TIFFIN, Ohio -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team let a 10-point advantage in the final 4:10 slip away and were unable to score the go-ahead bucket on two possessions in the final 40 seconds in suffering a 69-68 setback to Central State Friday evening in the opening game of the GLIAC/GMAC Challenge hosted by Tiffin University.
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Tristan Wilson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Skyline) jumper staked WSU to a five-point advantage, 17-12, with just under 10 minutes to player before the break. CSU regained the lead 18-17 after a Warrior turnover led to a a Marauder fast break layup.
Freshman Marcus Moore (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly) knocked down a triple from the corner to give the Warriors an eight-point lead, 31-23 with 4:05 remaining in the half. WSU went into the locker room ahead 36-31 at intermission. J
unior Gavin Toma (Troy, Mich. / Southfield Christian) had the hot hand in the first 20 minutes going 3-of-5 from behind the arc, matching his career-high for triples made.The second half started off fast for the young Warriors. A layup from Toma
put WSU ahead by a game-high nine points, 42-33, with 17:41 left to play. Central State tied the game at 42-42 at the 15:31 ,ark following a 9-0 run. However, the Warriors responded and regained the lead and increased that lead to eight points on a Moore jumper with 12:52 to play.Freshman George Spencer (Detroit, Mich. / Belleville) secured the Warriors' first double-digit lead. 66-56, with a jumper at the 4:08 mark. The lead shrunk to six at the two-minute mark and a three-point play from ' Tre Edwards at the 1:44 mark trimmed the deficit to three. However the Marauders held WSU to zero made field goals and just two foul shots by
Michael Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) the rest of the contest.
The cold shooting and inability to keep possession of the basketball led to a late charge from the Marauders. A jumper from Raheem Lemons cut the lead to one and a fast break layup from Antone Byrd gave CSU its first lead since the 8:33 mark of the first half.
A Warrior turnover on the next possession sent Sterling Gilmore to the foul line where he missed the front end of a one-and-one. Moore grabbed the rebound and found Toma who missed a contested runner. Spencer attacked the rim for the tip-in but just missed the winning bucket.
Toma led the Warriors with 17 points with Lewis contributing 13 points and seven boards. Toma finished with a career-high five three-point field goals made.
Marcus Moore chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds along with four assists to no turnovers. Sophomore
Clark Bishop (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) added 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.
CSU's Masceo Harmon led all scorers with 18 points, while Raheem Lemons had a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
The Warriors will wrap up the weekend on Saturday with a 7 PM clash with Kentucky Wesleyan.