DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball program (4-7 overall, 1-6 GLIAC) will return to the road this week with games at Parkside (8-7 overall, 4-3 GLIAC) and Purdue Northwest (6-9 overall, 1-6 GLIAC).

STORYLINES
Wayne State ended an eight-game road trip with a pair of games inside the Matthaei last week, falling to both Davenport and Grand Valley State.  The Warriors are back on the road this week at Parkside (Thursday at 8:30 PM) and at Purdue Northwest (4:00 PM).  WSU is 4-4 on the road this season and the four road wins this season doubles the total from last season (2) and matches the 2017-18 road win total.

THE SERIES
WSU trails 6-10 (2-6 on the road) in the all-time series versus Parkside, which began in 1971.  Wayne State won the first two matchups before the Rangers took the next seven.  The teams met for the first time as league rivals last season with each side winning its home game, including an overtime defeat for the Green & Gold in Kenosha, Wis.  The Warriors won 71-70 in the most recent meeting.  Head coach David Greer is 2-3 (0-2 on the road) vs. UWP.

The Warriors have won three of the four games against Purdue Northwest, including one of the two road games dating back to 2017.  The team's split last season's contests, with the Pride winning in overtime in Hammond, Ind.  WSU answered with a 90-74 victory in the final home game of the 2018-19 season.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Parkside (8-7 overall, 4-3 GLIAC) is coming off a strong week with wins over Michigan Tech (69-56) and Northern Michigan (78-60).  The Rangers are in the midst of a five-game home stand.  Head coach Luke Reigel is in his 17th season leading the program.  The reigning GLIAC North Division Player of the Week, sophomore guard Brandon Trimble is the team's top scorer at 14.1 points per game, while sophomore forward Brandon Hau is averaging 13.2 points per night.  Hau is one of the more efficient shooters in the league at 52 percent from the floor, including a 43 percent clip from behind the arc.  Sophomore center Joey St. Pierre is collecting 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.  As a team, the Rangers are scoring 69.2 points per game and allowing 66.9.

Purdue Northwest (6-9 overall, 1-6 GLIAC) enters this week looking to avoid a three-game losing streak after dropping both games last week vs. Northern Michigan (81-67) and Michigan Tech (84-77).  The Pride did best Northwood (76-63) on Jan. 4th for its first league win of the campaign.  Head coach Boomer Roberts is in his second season as the top man on the bench.  Sophomore forward Anthony Barnard leads the team in scoring (15.3 PPG) and rebounding (8.0 RPG), while shooting 50 percent from the floor.  Jyrus Freel is averaging 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while Jordan Doss is pouring in 10.8 points per night.   As a team, PNW is averaging 75.5 points per contest and allowing 79.0.

ABOUT LAST WEEK
An especially short-handed Wayne State team fought hard but dropped both games last week at home against Davenport (73-65) and 18th-ranked Grand Valley State (71-64).  In both games, the Warriors had opportunities to tie or take the lead with under five minutes to play.  On Jan. 9th vs. the Panthers, layups from Antonio Marshall and Brailen Neely cut DU's lead to one, 64-63, at the 4:30 mark.  The Panthers answered with five quick points, but WSU stayed close with another basket from Neely.  Neely found room in the paint again for a layup to make it 69-65 in favor of the visitors with 2:15 left.  Davenport would make four of its six free throws attempts to secure the 73-65 victory.

Neely's 32 points would not be enough vs. the Lakers as WSU trailed 65-62 with 47 seconds to play.  Neely kept it a three-point game. 67-64, after scoring with 16 seconds left to play.  Unfortunately, those would be the final points for the home side as GVSU went on to win 71-64.

TORCHING THE NET 
In this past Saturday's game vs. #18-Grand Valley State, Brailen Neely recorded his second 30-plus point effort of the season finishing with 32 points.  Neely had 33 points in the GLIAC opener at Ferris State last month.  Last year (2018-19), Javon Henderson had two 30-point outings (31 at Purdue Northwest and 36 vs. Davenport).  The last time prior to Henderson, a Warrior had at least two 30+-games in a season was 2006-07 when Kris Krzyminski had four such affairs.  Krzyminski tallied 34 and 41 points against Gannon, 32 vs. Clarion and 38 against Hillsdale.

ON TOP
The Warriors lead the GLIAC in opponent field goal percentage (.388) and opponent three-point shooting percentage (.302), while ranking second in three-point percentage (.375) and rebounds per game (40.2).  WSU ranks fourth in blocks per contest (4.4).

DOUBLE-OVERTIME THRILLER
Wayne State and Ohio Dominican started the season in style on Nov. 8th.  The Warriors fell 87-86 in double overtime.  It was the first overtime game to begin a season for WSU since the 2001-02 season when the Warriors lost to Northwood in one overtime.

GREER BACK FOR 19TH SEASON
Head coach David Greer is in his 19th season as the top man on the Warriors' bench.  He equaled the school record for years as head men's basketball coach last season, joining Newman Ertell (1929-48) and Joel Mason (1948-66) at 18 years on the WSU bench.  The win at Hillsdale on Nov. 27, 2019, was his 250th at Wayne State.  The game vs. Lake Superior State on Jan. 30th will be his 500th game at Wayne State.

DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Karim Murray notched WSU's first double-double of the season at Lewis on Nov. 16th with 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Nate Talbot posted WSU's second double-double of the year at Hillsdale with 12 points and 13 rebounds.  

James Gordon became the third Warrior to accomplish the feat with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Ferris State.  

Murray did it for a second time this season at Lake Superior on Dec. 7th with 10 points and 10 boards.  He added to this list with 18 points and 10 rebounds at Ashland on Dec. 14th for his third double-double of the season (one shy of his career high of four set last year) and eighth of his career.  Gordon was the latest to post a double-double with 10 points and a career-best 12 rebounds at Northern Michigan on Jan. 4th.  Neely has been filling up the stat sheet of late with a triple-double at NMU of 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.  He followed that with a 15-point and 10-rebound performance vs. Davenport, along with nine assists.  Neely continued his hot streak with 32 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against GVSU.

NEW BASKETBALL ARENA 
In May of 2019, it was announced that WSU Athletics and the Detroit Pistons would be partnering to construct a $25 million basketball arena on the west side of the athletic campus.

The approved plan includes construction of a 70,000 square-foot arena near the intersection of Warren and Trumbull avenues with seating capacity for approximately 3,000 fans, office space and locker room areas for both WSU's men's and women's basketball teams, a concessions area and other ancillary spaces.  The arena will be ready for play in the 2021-2022 basketball season.

The Pistons G-League team will also call the new facility home.

LOCKER ROOM REPORT
Check WSUAthletics.com every week to watch David Greer's weekly locker room report.  He will recap the week's previous games and preview upcoming opponents.

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
Every home women's and men's basketball game can be seen live on Warrior All-Access at WSUAthletics.com.  A 24-hour pass is $5.95, while a monthly re-occurring subscription is $9.95 and a yearly pass is $69.95.  

Every game is archived in the on-demand section.  All home football, volleyball, basketball, softball and baseball games will be available on the channel.

LIVE ON WDTK
Kevin Brechmacher will call every contest live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM).  Former Warrior standout Mike Lewis will serve as an analyst for home broadcasts during the 2019-20 season.  Fans can also stream the action online at PatriotDetroit.com.