rank 11th in fewest fouls with 148.  Marcus Moore was 26th in the nation at 2.29 steals per game, while Michael Lewis is 33rd in the country at 3.43 offensive rebounds per game.

According to the NCAA, WSU has played the 17th toughest schedule in the NCAA through the games of Dec. 20th as Warrior opponents have combined for a .630 winning percentage.  The road doesn't get any easier for Wayne State in 2016 as its future opponents have a .576 winning percentage which would mean WSU would play the 11th toughest schedule in all of Division 2.

REBOUNDING ADVANTAGE
WSU has won the rebounding battle in four of the seven games this season including a decisive 41-18 advantage over Michigan Tech including 15 offensive boards on Dec. 13th.  Those offensive rebounds led to 21 second chance points.

THE KEY WARRIOR
If there was Sixth Man of the Year award in the GLIAC, Chuck Key would be the early season favorite.  Coming off the bench in all seven games this season, Key is averaging 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.  In the win over MTU, he notched career-highs in points (18), rebounds (9) and field goals made (9) in just 19 minutes of action.  He leads the Warriors with +15 plus-minus rating, which translates to WSU being 15 points better when Key is on the court.

THE BEAT GOES ON
David Greer is in his 15th season at the helm of the Warrior basketball program during the 2015-16 academic year.   He is the third-longest tenured coach in program history and collected his 200th win as Wayne State topped Tiffin on Feb. 5, 2015.  Greer, who has directed the Warriors to a 203-186 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 State on Feb. 18, 2012.  Coach Greer passed Joel Mason for second place in victories with his 187th win in the victory over Ohio Dominican on Dec. 7, 2013.

COMCAST/XFINITY
Every men's basketball home gamein 2016 will be broadcast live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN 900.  Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will call the action.

UP NEXT
The Warriors will play six of their next seven games at home beginning on Thursday, Jan. 7th against Hillsdale at 7:30 p.m.