 |
 Joe Carr scored a game-high 27 points in the win over MTU. |
Jan. 19, 2007
DETROIT - The Wayne State University men's basketball team (8-7 overall, 4-3 GLIAC) scored a season-high in an 80-74 victory over visiting Michigan Tech (9-9 overall, 4-5 GLIAC) Thursday evening at the Matthaei. The win moves WSU into second place in the GLIAC South Division, percentage points ahead of Ashland.
In a hotly contested opening 20 minutes which saw seven lead changes and the game tied five different times, the visiting Huskies went on a 13-4 run after the game was tied at 27 to grab a 40-31 advantage with 1:19 left in the firt half.
WSU was able to score the final four points before intermission on a lay-up by senior Will Pierce (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) and two foul shots by senior Joe Carr (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance).
Michigan Tech regained a nine point lead at 51-42 following a jumper by Kevin Maloney with 14:35 remaining. As the Warrior defense responded holding MTU scoreless for nearly four minutes, the WSU offense was sparked by back-to-back triples by senior Kris Krzyminski (Flint, Mich./Central) and Carr followed by a Krzyminski jumper to pull within one at 51-50.
A Robby Springborn lay-up temporarily halted the Warrior comeback, but Wayne State rattled off the next 11 points for a 61-53 lead with 7:43 left. Pierce started the scoring barrage with a triple, while Krzyminski converted on a fast break and junior Wynn Sarden (Sterling Hts., Mich./Warren Cousino) added a lay-up before Carr connected on two free throws and Krzyminski completed the run with two foul shots.
From Springborn's bucket at 10:44 until Radayl Richardson's lay-up at 5:00, MTU could only muster six foul shots during its field goal drought.
The contest was tied three times from 3:21 until MTU's Tim Strom connected on two foul shots with 1:03 remaining to knot the game at 71. On the ensuing possession, Carr made a lay-up and converted the three-point play with a foul shot. After two Richardson free throws narrowed the WSU lead to one, Carr again made both foul shots for a three-point advantage.
Springborn made and missed from the foul line, and WSU junior Darre Johnson (Inkster, Mich./Wayne Memorial) also split a pair from the charity stripe.
Redshirt freshman guard Larry Edwards (Benton Harbor, Mich.) stole the ball from Richardson and connected on both foul shots for a five point lead securing the victory.
Carr had a game-high 27 points while Krzyminski added 26 and four assists. Krzyminski entered the contest eighth in the country in scoring (24.8 points per game), fourth in three-point field goals made per game (4.0) and first in three-point field goal percentage. He was four of eight from beyond the arc.
Strom led Michigan Tech with 23 points, while Richardson added 17.
Wayne State plays its final home game of January this Saturday at 3 p.m. versus Northern Michigan.
Notes:
Junior Jason Saddler had a career-high 11 rebounds including seven on the offensive glass.
Joe Carr made a career-best 10 free throws (in 11 attempts) while finishing with a game-high 27 points, one shy of his career-high.
WSU had a season-best only nine turnovers.
Freshman Michael Henderson missed the game with an injury.
