MIDLAND, Mich. -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (8-6 overall, 6-3 GLIAC) was uanble to rally in falling 73-71 at Northwood University (5-11 overall, 2-7 GLIAC) Saturday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The game was tied four times in the first six minutes before senior Chuck Key (Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech) converted a conventional three-point play to give WSU an 11-10 lead.  After a Nick Spitzley jumper gave Northwood the advantage, five straight points by senior George Spencer (Detroit, Mich. / Belleville) put the Warriors ahead 16-12.

The Timberwolves then went on a 12-2 run for a 24-18 lead before senior Ronald Booth (Detroit, Mich. / Consortium) made a triple.  Booth then scored five of WSU's next seven points during a 7-4 spurt which knotted the game at 28-28 with just under six minutes left before halftime.

NU's Trey McBride scored the game's next five points and teammate Demetri Martin hit back-to-back three pointers sandwiched around a bucket by Booth, then Northwood's Charlie Ryan connected from long range giving the Timberwolves a 42-34 lead at intermission.

Northwood led by 12 a couple of times in the second half (the last coming at 48-36).  Four straight points by senior Marcus Moore (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly) and a field goal by Key cut the Warrior deficit to six (48-42).  Two more buckets by Key made it a 50-46 contest.

A 13-4 run by Northwood gave the hosts a 63-50 lead with just over seven minutes remaining.  Booth scored six of WSU's next eight points to trim the margin to seven (65-58).  Trailing 67-58, the Warriors scored the next five points to make it 67-63 with just under a minute remaining.

Northwood made two of four foul shots over back-to-back possessions for a 69-63 advantage.  A lay-up by Key with 10 seconds and the Warriors fouled on the inbounds.  NU's Nate Georgeton made both free throws for a 71-65 lead with eight seconds left.  Booth (WSU) and Georgeton (NU) each made two foul shots within a second of each other making the score 73-67 Northwood with four seconds left.

Booth made a triple with 2.1 seconds left, and Moore came up with a loose ball on the inbouds pass at halfcourt and was fouled with the referees putting 0.3 seconds on the clock and Wayne State trailing 73-70.  Moore missed his first two foul shots before sinking the third.

TEAM STATS

Both teams shot 51 percent from the floor on identical 27-of-53.  Both teams also shot 38 percent from three-point range with WSU going 3-for-8 and Northwood making 6-of-16.  The Timberwolves were a stellar 13-of-16 (81 percent) from the free throw line, with the Warriors converting 14-of-20 foul shots (70 percent).

Northwood won the battle of the boards, 33-24, but Wayne State had 14 turnovers to NU's 19 miscues.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Booth led four WSU starters in double figures with 25 points, which included 10-of-10 at the charity stripe.  Key contributed 21 points, while Spencer and Moore totaled 13 and 10 points, respectively.

LEADING THE TIMBERWOLVES

McBride led NU with 18 points, while Spitzley had 12 points off the bench.

UP NEXT

Wayne State begins a four-game homestand on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against Michigan Tech.  The game will be televised live on Comcast CN 900 with Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson calling the action.