DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (0-3 overall) is set for its final two games for the month of November.  The Warriors will host Tiffin (1-4 overall) on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. before traveling to Lewis (2-2 overall) on Tuesday for an 8 p.m. eastern time start.

STORYLINES
In search of its first win for the 2024-25 season, the Wayne State University men's basketball team will host Tiffin at the WSU Fieldhouse on Saturday at 1 p.m., before traveling to Lewis on Tuesday for an 8 p.m. Eastern time tip-off.  

The Dragons also had a rough start to their campaign losing their first four games, one of which was at Lewis, before getting in the win column.  That victory came at home against Miami University (Middletown) last Sunday, 92-61.

As for the Flyers, they enter this contest with a .500 mark of 2-2.  That record includes two straight triumphs over Malone and Tiffin before back-to-back losses against GLIAC members Ferris State and Grand Valley State.

THE SERIES
Wayne State has owned the all-time series with Tiffin to the tune of 20 wins and only three losses.  The Warriors have been on the right side of the scoreboard for six in a row against the Dragons and eight of the last 10.  WSU is 10-1 at home vs. TU, including an 83-77 win at the Fieldhouse on Nov. 20, 2022.

The Wayne State and Lewis ledger is much tighter with LU holding a one-game edge, 9-8.  WSU has come out on top in three of the previous four showdowns following a stretch in which the Flyers were victorious in five of six.  The Warriors are just 2-7 in games in Romeoville.

SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
Tiffin is led by first-year head coach Desmond Balentine, following his two seasons as an assistant coach for the Dragons.  In 2023-24, Balentine was part of a coaching staff that guided TU to 18 wins (18-12 overall, 11-9 G-MAC), the program's most victories in 20 seasons.  As a player, Balentine spent two years at Incarnate Word following a pair of campaigns at Tyler Junior College.

So far this season, the first-year leader has turned to a trio of scorers putting up at least 10 points per game.  Those three include Allen Fordham (11.0 PPG), Jacob Pleiman (11.0 PPG) and Dekyre Fuller (10.8).  Tiffin has used the same starting lineup for each of the first five contests in Fordham, Fuller, Michael Lucarotti, KJ Pruitt and Caleb Bates.  Fuller and Lucarotti are on top of the rebounding department, each with an average of 4.8, while Fordham (2.2 APG), Fuller (2.0 APG) and Pruitt (2.0 APG) combine to run the show offensively.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Unlike Wayne State and Tiffin, Lewis is coached by a 19-year veteran and the program's all-time winningest coach in Scott Trost.  Factoring in Trost's four seasons at Elmhurst and five at Illinois Wesleyan, the Minnesota native has racked up an overall record of 471-297 (.613 winning percentage).

LU's offensive attack has leaned on Rob Stroud (15.3 PPG), Paxton Warden (12.5 PPG) and Jaylin Gibson (11.3 PPG).  Ryan Renfro has been hitting the glass better than any Flyer with a team-high 5.3 rebounds per contest to go with his 7.8 points per performance.  The offense runs through Warden's 4.5 assists per outing, which is tied-for-sixth in the GLVC.

LAST TIME OUT - FINDLAY - NOV. 17
The game was tied three times in the first three-plus minutes with UF's advantage never more than two points.  A triple by Carmelo Harris at the 15:53 mark put Wayne State in front for the first time at 9-8.  A defensive rebound by Tamario Adley led to a fast-break dunk by Ray Williams, Jr.

Findlay knotted the game at 11-11 on a triple by Ian Ioppolo with 14:40 left in the opening half.  The Warriors regained the lead at 14-13 on long-range shot by Jordan Briggs, then 82 seconds later Jon Brantley connected from beyond the arc for a 17-16 lead.

A Briggs defensive rebound and coast-to-coast lay-up tied the contest at 19-19 at the 11:22 mark, but the Oilers went on an 11-0 spurt in a span of 2:20 making all five shot attempts (four two-point field goals and one triple) for its largest lead of the half (30-19) with just under nine minutes remaining before intermission.

Rob Lee, Jr. drained a triple and Adley made two free throws during a 5-0 run by WSU.  Wayne State pulled within four (32-28) on a lay-up by Kelvin Tamakloe, but UF answered with six consecutive points for a 10-point margin (38-28).

Adam Ayrault drilled a three-pointer with three minutes left in the first half to cut the deficit to five (40-35).  Findlay concluded the opening 20 minutes on a 5-0 spurt to lead by 10 (45-35) at the break.

Wayne State shot 46 percent (10-of-22) in the opening half, compared to UF's 56 percent (20-of-36).  The Warriors were 10-of-10 at the charity stripe, while the Oilers were 1-of-2.  Eight WSU turnovers led to an 11-0 advantage for Findlay in points off turnovers.

After a jumper by Carlos Paul III, UF scored the next four points.  Wayne State trimmed its deficit to five (49-44) with a 7-0 run, but the Oilers responded by scoring 12 of the next 18 points to grab a 61-50 lead with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Findlay would have its largest lead of the game (16, 74-58) with 7:54 remaining, but the Warrior offense would rally by scoring 12 of the next 13 points to make it a five-point contest (75-70) with 4:33 left following a steal, a fast-break lay-up and free throw by Ayrault.  UF's Josh Thorbahn would make his only triple of the game on the ensuing possession, but Ayrault answered with his second three-pointer of the afternoon.

With 97 seconds remaining, an offensive rebound by Lee, Jr., and a Harris lay-up from Ayrault cut the margin to four (81-77).  Two field goals and 3-of-4 at the foul line in the final 72 seconds by Findlay sealed its road victory.

2024-25 BROADCAST CREWS
All men's basketball regular-season contests (both home and away) will air live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM), except the two non-Division 2 games (Dec. 11 vs. Michigan-Dearborn and Dec. 21 against Redeemer).  Fans can also stream the action online at PatriotDetroit.com.  This is the 23rd consecutive season WSU basketball has been aired on 1400 AM.  Kevin Brechmacher is in his ninth 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/Tartars.  

In addition, every 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, including the two aforementioned contests on Dec. 11 and Dec. 21.