DETROIT -- Before beginning the 2024-25 regular season on Nov. 8, the Wayne State University men's basketball team will go next door to face Division I Detroit Mercy in an exhibition on Monday, Oct. 28 beginning at 7 p.m. inside Calihan Hall.  The Warriors and Titans faced off with the same circumstances on Nov. 2 of last year before WSU came out on top by a score of 88-78.

Wayne State enters season No. 3 under head coach and Warrior alum, Bryan Smothers, in 2024-25.  Smothers has accumulated an overall record of 22-32 including a mark of 12-24 in league action.

Last season, Smothers led WSU (14-15 overall, 7-11 GLIAC) to victory in five of the final seven regular season games before his first appearance in the GLIAC Tournament as head coach.  Wayne State won on the road at Saginaw Valley State 75-74 in the regular season finale with a Carmelo Harris last-second buzzer beater in order to qualify.  Then, playing as the seven seed, the Warriors knocked off second-seeded Lake Superior State 87-78 in Sault Ste. Marie.  That triumph meant Wayne State had won its first GLIAC Tournament game since 2012, and its first opening round GLIAC Tournament game either on the road (or neutral site) since Feb. 25, 1999.

However, the Warriors came up short 91-81 against third-seeded Ferris State three days later in the semifinal round.  The Bulldogs would go on to win the Midwest Region before falling to eventual National Champion Minnesota State in the Elite Eight.

Fast forward to this season and Wayne State returns three of five starters including 2023-24 Second Team All-GLIAC member Harris (team-leading 12.9 PPG), 2023-24 GLIAC All-Defensive Team member Ray Williams, Jr. (9.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG) and Tamario Adley (8.8 PPG, 3.1 APG).  Also back are the reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year Rob Lee, Jr. (12.6 PPG in GLIAC play), Jordan Briggs (played in all 29 games) and Kareem Aburashed (squad-best 20 blocks).  All in all, the Warriors bring back 10 players, eight of which were letterwinners a season ago.

"There's no substitute for experience," Smothers said when asked about what his first two seasons have taught him.  "Now having guys that have been in the program for a year or two, it's a different feel for how they approach the day to day.  The returners can now teach the new guys our concepts and the things we're trying to accomplish on both sides of the ball.  This is a different place than we've been before as far as a true understanding of what we're asking them to do every single day and what it takes to succeed even when facing adversity later in the season."

Looking at the 2024-25 schedule, the 28-game slate features 26 contests against NCAA Midwest Region foes, 20 games within GLIAC play and 14 home dates inside the Fieldhouse.

"Each year you try to balance the number of home games, with the amount of difficult road games early in the season," mentioned Smothers.  "Having six of our first 10 games at home is really beneficial to get off to a strong start.  The two home games to start conference play will also be huge opportunities for our program.  Protecting your home court is crucial for any team looking to compete at the highest level."

It all kicks off at brand new GLVC member Lincoln (Mo.) on Friday, Nov. 8, the teams' first-ever meeting.  That contest is one of eight out of conference play for the Warriors as well as at Indianapolis (Nov. 10), vs. Findlay (Nov. 17), vs. Tiffin (Nov. 23), at Lewis (Nov. 26), vs. Michigan-Dearborn (Dec. 11), at Northwood (Dec. 19) and vs. Redeemer (Dec. 21).

WSU will embark on its league schedule beginning at home with Davenport on Thursday, Dec. 5.  The GLIAC schedule as a whole includes 20 games with a home contest and road date against each of the other 10 schools.  In league action, the Warriors will play more than twice in a row at home or on the road only once, a four-game road swing from Feb. 13-22.  Wayne State will play the GLIAC's newest member Roosevelt University in a pair of Monday contests - Jan. 27 at the WSU Fieldhouse and Feb. 17 at the Goodman Center in Chicago.

Following the regular season, the top eight teams in the conference standings will qualify for the GLIAC Tournament, which begins on March 5.  For the quarterfinal round, the higher seed will host, before the highest remaining seed hosts both the semifinals (March 8) and finals (March 9).