Men's Basketball | 1/13/2016 9:12:00 AM

DETROIT -- After winning two GLIAC games to close out 2015 over Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech, the Wayne State University men's basketball program (2-9, 2-6 GLIAC) has lost four straight in 2016.  The Warriors are in the midst of playing six home games in a seven-game span.  WSU will host Tiffin (6-9, 2-6 GLIAC) on Thursday night before traveling to Ohio Dominican (5-9, 2-6 GLIAC)  Wayne State has played the fourth toughest schedule in the country as WSU's past opponents (as of Jan. 11th) carry a .667 winning percentage.  As the Green & Gold prepare to begin GLIAC South Division play this week, the winning percentage of the remaining opponents drops to .448 (236th toughest schedule in DII).

THE SERIES
Wayne State leads the all-time series against Tiffin 14-2 (10-2 in GLIAC games).  The teams began playing in 1986 and the Warriors won the first 11 meetings.  WSU is unbeaten at home (8-0) in eight contests, while Coach Greer is 12-2 vs. TU.  The Dragons found the win column in 2012 (83-77) and last season with an overtime win (65-59).  Both Tiffin victories came in Ohio.

WSU has won six of the eight all-time meetings with Ohio Dominican since the teams first met in 2010.  However, ODU is winner of the previous two matchups including on overtime contest in Detroit last season, snapping WSU's six game winning series winning streak.  The Warriors are 3-1 in Columbus versus the Panthers.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Tiffin is 6-9 overall and 2-6 in league games.  The Dragons have lost three straight under third-year head coach Jerry Buccilla.  Buccilla carries a 25-46 record into Thursday's matchup and he brings the Dragons to Detroit for the second time this season as TU participated in the GLIAC/G-MAC Challenge to begin the season in November.  Khaleal McCormick was averaging 20.5 points per contest in his first two games but has not played since due to injury.  Tony Kynard is scoring 16.4 points per night, while Chrisean Marsden is chipping in 12.7 points per contest.  As a team, Tiffin is scoring 74.8 points per game and allowing 76.1.  The Dragons are shooting 42.8 percent from the floor, 34.1 percent from three-point range and 69.8 percent from the free throw line.  One of the better rebounding teams in the conference, Tiffin is third in the league at 40.3 boards per game including 13.6 offensive rebounds per contest (second in the GLIAC).

Entering the first week of divisional play, Ohio Dominican is 5-9 overall and 2-6 in league games.  Dan Evans (19-48) is in third season as head coach of the Panthers after time as an assistant at Hillsdale.  ODU has won two straight, topping Lake Superior State and Northwood and will travel to Findlay before hosting WSU.  The Panthers go-to guy is Trent Weaver, who leads the team in scoring (14.6 PPG) and rebounding (9.4 RPG), which ranks fourth in the GLIAC.  Ronnie Williams is averaging 13.3 points per game and ranks fifth in the league with an 88.1 free throw percentage.  Chad Nelson is scoring 11.2 points per night, while Shemar Waugh is the team's catalyst with 4.2 assists per contest.  ODU is scoring 75.9 points (ninth in the league) per game while allowing 74.7 points (11th in the league) per night.

LAST WEEK'S RECAP
The Warriors dropped the Jan. 7th contest, 90-75, versus Hillsdale. There were six lead changes and five ties in the first 14 minutes with neither team leading by more than four points.  Wayne State led 28-25 following a tip-in by Michael Lewis with 6:45 remaining in the first half.   The Chargers lead grew from 13 (48-35) at intermission to 20 (64-44) in the first six minutes of the second half and HC controlled the rest of the game.  Wayne State showed great energy to begin Saturday's clash with Saginaw Valley State.  WSU scored eight of the game's first 10 points in the first two minutes of the contest with Chuck Key and Lewis each making a pair of shots.  The Cardinals scored the first five points of the second half to push its lead to eight (40-32).  WSU was within one again (60-59) after Ronald Booth made a pair from the charity stripe, but the Cardinals answered with a 7-0 run to lead 67-59 with just over a minute remaining.  Saginaw Valley State went 10-of-10 from the foul line in the final 54 seconds to claim the 77-69 victory.

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
The Green & Gold rank 20th nationally (fifth in the GLIAC) in fewest turnovers (144) and 16th (first in the GLIAC) with 14.73 offensive rebounds per game.

UDANOH EARNS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Former Wayne State University basketball standout Ike Udanoh, currently with the Bisons Loimaa, was selected as the Finnish League's Player of the Week, for the period ending Jan. 8th.  He had a double-double of 30 points and 15 rebounds, while his team beat Lapua (#9, 6-14) 89-78.  Udanoh was a three-year letterwinner (2009-12) for WSU after transferring from Long Island.  He finished 17th in career scoring with 996 points, seventh in field goal percentage (55.1 - min. 150 made), ninth in blocked shots (63) and 12th in rebounds (584).

SCORING IN BUNCHES
First-year Warrior Ronald Booth is WSU's leading scorer averaging 16.7 points per game (19.5 per GLIAC contest).  He has scored at least 20 points on five occasions, including a career-high 29 at Northwood (12/3).

REBOUNDING ADVANTAGE
WSU has won the rebounding battle in six of the 11 games this season including a decisive 41-18 advantage over Michigan Tech.  WSU grabbed 15 offensive boards in that contest on Dec. 13th.  Those offensive rebounds led to 21 second-chance points.  WSU out-rebounded Ferris State 43 to 41, leading to 18 second-chance points.  WSU hauled in a season-high 44 rebounds against Hillsdale last Thursday and won that rebounding battle 44-42.

THE KEY WARRIOR
If there was Sixth Man of the Year award in the GLIAC, Chuck Key would be a strong candidate.  Coming off the bench in the first eight games, Key is averaging 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.7 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.  In last Saturday's game vs. Saginaw Valley State, he tallied 13 points and six boards, while going 6-of-9 from the floor.

DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Joel Ndondo collected the first WSU double-double of the season at Ferris State on Jan. 3rd with career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (10).  The last Warrior to accomplish the feat was Jamar Ragland (11 points/11 rebounds) on Feb. 22, 2014, vs. Grand Valley State.

COMCAST/XFINITY
Every men's basketball home game in 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.  A replay of the Tiffin match-up can be seen on Jan. 16th at 5 p.m.

UP NEXT
After the road contest at ODU, the Warriors return home for three straight, beginning with Lake Erie on Jan. 21st at 7:30 p.m.