Dec. 5, 2005

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• GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State men's basketball team returns to Detroit on Dec. 7 for a non-conference game against 18th-ranked West Virginia State. WSU defeated the Yellow Jackets in the season opener, 85-79, snapping their 26-game home winning streak. Wayne State will recognize longtime Detroit basketball legend and WVSU alum Will Robinson before tip-off.

After two GLIAC road losses last week, the Warriors are glad to be back at the Matthaei where they have won 15 of 17 non-conference home games under fifth-year head coach David Greer.

Including Wednesday, five of WSU's next six games are outside the GLIAC. The only league contest is Saturday's South Division showdown at Hillsdale.

• ON THE BENCH
David Greer is in his fifth year at Wayne State and has a 69-53 overall record. WVSU's Bryan Poore has a 101-77 record in his seventh year at his alma mater.

• SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
After losing the season opener to WSU, West Virginia State has won five in a row and opened its conference schedule with a 118-92 win over Concord last Thursday. WVSU, who leads the league with a 44.2 three-point shooting percentage, is led by Ted Scott's 17.7 points per game average, while Tony Cornett adds 14.5 ppg and 6.8 rebounds a contest.

• IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was tied with Gannon for second place in the South Division in the GLIAC coaches' preseason poll.

West Virginia State was picked to finish second in West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, just three points (198-195) behind Salem International. WVSU also received six first place votes from the league's coaches.

• THE SERIES
The season-opening WSU win was the only other meeting between these squads.

• LAST GAME NOTES
Wayne State men's basketball team leaves Erie, Pa., still looking for its first league win as Mercyhurst College held on to defeat the Warriors, 65-61, Saturday afternoon.

The Lakers pulled ahead 8-4 early in the match-up on a pair of three-pointers. Mercyhurst was ahead 16-7 when Wayne State called a timeout with 11:31 left before the half. That sparked a five-point run by the Warriors as Herb Goliday was fouled after an offensive rebound and made both shots. Junior guard Kris Krzyminski then drained a three-pointer from the left wing with 8:35 to play in the half.

MC's advantage grew to 26-18 with 2:56 remaining in the first when Goliday hit a mid-range jumper and Curt Gilmore's steal and fast-break layup cut it to 26-22. The first half scoring ended on an offensive put-back by Will Pierce making the halftime score, 29-26, with the Lakers ahead.

Gilmore recorded another steal and easy layup to start the second half. Then Jeffrey Ferguson's dump pass to Goliday gave WSU its first lead (30-29) since the score was 4-2 three minutes into the game. But an 11-4 run by the Lakers put them back up by six with 13:29 to play.

Wayne State cut the deficit down to two points at 45-43 as Banks hit a three-pointer with the shot clock buzzer sounding. MC outscored WSU, 6-2, when Ferguson hit a three with less than five minutes to go. A pair of Ferguson free throws followed made it Mercyhurst 51, Wayne State 50.

Six straight Avi Fogel points gave the Lakers some breathing room and a three-possession lead with 2:04 left. WSU got within four at 59-55 on Ferguson's second three of the game with 56.2 seconds left, but MC made crucial free throws down the stretch for the win.

Ferguson's 20 points and six rebounds led the team as Fogel scored a game-high 29, including 12-of-14 at the line.