Men's Basketball 1/27/2023 7:53:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Men's Hoops Hosts Saginaw Valley Tomorrow To Conclude Homestand

Warriors looking to even GLIAC record at 5-5.

STORYLINES
Wayne State's three-game winning streak was snapped on January 19th by Lake Superior State, 69-60, before the Warriors dropped a second game in a row to Ferris State two days later, 74-55. WSU gets set for its final home game in the month of January, a 3 p.m. tip on January 28th against Saginaw Valley State, a team the Warriors fell to in University Center for the GLIAC opener on Dec. 3, 75-66.

SVSU has won just two of its last five games, but is coming off a six-point home court victory over Lake Superior State last Saturday, 79-73. Eight of the Cardinals 10 wins have come on their home court (8-5 when hosting), while their record away from the friendly confines is just 2-4.

THE SERIES
Wayne State trails the all-time series with Saginaw Valley State by eight, 38-46, but is four games above the .500 mark at home against the Cardinals, 22-18. However, SVSU has been on the right side in four-straight meetings between the two teams, nine of the last 11 and 13 of the previous 17.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Saginaw Valley State is paced by a pair of scorers averaging in double figures in Tre Garrett (15.0 PPG, ninth in the GLIAC) and Freddie McIntosh (14.7, 12th in the GLIAC).

Garrett is second in the conference in rebounds per game with 6.3 and makes field goals at a 51.7 percent clip, a number that's good for 11th in the league. Alongside Garrett, the Cardinals also boast the top individual field goal percentage in the GLIAC in Kevonne Taylor's 72.4 percent.

McIntosh is sixth in the league in assists per game (3.6) while defensively, Taylor leads the conference in blocks per game (2.1), the only player averaging at least two per contest in the GLIAC, and Garrett is second in steals per outing (2.2), one of just two players with at least two per game.

LAST GAME RECAP
There were three ties in the first three minutes before the Bulldogs tallied seven of the next eight points for a 13-7 advantage. A triple by Carmelo Harris pulled the Warriors within three (13-10). WSU was able to knot the score at 18-18 on a conventional three-point play by Kaimen Lennox at the 12:56 mark.

FSU responded with six consecutive points for a 24-18 lead, prior to a lay-up from Lennox and a triple by Kylin Grant cutting the deficit to one (24-23) with 9:32 remaining. Wayne State was again within one (26-25) following a lay-up by Harris. Antonio Marshall, who was limited to 18 minutes in the contest due to foul trouble, connected from long range making it 31-28 in favor of the visitors at the 5:20 mark. An 8-1 spurt by the Bulldogs extended their advantage to 10 (39-29) before a turnaround jumper by Avery Lewis just before intermission trimmed the margin to eight (39-31).

FSU's Solomon Oraegbu had a game-high 11 points in the first half.

The Bulldogs increased their margin to 13 (44-31) by scoring the first five points of the second half, but the Warriors answered with an 8-0 run to cut the difference to five (44-39) at the 15:12 mark. Lewis tallied the first four points of the spurt for WSU, then Harris and Lennox each made buckets.

Ferris State then had a 15-0 run to put the game out of reach as Wayne State went scoreless for over 6:30.

WSU would only get as close as 17 points the rest of the way.

Lewis tied for game-high scoring honors with 18 points, with Harris chipping in with 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Wayne State shot 36 percent (22-of-62) from the floor, while FSU took one less attempt (61) but made seven more (29) for 48 percent. WSU was just 5-of-25 (20 percent) from beyond the arc, with the Bulldogs making 4-of-15 (27 percent) from three-point range. The Warriors made six foul shots in 12 attempts (50), while Ferris State was 12-of-20 (60 percent) from the charity stripe. FSU had a 50-31 edge in rebounding.

WARRIOR UPDATE
Wayne State continues to be lead by a trio of scorers putting up at least 10 points per game including Antonio Marshall (15.8 PPG, 18.9 PPG in GLIAC play), Avery Lewis (14.2 PPG, 15.2 PPG in GLIAC play) and Carmelo Harris (13.5 PPG).

Lewis is on top of the team's rebounding department with 7.1 per contest and a 7.9 rebounding average in league games.

Defensively, the Warriors' leader for both blocks and steals is Marshall with 11 (0.7 per game) and 25 (1.6 per game), respectively.

Efficiency wise, Lewis is the ringleader for field goal percentage (50.6 percent), Marshall for three-point field goal percentage (40.4) and Harris for free throw percentage (85.0).

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Wayne State is 29th nationally in turnovers per game (11.4), while Antonio Marshall is 53rd in three-point percentage (40.4 / 42-of-104).

INTRODUCING COACH SMOTHERS
Wayne State officially began a new era in the men's basketball program in November as 2020 Hall of Fame inductee Bryan Smothers became just the second former WSU student-athlete to lead the program (joining Newman Ertell who lettered from 1921-25, then became head coach in 1929 for the College of the City of Detroit).

Smothers is the 11th head coach (including interim) since Detroit Junior College began playing basketball in January of 1918.

The 2022-23 campaign is the 105th season of Wayne State basketball (no games were played in 1943-44 due to World War II).

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 with Brechmacher on Jan. 28th.

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

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Players Mentioned

#5 Kylin Grant: F; 6' 6"; Senior

#11 Carmelo Harris: G; 5' 11"; Freshman

#22 Kaimen Lennox: G; 6' 2"; Junior

#33 Avery Lewis: F; 6' 6"; Redshirt Senior

#1 Antonio Marshall: G; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Kylin Grant
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F

#11 Carmelo Harris
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: G

#22 Kaimen Lennox
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

#33 Avery Lewis
: 6' 6"; Redshirt Senior
: F

#1 Antonio Marshall
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: G