Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Wayne State University Athletics

MBB vs. UofM
The Wayne State University Fieldhouse opens before a boisterous crowd.
87
Winner Michigan Mich 0-0,0-0 Big Ten
54
Wayne St. (MI) Wayne 0-0,0-0 GLIAC
Winner
Michigan Mich
0-0,0-0 Big Ten
87
Final
54
Wayne St. (MI) Wayne
0-0,0-0 GLIAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Michigan Mich 48 39 87
Wayne St. (MI) Wayne 21 33 54

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Cameron Weidenthaler, Assistant Media Relations Director

Men's Basketball Opens New Arena With Exhibition Setback To Michigan

Warriors fall 87-54 to the Wolverines.

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's basketball program played the first-ever game inside the brand new WSU Fieldhouse on Friday night in an exhibition contest against the University of Michigan.  The Warriors dropped an 87-54 decision to the visiting Wolverines.

The night featured several special moments including a pregame ceremony that featured basketball alumni (Bob Holmes and Shareta Brown) and coaches (Ron Hammye, David Greer and Carrie Lohr), University president Dr. M. Roy Wilson, and Detroit Pistons Vice Chair Arn Tellem.  Halftime featured a performance from Spyder Turner.  Several community and University leaders were on hand, including Mayor Mike Duggan and the WSU Board of Governors.

HOW IT HAPPENED
WSU scored six of the game's first nine points on triples by senior guards Brailen Neely (Detroit, Mich. / Western International) and Darian Owens-White (Detroit, Mich. / River Rouge), sandwiched around a three-pointer by UM's Eli Brooks.  While the Warriors were held scoreless for over 3:30, Michigan totaled eight points to take an 11-6 lead, before a bucket by junior center Nate Talbot (Lake Orion, Mich.).

Wayne State was able to cut its deficit to three (17-14) as Owens-White converted an old-fashioned three-point play.  The host Warriors were outscored 31-7 over the final 10:40 of the opening half.  Michigan shot 50 percent (16-of-32) from the floor in the opening half, compared to 21 percent (8-of-39) for WSU.  UM connected on 50 percent (5--of-10) of its triple tries, while the Warriors were just 2-of-11 (18 percent) from beyond the arc.  Wayne State made three of its four free throws (75 percent) with the Wolverines shooting 79 percent (11-of-14) from the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes.

Back-to-back buckets by junior Avery Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) to start the second half made it a 48-25 contest, but Michigan tallied 10 of the next 12 points to open a 58-27 lead forcing WSU head coach David Greer to call a timeout.

A baskets by junior Tyree Martin (Chicago, Ill. / Curie) and a conventional three-point play by Owens-White following the timeout, reduced UM's margin to 26 (58-32).  The Wolverines scored the next five points before another jumper from Owens-White.  An 8-0 run by UM pushed the difference into the 30s, where it would stay until a steal and fast-break lay-up by freshman David Hughes (Southfield, Mich. / Detroit Edison Public School Academy) made it an 80-52 game with just over four minutes remaining.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Owens-White scored a game-high 20 points despite shooting 8-of-22 from the floor, including 2-of-7 from three-point range.  Ray Williams, Jr. (Detroit, Mich. / Edison Public School Academy) and Hughes tied for team-high rebounding honors with seven boards each (both had three offensive and four defensive rebounds).    Lewis and Neely each garnered four steals as the WSU defense forced Michigan into 17 turnovers.

LEADING THE WOLVERINES
Five Michigan players scored in double figures for a balanced offensive attack.  Hunter Dickinson grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, while DeVante Jones dished out a game-best seven assists.

ONE BIG THING
Michigan shot 53 percent (31-of-59) from the floor, but Wayne State had 17 offensive rebounds leading to 16 second-chance points, while limiting UM to seven second-chance points.

GREER GRUMBLINGS
"Starting with our administration, (Athletic Director) Rob Fournier did an outstanding job of, one, even putting us in position to get an arena and then watching it all come together and to have it culminate with this big night.  Obviously, hats off to Michigan, their administration and coach (Juwan) Howard.  Those guys came and helped us celebrate the opening of the arena.  It was a festive celebration and well put together.  We ended up getting in foul trouble as a couple of guys got some quick fouls.  During the first 10 minutes of the game, we had a good rhythm and then some guys got in foul trouble.  It sort of got away from us there, but Michigan is a well-coached team. They really don't have any weaknesses.  They have good size, and they space you out, put you in ball screens and once they were able to build that lead, they just kept coming at you.  When they sub, they sub with McDonald's All-Americans that are freshmen.  They are a good team.  I hope we were able to help them a little bit.  I know they're getting ready for their season opener, so I hope they got something out of it.  I know we did, because Ashland runs a similar style offense, so we'll be faced with the same thing next Friday." 

UP NEXT
The Warriors will play at former GLIAC rival Ashland University on Nov. 12th looking to avenge an NCAA Tournament loss that ended the 2020-21 season.  Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 PM.

 
Print Friendly Version