DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (2-2 overall) will wrap up Thanksgiving weekend and a three-game homestand against Lawrence Tech (5-3 overall) on Sunday afternoon. The Warriors are looking for their third-straight win and opening tip against the Blue Devils is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside the WSU Fieldhouse.
STORYLINES
Wayne State won its second game in a row 84-73 over Lake Erie on Tuesday night inside the Fieldhouse. The Warriors are wrapping up a three-game homestand Sunday against Lawrence Tech before embarking on a five-game road trip that will end on Dec. 17.
Lawrence Tech has won three games in a row and five of its last six contests. Most recently, the Blue Devils hosted UM-Dearborn in a WHAC matchup on Tuesday night and came out on top by a score of 70-63.
THE SERIES
Sunday's meeting between Wayne State and Lawrence Tech will be the first ever.
SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILS
Lawrence Tech is coached by seventh-year man Josh Pickens. Pickens, a native of Rockford, Illinois, began his collegiate playing career at Rock Valley Junior College before transferring to Ashford University for his junior season. At Rock Valley he was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection.
Lawrence Tech is paced by a quartet of scorers averaging in double-figures including Brandon Beavers (20.1 PPG), Nathaniel Ward (13.1 PPG), Aaron Dolny (11.6 PPG) and Cameron McEvans (10.3 PPG). Beavers is also tops for the Blue Devlis in both rebounds (7.4 RPG) and assists (4.1 APG).
As a team, LTU is putting up 78.6 points per contest while shooting 43.8 percent (222-of-507) from the field, 36.1 percent (99-of-274) from behind the arc and 70.5 percent (86-of-122) at the free throw line.
LAST TIME OUT - VS. LAKE ERIE
The Green and Gold jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first 42 seconds of the game on a jumper by sophomore guard
Carmelo Harris and three pointer by senior
Ray Williams, Jr. Lake Erie then went on an 8-0 run of its own to nab an 8-5 advantage just prior to the three-minute mark. The runs continued for each side as Wayne State scored the next six points to lead 11-8 at the first media timeout. The Warriors led the rest of the half and and were able to extend their lead to double-digits following a pair of made free throws from sophomore center
Matt Coffey and a jumper from Williams, Jr. By the eight-minute media break, Wayne State held a 12-point edge (27-15). The score was close (16-14) in the final eight minutes of the half, and WSU went into halftime with a 14-point edge (43-29).
WSU shot an impressive 57 percent from the floor (16-of-28) in the opening 20 minutes, compared to Lake Erie's 31 percent (12-of-39).
Despite the Storm outpacing the Warriors 44-41 in the final 20 minutes, the Green and Gold held on for an 11-point triumph. Coffey put Wayne State over 50 points for the game following two free throws at the four-minute mark, while Williams, Jr., redshirt junior forward
Colin Golson, Jr. and sophomore guard
Tamario Adley all figured in on the scoring in the opening half of the stanza. The Warriors led by 15 (64-49) at the halfway mark of the second. A pair of made free throws by freshman forward
Hutch Ward gave the squad 70 points, with a free throw from freshman guard
Jordan Briggs and layup from Coffey putting the team over 80 for a second consecutive contest.
The Warriors scored the same amount of points (84) in the win over Lake Erie as they did in the 84-72 triumph over Lewis over the weekend.
Wayne State shot 53 percent (28-of-53) from the floor in the winning effort, compared to LEC's 40 percent (28-of-70). WSU made nine of 18 tries from beyond the arc (33 percent), which was identical in percentage (33 percent) to Lake Erie's nine of 27. The Warrior went to the charity stripe 29 times and drained 22 shots (76 percent), while the Storm went to the free throw line 13 times and made eight (62 percent). WSU held a 42-34 edge in rebounding, and Lake Erie won the assists battle by a 21-15 margin.
Coffey notched the first double-double of his collegiate career, scoring 10 points and hauling in 10 rebounds. Williams, Jr. (14 points and 14 rebounds) also notched a double-double -- the second of his career. Adley contributed 14 points to tie Williams, Jr. for the team lead. Harris (11) and Golson, Jr. (10) also reached double-figures for the contest.
GLIAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Wayne State was voted ninth in a preseason vote by the league's head coaches as announced by the conference office. The top five teams, in order, included Ferris State (77 points, five first-place votes), Northern Michigan (75 points, four first-place votes), Grand Valley State (61 points), Parkside (50 points, one first-place vote) and Michigan Tech (45 points). The bottom half of the poll featured Saginaw Valley State in sixth (41 points), Davenport (35 points), Lake Superior State (35 points), Wayne State (20 points) and Purdue Northwest (11 points). Following the regular season, the top eight teams in the conference standings will qualify for the GLIAC Tournament, which begins on March 6. For the quarterfinal round, the higher seed will host, before the highest remaining seed hosts both the semifinals (March 9) and finals (March 10). The Warriors will look to qualify for the GLIAC Tournament for the first time since their 2020-21 campaign.
LIVE ON WDTK
All men's basketball contests (both home and away) will air live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM). Fans can also listen to the audio online at PatriotDetroit.com. This will be the 22nd consecutive season WSU basketball has been aired on 1400 AM.
Kevin Brechmacher returns for his eighth season calling the WSU men's games on WDTK. He will be joined on the broadcast of home games by either Chuck Key (2014-18), Marcus Moore (2014-18) or Andy Dold (1998-2002), all former Warriors.
In addition, every men's basketball GLIAC contest will be televised on FloSports (flohoops.com) per the GLIAC agreement with FloSports. In addition, all home non-conference games for the men will also be on FloHoops.
