DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball team (4-3 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) will play at Michigan Tech (8-3 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) on Thursday night before staying up north at meeting Northern Michigan (4-7 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon in the first games of 2020 for the Warriors.

STORYLINES
Wayne State will conclude its eight-game road trip this weekend with games at Michigan Tech on Thursday night and a Saturday afternoon meeting at Northern Michigan. The four road wins this season doubles the total from last season (2) and matches the 2017-18 road win total.

THE SERIES
Wayne State leads 55-35 (18-22 on the road) in the all-time series vs. Michigan Tech that began in 1927.  Head coach David Greer is 13-15 vs. MTU (5-8 in Houghton) in his time at Wayne State.  The Huskies had won four straight until the Warriors were victorious, 67-54, in Detroit last season on Jan. 5, 2019.  WSU holds a 36-24 advantage in GLIAC contests.  The last road win in the series for the Green & Gold came on Feb. 9, 2017 (68-47).

The Warriors also lead the all-time series against Northern Michigan, 41-36, including a 13-20 mark in road games.  Coach Greer is 16-9 vs. NMU (9-3 in Marquette) in his time with the program.  Wayne State has won three of the last four meetings and five of the last seven matchups.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Michigan Tech enters 2020 at 8-3 overall and a 2-1 mark in league games.  The Huskies fell at home to Northern Michigan on Dec. 15th before cruising past Algoma (Ont.) 117-60 to conclude 2019.  Head coach Kevin Luke is in his 26th season at the helm.

Senior forward Kyle Monroe leads the team in scoring at 19.7 points per game and rebounding with 6.5 boards per contest.  Junior guard Tommy Lucca is scoring 10 points per game and leads the GLIAC in assists (6.7 APG).  Junior guard Dawson Bilski is averaging 15.0 points per night, while sophomore guard Owen White is adding 12.6 points per contest.
Northern Michigan sits at 4-7 overall and 1-2 in conference games.  The Wildcats won an important game at Michigan Tech on Dec. 15th before falling to Hillsdale and Ripon to finish the year.  Head coach Matt Majkrzak is in his first season with the program.

Senior guard Sam Taylor leads the team with 10.5 points per game, while senior center Myles Howard is the top rebounder at 5.7 boards per night.  Senior guard Marcus Matelski is scoring 9.9 points per game, while junior guard Alec Fruin is adding 8.3 points per contest.

LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State earned its first GLIAC win of the season on Dec. 14th at Ashland.  The Warriors led 31-28 at halftime in the final game of 2019.  Wayne State's defense held the Eagles without a field goal for nearly 12 minutes in the second half to power its way to a 69-64 victory.

Brailen Neely led WSU with 19 points, while Karim Murray finished with 18 points and Antonio Marshall chipped in with 13 points.  Murray posted his third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.

ON TOP
The Warriors lead the GLIAC in opponent field goal percentage (.376), opponent three-point shooting percentage (.283) and three-point percentage (.403), while ranking second in rebounds per game (42.0) and blocks per contest (4.3).

SECOND HALF MISCUES
In each of the three losses this season, WSU has led in the second half.  Wayne State led 81-78 with 1:07 to play versus Ohio Dominican and held onto a 72-71 advantage at the 7:24 mark at Ferris State.  The Warriors surrendered the lead with 12:48 remaining in the second stanza at Lake Superior State.

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.

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.

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.

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.