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Wayne State University Athletics

2023 Men's Basketball Preview Graphic (Games 15-16)

Men's Basketball Cooper Weidenthaler, Sports Communications Specialist

Men's Basketball Brings Three-Game Winning Streak Back Home

The Warriors enter this week having won a season-best three games in a row.

STORYLINES
Wayne State is riding a three-game winning streak for the first time under first-year head coach Bryan Smothers, and the first time as a program since February of the 2020-21 season. The Warriors will play their next three games at home where they're 4-4 so far in the 2022-23 campaign.

WSU has climbed back to the .500 mark overall at 7-7 and above it in GLIAC play at 4-3.  On the other side, Lake Superior State (6-9, 5-2) has won two of its last three contests, but is just 2-8 away from home, while Ferris State (13-5, 4-3) has been on the right end in seven of its last eight outings.

SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State leads the all-time series with Lake Superior State by 14, 47-33, including a 16-win margin at home, 28-12.  However, the Warriors are looking for back-to-back victories over the Lakers for the first time since Feb. 2, 2013.  Since that day, LSSU has taken 12 of the 17 meetings between the two teams.

Wayne State and Ferris State have met 93 times in the all-time series with the Bulldogs holding an 11-game edge, 52-41.  The Warriors do boast more wins at home, though, 24-20.  The last time WSU beat FSU was the final men's game at Matthaei, a contest that the good guys won, 70-68.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Lake Superior State presents a trio of scorers averaging at least 10 points per game including Caden Ebeling (15.9 PPG - fifth in the GLIAC), Kemon Bassett (11.4) and Xander Okerlund (10.0).

Rebounding wise, the Lakers are one of just three teams in the league (along with Davenport and Parkside) with a pair of players bringing down at least five boards per contest.  Leading the way for LSSU are Bassett (5.6 - tied-for-ninth in the league) and Kingsley Perkins (5.3 - tied-for-11th in the league).

Lake Superior State is coached by the all-time winningest coach in program history in Steve Hettinga.  In his 16 seasons at the helm, the two-time GLIAC Coach of the Year (2013-14, and 2014-15) has compiled an overall record of 260-179 (.592 winning percentage) and a conference mark of 186-129 (.590).

Ferris State has picked up 11 of its 13 wins at home (11-1 record) and is coming off an eight-game homestand (7-1 record, the one loss was LSSU).  In six contests away from Big Rapids this season, the Bulldogs have gone just 2-4.

FSU utilizes a balanced attack with seven different scorers putting up at least seven points per game, including four double-digit scorers at the top in Solomon Oraegbu (14.9 PPG, ninth in the GLIAC), Ben Davidson (14.6 PPG), Ethan Erickson (14.4), and Dolapo Olayinka (10.1).

Olayinka is responsible for 7.0 rebounds per effort, a number that would normally be good for a tie for second in the league, but doesn't qualify with only eight games played.  Instead, Ferris State's top rebounder is Mykel Bingham with 6.1 per contest, which is tied for fourth.

This year marks the 10th season for Andy Bronkema, the 2018 National Coach of the Year, as the head coach and includes an overall record of 213-81 (.724 winning percentage) and a GLIAC mark of 131-56 (.701).

LAST GAME RECAP
Wayne State made it three wins in a row for the first time under first-year head coach, Bryan Smothers with an 80-66 triumph at Davenport last Saturday.

The Warriors used a 17-0 run from the end of the first half through the beginning of the second half to pull away from the Panthers.

WSU was ahead by nine, 46-37, at halftime and led for all 20 minutes of the second half.  In that second period, the closest DU could get was five, 55-50, while the Warriors' advantage grew to as large as 16, 55-39.

NO. 1 IN THE PROGRAM & IN YOUR HEART
Redshirt senior Antonio Marshall was named GLIAC Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday.

The honor came after Marshall averaged 30 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in a pair of Wayne State road victories while shooting .523 percent (23-of-44) from the field and .444 percent (12-of-27) from behind the arc.

After recording career-highs of 24 points and six triples in the road win at Grand Valley State on Thursday, Marshall drained another six shots from beyond the arc in scoring 36 points in the victory at Davenport on Saturday.  The 36 points is tied-for-eighth most in the 105 years of WSU basketball.

Through the first four weeks of league play, Marshall ranks in the top six in eight different categories.  He is first in points per game (20.3), three-pointers made (26) and minutes per game (35.6), second in field goals made (50), tied-for-fifth in steals (12), sixth in both free throw percentage (84.2 / 16-of-19) and defensive rebounds (36), and tied-for-sixth in blocks (7).  Marshall is ninth in rebounds per game (5.6) and tied-for-11th in assists (19).

LIVE ON WDTK
Kevin Brechmacher will call every Wayne State contest live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM).  Fans can also stream the action online at PatriotDetroit.com. Chuck Key will serve as the analyst for the Jan. 19th game, while Marcus Moore will work with Brechmacher on Jan. 21st.

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
Every regular season home game will be streamed via Warrior All-Access at WSUAthletics.com.
 
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Players Mentioned

Antonio Marshall

#1 Antonio Marshall

G
6' 4"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Antonio Marshall

#1 Antonio Marshall

6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
G