DETROIT -- The first-place Wayne State University men's basketball team (11-4 GLIAC) won 86-67 over Saginaw Valley State (3-11 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.  WSU has won four straight and eight of nine, while posting a perfect 6-0 record at home so far this season.  The Green & Gold are now a game and a half up on Michigan Tech and two full games on Grand Valley State for first place in the GLIAC.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Redshirt sophomore Avery Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) gave WSU an early 6-2 lead with a layup at the 17:34 mark.  A running jumper by redshirt junior Darian Owens-White (Detroit, Mich. / River Rouge) gave the Warriors and 8-4 lead with 15:47 left to play in the opening half.  Redshirt senior Brailen Neely (Detroit, Mich. / Western International) extended the home margin to 11-5 with a triple at the 14:58 mark.  A long-range jumper from Sophomore Kylin Grant (Detroit, Mich. / Renaissance) made it 17-10 with 12:56 remaining.  SVSU began to chip away and a triple from Delano Smith trimmed the home lead to 17-16 at the 11:07 mark.  The Cardinals took a 22-20 lead on a three-pointer by James Toohey with 9:27 left to play before halftime.  A steal by Neely led to a fast break layup by Neely who was fouled, while making the layup.  After the three-point play WSU led 27-22 at the 6:18 mark.  The rally reached 11-0 after Grant found Lewis for a fast break layup, pushing the advantage to 31-22 with 4:43 to play.  The home margin stayed at nine after an offensive rebound and a put back by Grant gave Wayne State a 33-24 advantage at the 3:48 mark.  Wayne State led 42-30 at the break.

A triple by Owens-White to start the second half pushed Wayne State's lead to 45-30 and back-to-back layups by Lewis made it 49-30 at the 17:46 mark.  Buckets by freshman Ray Williams, Jr. (Detroit, Mich. / Edison Public School Academy) and Lewis gave WSU a 19-point advantage, 54-35, with 15:46 left in the contest.  A three-point play by Owens-White made it 60-40 at the 13:10 mark.  A pair of free throws from Owens-White extended the Warriors' lead to 62-43 with 11:34 remaining.  Myles Belyeu trimmed the home lead to 64-51 with a trey at the 8:56 mark.  Belyeu continued to carry the SVSU offense and his jumper brought the cards within 12, 72-60, with 5:18 left in regulation.  The Warriors built its lead back to 20 on a Lewis layup at the 2:48 mark.  The Green & Gold would empty the bench as cruise to an 86-67 victory.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Three Warriors finished with 20 or more points led by 26 from Owens-White, while Lewis finished with a career-best 23 points and seven rebounds.  Neely went 7-of-8 from the floor on his way to 21 points.  

It is the first time since Jan. 10, 2005 that Wayne State has three 20-point scorers.  In a 107-63 win over Marygrove, Herb Goliday and Morris Hall with 26 points each and Tarig Mills had 20 points and 15 rebounds.  Rob Igbawua had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

LEADING THE CARDINALS
Belyeu led SVSU with a game-high 27 points, while Smith had 13 and Zane Foster tallied 10 points and seven rebounds.

ONE BIG THING
The Warriors dominated the rebounding battle, 42-24.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will start the final week of the regular season on Friday against Ferris State.  Tip-off inside the Matthaei is scheduled for 6:00 PM.