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 Kris Krzyminski had a game-high 19 points. |
Feb. 11, 2006
DETROIT - Five players scored in double figures as Wayne State men's basketball team (10-12, 5-9 GLIAC) defeated visiting Gannon University (10-14,4-10 GLIAC), 74-57, Saturday afternoon as WSU honored the 50th anniversary of its 1955-56 team that advanced to the NCAA Division I Sweet Sixteen. The Warriors, who made 19-of-24 (79.2 percent) of their shots in the second half, move into fifth place in the South Division and are still alive for a spot in the GLIAC Tournament.
Gannon led 8-2 in the first five minutes as WSU made just one of its first six shots. Wayne State got back within one as senior Ethan Banks (Warren, Ohio) hit a three from the right corner.
The Warriors made four their next five shots and took their first lead (11-10) when junior center Jeffrey Ferguson (Toronto, Ont.) hit a long-range jumper with 11:30 left in the first half.
GU answered with a six-point rally that was ended by Banks' second three of the half. Then Wayne State junior guard Kris Krzyminski (Flint, Mich.) tied the game at 20 on a pair of three-pointers on consecutive WSU possessions.
Wayne State went up by four following a Ferguson basket and two free throws by Krzyminski, but the Golden Knights got within one at the break.
WSU grabbed a five-point lead early in the second half thanks to baskets by Herb Goliday (Royal Oak Twp., Mich.) and Erik Parker (Oak Park, Mich.).
Gannon tied the game at 37 as it made a three-pointer on three straight trips down the court. The Golden Knights regained a two-point lead with 14:26 to play, but Parker got the game-tying put-back to fall on the Warriors' end.
Down by two, Krzyminski drained his third trey of the game that started a nine-point run. Krzyminski followed that with a fast-break layup, and then Jacob Black (Detroit, Mich.) found Ferguson for a two-handed dunk with 11:00 left. The run was capped off on Parker's turnaround jumper that beat the shot clock for a 50-43 lead.
For the second time in three minutes, a WSU shot got off right before the 35-second clock as Krzyminski made a reverse layup in traffic for a 54-48 advantage.
After exchanging baskets, Wayne State went on a 9-1, with Banks scoring five of those points, to lead 65-51 with just over four minutes to play.
The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game by going 7-of-8 at the line and forcing four Knight turnovers.
Krzyminski (19), Ferguson (14), Parker (12), Banks (11) and Goliday (10) all reached double digits for WSU who made 58.0 percent of it shots. Ferguson also had a game-high eight rebounds. The Warriors hit the road next week for games at Ferris State (Feb. 16) and Saginaw Valley (Feb. 18).
NOTES: The 1955-56 squad, under the tutelage of head coach Joel Mason, compiled a 17-1 regular-season mark with the lone loss to the University of Louisville. Members of the team in attendance on Saturday included: Clarence Staughn, Bill Norwood, Tom Keller, Charles Boyce, George Brown and Dr. Glen Byers.
Three of WSU's missed shots in the second half were three-pointers.
Herb Goliday scored in double figures for the 21st time in 22 games this season.
