DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball program (3-3, 2-0 GLIAC) will look to stay perfect in league games as it travels to Ashland (5-3, 0-2 GLIAC) on Thursday night before hosting Tiffin (2-5, 0-2 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.

STORYLINES
The Warriors have started league play 2-0 for the second straight year after going 6-0 to begin conference play last season.  Wayne State's calling card has always been its defense and the 2017-18 season appears to be no different as WSU has yet to allow a team to score 75 points this season.  The Warriors will matchup with the only two Ohio schools left in the GLIAC as they travel to preseason division favorite Ashland on Thursday night, before hosting Tiffin on Saturday for the final time as the Dragons are ticketed for the G-MAC.

THE SERIES
Wayne State leads the all-time series 30-24 against Ashland, including an 11-15 mark on the road in a series that began in 1922.  The two sides started meeting as GLIAC counterparts in 1997 and WSU has won 22 of those 39 contests.  Prior to last season's 61-56 victory in Ohio by the Warriors, the Eagles had won five straight.  Head coach David Greer is 17-12 against Ashland in his 16-plus seasons at the helm.

The Warriors also control the all-time series 16-3 versus Tiffin.  Wayne State is 8-1 inside the Matthaei in the series and Coach Greer is 14-3 against the Dragons.  WSU won the first 11 meetings and have taken three of the last four contests.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Ashland the was the coaches pick to win the GLIAC South Division prior to the season but the Eagles have started slow dropping their first two league games at Lake Superior State and at Ferris State, two of the better teams in the region.  Head coach John Ellenwood is in his ninth season with the program.  He relies on one of the better all-around players in the country in senior Wendell Davis, who is already a two-time GLIAC Player of the Week.  Davis is averaging 23.6 points per night, 6.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest.  Sophomore Drew Noble (15.4 PPG) and junior Ben Haraway (13.8) are also a dangerous combination.

Tiffin is also searching for its first GLIAC victory after falling to LSSU and FSU.  The Dragons host Davenport on Thursday before visiting Detroit.  Head coach Jerry Buccilla is in his fifth season and looks to junior Austin Adams and senior Alex Brown to lead his squad.  Brown is scoring 18.7 points per game, grabbing 5.4 boards per contest and dishing out 3.4 assists per night.  Adams is averaging 17.1 points, a team-best 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State trailed 12-2 in the first seven minutes at Purdue Northwest on Saturday but were able to rally for a 73-66 victory over the Pride.  It was the first-ever trip to PNW for Wayne State and Ronald Booth led the Warriors with 20 points, knocking down 6-of-10 of his three-point attempts.  Booth was joined in double figures by Chuck Key (14), George Spencer (13) and Marcus Moore (10).

STARTING FIVE
Wayne State has introduced the same starting five in all six games this season and those five have carried the team through the first part of the season and will need to continue that if the Warriors want to keep winning games.  The quintet have all scored in double-digits on two occasions, first against Kentucky Wesleyan and then in the league-opening win over GVSU.  Four of the five accomplished the feat at Purdue Northwest, while the only one who didn't, Latin Davis, Jr. finished with five assists.

DEFENSE WINNING GAMES
Wayne State ranks fourth in the GLIAC in scoring defense, allowing 68.2 points per game.  The Warriors have not allowed more than 73 points this season.  Last season, WSU started strong on defense, not allowing more than 71 until January 14th as the Green & Gold won nine of its first 12 games.

RAINING THREES
Ronald Booth's six triples at Purdue Northwest last weekend, are tied for the fourth most in a game in program history.  The record of 11 is held by Kris Krzyminski (2006) and the Hall of Famer also has the second most (7), which he and Kendall LeSure (2003) both accomplished.    Booth joins six others to connect on six three-pointers.  Booth has 110 career three-pointers, which ranks 12th in program history.  He needs three more to enter the top 10 and with 30 more triples, he would be in the top five.

NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA stat release, Wayne State ranks 25th in fewest turnovers (75), 41st in both scoring defense (68.2) and fewest fouls (111), and 62nd in three-point defense (.318).  Latin Davis, Jr. ranks 68th nationally with a 2.44 assist-to-turnover ratio.

REBOUNDING EDGE
When Tristan Wilson went down before the season with an injury, the Warriors knew they would be undersized in a league where several teams roll out forwards and centers 6-8 or taller.  However, Wayne State has done a nice job of cleaning the glass, winning the rebounding battle in three of the six games and only being out-rebounded 205 to 199 overall.

MOST IMPROVED TEAMS
Wayne State was one of the most improved teams in the country last season, adding nine wins to its 2015-16 win total and subtracting eight losses.

COACHING MILESTONE
With the win on Dec. 3, 2016, over Hillsdale, David Greer became the winningest coach in the 100 years of Wayne State men's basketball.  He passed his predecessor Ron Hammye's mark of 212 victories, which he collected in his 13 seasons (1988-01).

COMCAST/XFINITY
Every home men's basketball game in 2018 will be aired live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast/CN 900.

LIVE ON WDTK
Kevin Brechmacher will call every contest live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM).  Fans can also stream the action online at PatriotDetroit.com.  WSU alum Kendall LeSure, who played at Wayne State from 2000-04 and scored 1,068 points during his career, joins Brechmacher for home games.