Men's Basketball | 11/30/2016 4:00:00 PM
DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball program (3-1. 0-0 GLIAC) continues its home stand this week as GLIAC play begins against Lake Erie (0-7. 0-0 GLIAC) and Hillsdale (4-2, 0-0 GLIAC).
STORYLINES
Winners of three straight, including an overtime victory over perennial GLVC power Lewis, Wayne State opens GLIAC play with confidence and momentum. The Warriors only won three consecutive games once last season and did not accomplish the feat in 2014-15. WSU hosts Lake Erie on Thursday night before concluding the four-game home stand versus Hillsdale on Saturday afternoon.
THE SERIES
Wayne State leads 9-1 in the all-time series against Lake Erie. WSU has won the last three meetings with the Storm winning its lone game of the series on Jan. 22, 2015. The Warriors are 5-0 at home in the series.
WSU leads 45-38 in the all-time series against Hillsdale. The teams began playing in 1932 and then were GLIAC rivals starting in 1977. The Chargers have won five of the last six meetings. WSU is 30-14 at home against HC and head coach
David Greer is 11-17 vs. Hillsdale.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Lake Erie is still searching for its first win of the season after dropping its first seven games. Long-time Sotrm assistant coach Kyle Conley is in his first season as the top man on LEC's bench. Senior guard Sean Howard is the team's leading scorer at 15.9 points per game, while freshman guard Gabe Kynard is scoring 11.0 points per night.
Hillsdale starts league play on Thursday after going 4-2 during the non-conference portion of its schedule. An 89-70 win over Indianapolis was followed by a 78-68 loss at Lewis. The Chargers topped Carson-Newman before falling at Kentucky Wesleyan. Head coach John Tharp is in his 10th season leading the HC squad. Junior guard Stedman Lowry paces the offense, scoring 18.3 points per contest, while junior forward Ryan Badowski is averaging 13.5 points per night. Sophomore guard Nate Neveau is dishing out 5.2 assists per game and senior center Nick Archer is the top rebounder at 5.2 boards per game.
LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State closed out its non-conference slate with a 74-70 overtime victory over Lewis. The Warriors led 27-24 at the break but the Flyers tied the game with one minute to play in regulation, forcing overtime, where WSU outscored the visitors 15-11. The teams have met each of the past seven seasons and Saturday's victory breaks a three-game losing skid in the series. Wayne State held Lewis scoreless for the first five minutes of the first half and led 5-3 at the 14:37 mark. Lewis controlled much of the next 10 minutes until
Marcus Moore tied the game at 19-19 with a three-pointer at the six-minute mark.
Clark Bishop put WSU on top 22-21 and the Green & Gold would not trail the rest of the half. A layup from
Chuck Key at the end of the opening half made the halftime score at 27-24.
Ronald Booth knocked down a triple early in the second half to give WSU a 30-26 advantage. However, the Flyers ended the stanza on an 7-2 run to tie the game at 59-59. Lewis struck first during the extra period and extended its lead to three with a triple at the 4:13 mark. After another Flyers' basket, the Warriors regained the lead on a Bishop layup with 3:29 remaining. Miles Simelton of Lewis gave his team a one-point lead at 66-65 but that would be Lewis' last lead of the contest. Moore connected on 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to seal the four-point triumph.
COACHING MILESTONE
David Greer is one win away from matching Ron Hammye's program record of 212 victories, which he collected in his 13 seasons (1988-01).
HOME OPENERS
Under head coach
David Greer (since 2001-02), WSU is 13-3 in home openers. Wayne State had dropped its last two prior to this season's victory and won 10 straight from 2001-02 until 2010-11.
FAST STARTS
After beginning the 2014-15 season 0-4 and the 2015-16 campaign 0-5, the Warriors are off to a fast start at 3-1 (also won at Detroit Mercy in an exhibition matchup). Wayne State began the 2013-14 season 5-1, 2012-13 season 5-1, 2011-12 8-1, and the 2010-11 season 9-1.
WHO TO WATCH
Junior guard
Ronald Booth was named GLIAC North Division Player of the Week after averaging 22.5 points, 3.5 steals, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest in the two victories. He shot 57 percent (16-of-28) from the floor, including 56 percent (9-of-16) from beyond the arc.
LOPSIDED WIN
The 20-point win over Alderson Broaddus was the highest margin of victory since a 67-42 win over Lake Erie on Jan. 21, 2016.
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
Although it is still early, WSU is outscoring opponents 143-108 in the first half this season. On the other side, opponents are winning the second half 148-135 after four games.
OVERTIME STRUGGLES
The 74-70 overtime win over Lewis last week was the first overtime victory since a 69-64 triumph at Grand Valley State on Feb. 1, 2014, after losing four consecutive OT games. WSU did not play an overtime game last season and is 4-7 during the past four season in such games.
DIVISION SWITCH
Wayne State begins league play on Thursday and the Warriors return to the North Division amongst the majority of its in-state rivals. WSU and Hillsdale trade spots in each division every two years. Last season, four of the eight GLIAC Tournament teams came from the North.
NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA stats release, WSU ranks 43rd in scoring defense (66.8), 46th in opponent field-goal percentage (.399) and 47th in field-goal percentage (.496).
Ronald Booth ranks 11th nationally in stelas per game (3.00), while his three-point field goal percentage (.542) is the 25th highest in Division II. In addition, Booth ranks just outside the top 50 (51st) in scoring at 20.5 points per game.
Marcus Moore is 48th in assists per game (5.3)
COMCAST/XFINITY
Every home men's basketball home game beginning in 2017 will be aired live throughout the state of Michigan on Comcast CN 900. Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson will call the action.
LIVE ON WDTK
Kevin Brechmacher will call every contest live on the radio on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM). Fans can also stream the action online newstalk1400.us.
