The Wayne State University men’s basketball team closed its regular season with an 85-76 win over Saginaw Valley State at the WSU Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Warriors now hold a 13-13 overall record and a 10-10 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) as they prepare for next week’s conference tournament.
Wayne State started strong, scoring 23 of the first 26 points in the opening 11 minutes. Seven players contributed during this stretch, including Jordan Briggs and Jon Brantley, who each scored five points. The Warriors shot over 57 percent from the field early on and committed only one turnover.
Saginaw Valley State struggled to score initially, not making its first field goal until more than nine minutes into the game. By halftime, Wayne State led by 22 points, shooting nearly 53 percent compared to Saginaw Valley’s 34.6 percent. The Warriors also had more assists and fewer turnovers than their opponents in the first half.
In the second half, Saginaw Valley narrowed the gap but could not close it completely. Wayne State maintained leads of at least double digits for most of the period and responded to every run by their opponent.
For the game, Wayne State shot just over 50 percent from the floor while Saginaw Valley finished at about 44 percent. The Warriors made more three-pointers but had fewer free throws than their opponent. Wayne State’s bench outscored Saginaw Valley’s reserves by a margin of twelve points.
Jordan Briggs led all scorers with 24 points for Wayne State, while Carlos Paul III added 20 points and four assists. Chris Mutebi matched his career high with eleven points and also recorded two steals on defense. Marshall Thorn collected nine rebounds for the Warriors.
Saginaw Valley was led by Triston Nichols with sixteen points, followed by Bryson Huckeby (thirteen), Kevonne Taylor (twelve), and Xavier Thomas (eleven). Taylor also had ten rebounds and four blocks.
Wayne State will travel to face Grand Valley State in the GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 4. The teams split their regular-season meetings this year, each winning at home.
The Wayne State Warriors Men’s Basketball program is part of Wayne State University’s athletics department and competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the GLIAC. The program serves Detroit as a major urban public-university athletic initiative and maintains records of top players and historical achievements throughout its history.
