DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (8-6 overall, 5-3 GLIAC) continued its winning ways on Saturday inside the WSU Fieldhouse, taking down Roosevelt (2-13 overall, 1-7 GLIAC) by a score of 78-67.  After going 0-2 against the Lakers last season, the Warriors defeated them for the first time in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that saw two ties and 12 lead changes. 

Roosevelt scored seven of the game's first eight points through the initial three-and-a-half minutes for its biggest lead of six.

Wayne State then woke up with seven consecutive points to lead 8-7, which included five from Devin Belle (Lyndhurst, Ohio / Pepper Pike Orange [Lincoln Trail C.C. / Lakeland C.C.]) and two by Jordan Briggs (Muskegon, Mich.).

From there (15:20 left) until the 1:37 mark, the Lakers outscored the Warriors by six (22-16) for a five-point advantage, 29-24, at the 1:37 juncture.

In the period's final 79 seconds, WSU proceeded to cash a trio of three-pointers, two off the hand of Jotham Nweke (Oak Park, Mich. / Detroit Loyola [Macomb C.C.]) and a third from Adam Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) that put the home team ahead by four (33-29) heading into halftime.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well including 37.1 percent (13-of-35) for Wayne State and 38.7 percent (12-of-31) for Roosevelt.  The Warriors out-rebounded the Lakers by four (22-18) and took better care of the ball with eight assists to only four turnovers.

Second Half
Wayne State carried that momentum into the second half with seven consecutive points -- a Belle triple plus two free throws as well as a Marshall Thorn dunk sandwiched in between.

With the margin sitting at 11, 40-29, Roosevelt pulled within six twice at 42-36 and 44-38.  Following the second of those two instances (14:37 remaining), the Warriors rattled off a 15-6 run that gave them their biggest advantage of the day at 15, 59-44.

JaKobie Boose (Flint, Mich. / Hamady) was responsible for seven of those 15 points while Ayrault added six and Carlos Paul III (Southfield, Mich. / Cornerstone Lincoln-King [Missouri State - West Plains]) chipped in a pair.

From that point until the final buzzer, the Lakers scored 23 points to the Warriors' 19 and could never get closer than nine (74-65) before the final 11-point margin.

TEAM STATS
Wayne State shot much better in the second half (51.9 percent, 14-of-27) to up its clip for the game to 43.5 percent (27-of-62).  Roosevelt countered that efficiency with an output of just 39.7 percent (23-of-58).  The Warriors were dominant on the glass to the tune of 45-23, including 13-3 on the offensive side, which led to a 10-2 edge in second-chance scoring.  The Lakers had the upper hand in points off turnovers (18-5) and fast-break scoring (12-3).

LEADING THE WARRIORS
The Warriors turned in a balanced scoring effort, which included Belle (15 points), Boose (12), Ayrault (12), and Paul III (11).  Paul was one rebound shy of a double-double, just as many boards as Thorn, while Jalen Jenkins (Belleville, Mich. [Macomb C.C.]) dished out four assists.  Defensively, Thorn accounted for both of Wayne State's steals and Nweke blocked four shot attempts.

LEADING THE LAKERS
Roosevelt sent out just eight players, three of which scored 15 or more -- Mikey West (19), Hamahrie Bowers (15) and Dante Sawyer (15).  Davon Smith-Johnson brought down six rebounds and West notched three dimes.  On the other side, Mason Kleinsmith and Smith-Johnson each had two assists while the Lakers' lone block came from Smith-Johnson.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will hit the road for three of its next four games, beginning at eighth-ranked Michigan Tech (16-2 overall, 7-1 GLIAC) on Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. tip inside SDC Gymnasium.