Nov. 21, 2005

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• GAME STORYLINES
After traveling 1,436 miles to play its first two games of the season, the Wayne State University men's basketball team hosts Marygrove College on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at the Matthaei.

The Warriors enter the night with a 1-1 record after an 85-79 win at West Virginia State, snapping the Yellow Jackets' 26-game winning streak at home, and an 85-77 setback at Great Lakes Regional opponent Bellarmine.

Following the Thanksgiving break, WSU heads back out on the road as the Warriors open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action in Erie, Pa., at Gannon (Dec. 1) and Mercyhurst (Dec. 3).

• ON THE BENCH
David Greer is in his fifth year at Wayne State and has a 68-51 overall record. Marygrove's Dave Sichterman is in his sixth season with the Mustangs, the first three spent on the club level. The 1991 Western Michigan graduate entered this season with a varsity record of 35-59.

• SCOUTING MARYGROVE
Information on the Mustangs was unavailable at the time of release.

• IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was tied with Gannon for second place in the South Division in the GLIAC coaches' preseason poll. The Warriors earned one first-place and 18 total points behind Findlay's 24 points.

• THE SERIES
Last season was the first meeting between the two Detroit teams as the Warriors won 107-63, scoring their most points since 1995-96 (115 vs. Gannon). Forward Rob Igbawua had his first career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

• LAST GAME NOTES
Wayne State went scoreless for nearly six minutes in the second half and suffered its first loss of the young season with an 85-77 defeat at Bellarmine in a Great Lakes Regional match-up on Saturday evening at Knights Hall in Louisville, Ky.

Down 5-2 early on, junior guard Kris Krzyminski hit a three-pointer from the top of the circle to tie the game. Jeffrey Ferguson's two foul shots followed and gave Wayne State its first lead of the night.

The Knights answered back with a six-point run on a pair of threes before three straight points by junior Curt Gilmore, but anther BU three-pointer by Matt Otte put the Knights up 16-12 with 13:27 left in the half.

Trailing by one, Gilmore took the feed from Krzyminski and knocked down a three-pointer. Then sophomore Rob Igbawua had a steal and dished out to Ethan Banks who was out front, was fouled and made both free throws for a 20-16 lead with 11:13 remaining to complete an eight-point WSU run.

WSU senior Herb Goliday made a pair of free throws then created a steal with defensive pressure that transformed into a fast-break layup and a six-point lead.

Bellarmine rallied back as Matt Miller drained a three at the 4:27 mark to put the Knights up 31-29, but Ferguson made back-to-back buckets in the paint for a two-point lead.

The rest of the half saw the squads exchange three-pointers and field goals until Goliday hit a jumper and two free throws following a technical foul on the BU bench. With 15.6 left, the Warriors converted their final play perfectly as junior Will Pierce (Detroit, Mich.) nailed a three from the right corner for a 47-40 halftime lead.

BU went on an 11-2 run in the first 4:31 out of the locker room to grab a 51-49 lead before Goliday scored seven straight WSU points to put the Warriors up 56-53 with 13:55 left in the game.

The Knights outscored WSU 7-2 over the next 2:28 before Krzyminski hounded BU on the defensive end, leading to a pair of steals and five consecutive points by the junior. Krzyminski then found an unguarded Goliday for an 18-footer and a 65-60 Warrior lead.

Wayne State then went into a slump which included eight missed shots and three turnovers that helped Bellarmine score 18 straight points and grab a 78-65 lead with 5:09 on the clock. Gilmore's set of free throws finally ended the WSU drought at 4:54.

Down by 10 with 2:35 left, Banks got an assist from Gilmore for a triple. After one free throw by BU, Goliday scored a second-chance basket to bring WSU within six (81-75) with 1:33 to go.

Kyle Thrasher's three with just under a minute to go sealed the win for the Knights.

Goliday's career-high 27 points led all players as well as his eight boards, but BU knocked down 12 of its 25 three-pointers led by Otte's 6-for-8 performance.

Krzyminski added 13, while Banks had 12 and Gilmore chipped in with 10 points off the bench.