DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball squad (5-18 overall, 5-15) concluded the home portion of its 2014-15 schedule with an 86-81 setback Thursday evening to Walsh University (11-15 overall, 9-11 GLIAC).

Two seniors -- Daniel Ball (Dearborn Hts., Mich. / Allen Park Cabrini) and DeMarius Miller (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Romeoville) started their final game at the Matthaei.  Ball totaled three points and four rebounds in 20 minutes of action, while Miller recorded a season-best 10 points including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.  Entering the contest, Warrior freshmen and sophomores had accounted for 75 percent of the team's minutes played through the first 22 games.

WSU tallied the first five points of the contest on a triple by sophomore Clark Bishop (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) and bucket by sophomore Joel Ndondo (Ajax, Ont.).  The Pioneers tied the game three times over the next three minutes at 5-5, 7-7 and 10-10.  The Warriors responded with a 6-0 run as Bishop scored the first four points of the spurt, with freshman Marcus Moore (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly) completing the run with a lay-up.

After a 5-0 run by Malone, junior Gavin Toma (Troy, Mich. / Southfield Christian) drained a triple after a lay-up to restore the six-point advantage at 21-15 at the midpoint of the first half.

The contest was knotted six more times before intermission with a three pointer from Michael Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) preceding a last second basket by Neil Gingerich to pull the Pioneers within one, 39-38, at the break.  Both teams made 16 field goals in the opening 20 minutes with Warriors hitting 6-of-9 from three-point range, including two each by Bishop and Toma.

A jumper by Toma started the second half scoring, but Malone answered with a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 51-43 lead.  Wayne State clawed its way back into a 55-55 tie with just under 12 minutes left on a jumper by Miller.  A 9-2 run by the Pioneers gave the hosts a seven point lead (64-57) with nine minutes left as Ben Haraway made all three foul shots.

WSU was able to get within two (65-63) on a lay-up by Bishop, but two Gus Simmers triples sandwiched around a Bishop jumper put Malone ahead 71-65.  The Warriors were able to get within a one possession game (81-78) following a conventional three-point play by freshman Chuck Key (Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech) with 30 seconds left.  Malone sealed the win by making 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final 26 seconds.

Wayne State made five more field goals in the second half but Malone went to the foul line 32 times in the second half compared to 11 free throws for WSU.

Bishop totaled a career-high 20 points, while both Toma and Key added 13 points off the bench.  Lewis grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds as Wayne State had just eight turnovers.

Haraway led four Pioneers in double figures with 19 points which included a 10-of-12 performance from the foul line along with a game-high seven assists.  Brian Stone notched 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Neil Gingerich nearly had a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.  His nine boards tied for team-high honors with Mitch Spotleson.

Wayne State will complete its 2014-15 campaign with a road game Saturday at Walsh (3 p.m.) and a contest at Findlay next Thursday (Feb. 26) at 7:30 p.m.