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 Junior Kris Krzyminski scored a career-high 17 points Wednesday night. |
Dec. 7, 2005
DETROIT - The Wayne State men's basketball team (2-4) suffered its third loss in a row as 18th-ranked West Virginia State (6-1) defeated the Warriors, 75-52, in a non-conference contest Wednesday night at the Matthaei. The Yellow Jacket win avenges their only loss of the season when WSU won in Institute in the season opener. It also marks just the third time in 18 tries that WSU has dropped a non-conference home game under fifth-year head coach David Greer.
WVSU opened the game with a 5-2 lead, but following two offensive Wayne State rebounds, senior Herb Goliday (Royal Oak Twp., Mich.) knocked down a baseline jumper. After WVSU missed, junior Curt Gilmore (Detroit, Mich.) hit a shot just inside the three-point line for a 6-5 lead.
The Warriors built a 10-7 lead on a steal by junior Kris Krzyminski (Flint, Mich.) that led to another Goliday basket. The Jackets answered with five straight points before Gilmore scored his sixth point of the game with 13:12 on the clock.
Eleven WSU turnovers in the first 13 minutes helped West Virginia State to a 25-15 lead. Five more straight points increased the Yellow Jackets' advantage to 15, forcing WSU into its second timeout of the half with 5:55 left in the half. In all, WVSU went on a 26-7 run to close out the half after the game was tied at 12-12.
Momentum began to swing to Wayne State's side as the Warriors started the second half on an 8-2 run on Rob Igbawua's (Belleville, Mich.) tip-in. But the Yellow Jackets were able to maintain a comfortable lead the remainder of the game.
The Warriors used free throws to gain ground and cut the deficit down to 12 points at 59-47 as Jacob Black (Detroit, Mich.) scored on a fast-break layup with 6:45 to go. But WVSU, who shot 51.0 percent (25-of-49) from the floor, forced 19 WSU turnovers and recorded 12 steals to come away with the road win.
Krzyminski led the Warriors with a career-high 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Junior center Jeffrey Ferguson (Toronto, Ont.) recorded his first career double-double with 12 and a career-best 12 rebounds.
WSU returns to the road, and to GLIAC action Saturday at Hillsdale.
Prior to the game, the WSU athletic department honored long-time Detroit basketball legend and WVSU alum Will Robinson. His son, Will Robinson, Jr., is seen below with Wayne State Athletic Director Rob Fournier and Warrior head coach David Greer.
