GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University men's basketball team (8-8 overall, 5-5 GLIAC) will look to bounce back this week following a pair of road losses to ranked opponents. WSU came up short, 75-74, at No. 6 Michigan Tech on Thursday night and 13th-ranked Northern Michigan, 83-62, on Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors return home to face Purdue Northwest where they have accumulated six of their eight victories for a 6-2 record inside the WSU Fieldhouse. Then, Wayne State will be at Ferris State two days later, on January 31.
SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State has been victorious in 11 of the 17 all-time meetings against Purdue Northwest, which includes an unblemished 9-0 mark when playing in Detroit. The Warriors went 8-3 in their first 11 games against the Pride, but have gone just 3-3 in the last six.
Ferris State leads the all-time series against Wayne State 59-43 and has won 19 of the last 23 meetings (since February 2014). The Warriors have struggled in Big Rapids where they've dropped 12 straight. WSU last won at FSU on March 6, 2011, (73-71) in the GLIAC Championship game when now head coach
Bryan Smothers finished with 11 points and nine assists as the Tournament MVP.
SCOUTING PURDUE NORTHWEST
Purdue Northwest (7-10 overall, 3-7 GLIAC) has a 3-7 mark when playing away from its home court. The Pride come in having lost two straight and five of the previous six. PNW is second-to-last in the conference in scoring offense (74.5 PPG) and tied-for-sixth in scoring defense (73.9).
Statistically, two players have started all 17 of the team's games, both of which are averaging double-digit points per contest. Those two are senior Kyle Ross (15.0 PPG, ninth in the GLIAC) and graduate student Kevin Taylor (10.7). Ross leads the team in the rebounding column with 7.5 per effort, good for tied-for-second in the league, while dishing out 2.6 assists per outing.
SCOUTING FERRIS STATE
Ferris State (9-8 overall, 6-4 GLIAC) has been on the right side of the scoreboard for two in a row and three of the last four. The Bulldogs have been much better at home where they are 7-2 as opposed to 2-6 when traveling. FSU ranks sixth in the GLIAC for scoring offense (78.3 PPG), but last in scoring defense (79.4).
Individually, of the seven that have played at least 10 of the team's 17 games, two are putting up an average of at least 10 points per contest. Those two are senior Mykel Bingham (12.5 PPG) and junior Chang Hoth (11.9). Bingham leads the league in rebounding average (7.9). Hoth has been responsible for 2.5 assists per outing. Owen Hardy, who has started 15 games, leads the squad in steals with 19.
SPREAD THE WEALTH
Through 16 games, Wayne State has had six different players lead the team in scoring. Those six are
Jordan Briggs (nine times),
Carlos Paul III (three),
Jotham Nweke (two),
Adam Ayrault (one),
Devin Belle (one), and
JaKobie Boose (one).
When looking at the season stats as a whole, those six Warriors are all among the team's top eight producers when it comes to points per game. Their season averages include 16.7 for Briggs, 13.4 for Paul III, 9.8 for Nweke, 8.2 for Belle, 7.8 for Boose, and 4.6 for Ayrault. The other two for that group are
Jalen Jenkins (4.7) and
Cooper Craggs (4.6).
IRON SHARPENS IRON
Wayne State's current strength of schedule is good for 39th (142-102, .582 winning percentage) in the country.
The Warriors' remaining slate is even more difficult with a .596 winning percentage (102-69), which sits at 46th nationally.
WSU's composite ranking is No. 32 out of 298 schools with an overall record of 244-171, good for a .588 winning percentage.
WARRIOR SPORTS NETWORK
Every men's basketball contest will air on the Warrior Sports Network with veteran play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Brechmacher calling the action for the 10th consecutive season. He will be joined on the home broadcasts by former WSU basketball student-athletes Andy Dold, Chuck Key and Marcus Moore on a rotating basis. Veteran Detroit broadcaster Tony Ortiz will handle the sideline reporting duties for a majority of the home games on the Warrior Sports Network as well.
