GAME STORYLINES
Coming in at .500 overall and in GLIAC play as the sixth seed, Wayne State (13-13 overall, 10-10 GLIAC) will be at third-seeded and 28th-ranked Grand Valley State (22-6 overall, 15-5 GLIAC) on Wednesday night for a 7:30 PM tip.  The Warriors are coming off an 85-76 Senior Day victory over Saginaw Valley State.  

The Lakers have won two in a row overall and eight straight at home.  That eight-game home winning streak began against WSU on Jan. 8.

SERIES HISTORY
Grand Valley State has won 17 more games than Wayne State in the all-time series (57-40) and has defeated the Green and Gold eight times in the last 13 meetings.  WSU has a 16-30 all-time mark at GVSU, but was on the right end of the scoreboard for two of the previous four in Allendale.  The Warriors are looking to defeat the Lakers twice in a row for the first time since winning three straight (Feb. 2, 2017 through Feb. 8, 2018).

The two teams have faced off twice all-time in the GLIAC Tournament, 2010 and 1992.  Grand Valley State won both of those meetings, 47-44 and 93-84, respectively.

SCOUTING GRAND VALLEY STATE
Grand Valley State defends at a high level, gets to the free throw line often and takes care of the ball.  Nationally, the Lakers are 12th in turnover margin (+4.8), 18th in free throw attempts per game (24.9), 19th in free throws made per game (17.9), 24th in steals per game (9.4), 25th in fewest giveaways per game (10.6), 26th in scoring defense (67.3 PPG), 31st in field goal percentage defense (41 percent),  and 33rd in scoring margin (+10.2 per game).

Individually, Trevor Smith, Jr. and Mason Docks are two of the best at running the show as they rank eighth and ninth respectively in all of Division II for assist-to-turnover ratio.  Smith, Jr. tallies 3.03 assists for every giveaway, while Docks comes in with a clip of 2.97.  Docks is also savvy on the defensive end with 63 total steals and 2.25 per contest, 18th and 26th in the country, respectively.

At the GLIAC level, GVSU is third in scoring defense and fourth in scoring offense (77.5 PPG).  That offensive attack is fueled by a trio of players averaging more than 10 points per game.  Those three are Ethan Alderink (13.6), Jalen Charity (12.9) and Smith, Jr. (12.6).  Docks is right behind them with an average of 9.7.

Shamus Thompson (6.6 RPG, seventh in the GLIAC), Alderink (5.6 RPG) and Charity (5.1) are each bringing down at least five rebounds per effort, while Smith, Jr. (3.2, tied-for-third) and Docks (3.1, tied-for-sixth) are on top of assists per performance.  In the middle, Thompson has accounted for 31 blocks, which is good for seventh in the league.

MARCH MADNESS
Wednesday's game will mark the third consecutive year Wayne State has qualified for the GLIAC Tournament, something it has not accomplished since five straight appearances from 2009 through 2013.  

Two years ago (2024), was WSU's first post-season contest since 2021, when the Warriors lost in the GLIAC Quarterfinals (76-74) to Saginaw Valley in Hammond, Ind., then fell 76-61 to Ashland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Evansville, Ind.

The last time Wayne State won an opening round GLIAC Tournament game prior to 2024 either on the road (or neutral site) was Feb. 25, 1999, when the Tartars defeated SVSU 79-61 in Battle Creek.

Since winning the GLIAC Tournament in 2011 in Big Rapids, then posting an 84-77 triumph over Northwood at the Matthaei on Feb. 29, 2012, WSU had lost four consecutive GLIAC Quarterfinal contests until the 2024 victory at Lake Superior State.

This will be the Warriors sixth GLIAC Tournament appearance in the last 10 seasons (2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026).

CARLOS PAUL III
Carlos Paul III is one of the most efficient shooters in all of the GLIAC.  Making field goals at a clip of 53.6 percent (133-for-248), the senior ranks third in the league.  In his two seasons as a Warrior, Paul III is now at 56.5 percent (251-for-444), which is good for 41st for a career in program history.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Wayne State's strength of schedule is 57th for Division II with an overall record of 350-285, or a winning percentage of .551.

LAST GAME RECAP
Picking the action up near the end of the first half, with just 39 seconds left on the clock, Jordan Briggs gave the Green and Gold its biggest lead of the first 20 minutes at 24, 48-24.  The visitors countered with a lay-up on the other end to make it a 22-point affair (48-26) heading into the locker rooms.

Saginaw Valley State pulled within 17 twice in the first two-plus minutes, 50-33 and 52-35, of the second half.

Wayne State didn't let that rattle them, and continued to have an answer and proceeded to push its lead back to 20 or more on five different occasions -- 57-35, 59-38, 62-40, 64-43, and 66-46.

Following that final instance at the 12:11 mark, the Cardinals rattled off seven points in a row to cut the margin to 13, 66-53.  The Warriors were unrelenting and despite the spread being slimmed to 13 again at both 68-55 and 70-57, continued to punch back.

With the ledger at 70-57, Carlos Paul III hit a trey and Briggs went 2-for-2 at the charity stripe, which stretched the hosts' advantage back to 18 (75-57).

SVSU was as close as 11 (75-64) at the 7:21 mark and nine after scoring the final eight points of the game.

A pair of Warriors reached the 20-point plateau in Jordan Briggs (24) and Carlos Paul III (20), while Chris Mutebi chipped in 11, which tied his career high.  Marshall Thorn corralled nine rebounds, Paul III dished out four assists as did Jalen Jenkins.  Defensively, Mutebi also finished with two steals and Bryce Esman blocked a pair of shot attempts.

WARRIOR SPORTS NETWORK
Kevin Brechmacher will have the call on Wednesday from Allendale.