KENOSHA, Wis. -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (8-4 GLIAC) continued its road trip at Parkside (8-5 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon and the Warriors shot 54 percent from the floor to win 63-60 and collect an important road split.
The win coupled with two Michigan Tech losses puts Wayne State in first place overall in the GLIAC standings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Parkside led 5-2 early after a three-pointer from Vinson Sigmon, Jr. Two free throws from redshirt sophomore
Avery Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) and a jumper from redshirt junior
Darian Owens-White (Detroit, Mich. / River Rouge) gave WSU a 6-5 advantage at the 14:04 mark. The Warriors used a 6-0 rally to take a 12-8 lead with 10:44 remaining in the opening half. Five consecutive points from Owens-White kept the visitors lead at four, 17-13, at the 8:30 mark. The margin grew to nine following a three-pointer from junior
Antonio Marshall (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) with 5:22 to play before halftime. Redshirt senior
Brailen Neely (Detroit, Mich. / Western International) made it 30-22 with a bucket at the 2:18 mark. At halftime, the Green & Gold led 32-26. Wayne State shot 52 percent in the first 20 minutes.
The lead stayed around eight points early in the second stanza until a Neely basket pushed the advantage to double digits, 49-39, at the 11:30 mark. However, an 8-0 run by the Rangers trimmed the margin to two, 49-47, with 7:34 to play. Eight straight points from Neely kept WSU on top 57-51 at the 4:21 mark. Parkside trailed by three on three occasions down the stretch but would be unable to get any closer. Freshman
Ray Williams, Jr. (Detroit, Mich. / Edison Public School Academy) connected on a pair of clutch free throws to make it 63-58 with 49 seconds left to play.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Neely tallied a season-high 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting, while dishing out eight assists. Lewis finished with 14 points and Marshall chipped in with 11 points.
LEADING THE RANGERS
Colin O'Rourke posted a team-best 15 points, while Brandon Hau had 12 points and Josiah Palmer contributed 12 points.
ONE BIG THING
The Warriors had their best shooting performance of the season, going 27-of-50 (54 percent).
UP NEXT
The Warriors will conclude their three-game road trip with a 4 p.m. contest on Tuesday at Ashland.
Â
