Western Wayne Today

The Wayne State University men's basketball team, currently holding a 7-7 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), is set for a road trip to face Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech. The Warriors will play Northern Michigan on Thursday night and Michigan Tech on Saturday afternoon.

Wayne State has recently secured two consecutive GLIAC victories for the first time this season, defeating Parkside and Purdue Northwest at home. These wins were notable as they were the first games decided by six points or less that Wayne State has won this season. The team is looking to continue its momentum despite playing without starting guard Tamario Adley last weekend.

Northern Michigan has an 11-3 overall record with a strong 5-1 performance in the GLIAC. The Wildcats have won eight of their last nine games, with their only recent loss being to rival Michigan Tech. Under head coach Matt Majkrzak, Northern Michigan ranks nationally in scoring defense and fewest turnovers per game. Key players include Dylan Kuehl, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding.

Michigan Tech, with a 10-4 overall record, also holds a 5-1 GLIAC standing. They have been successful in eight of their last nine contests. Led by head coach Josh Buettner, the Huskies boast high national rankings in three-point and overall field goal percentages. Marcus Tomashek stands out as one of Division II's top scorers.

In previous encounters between these teams, Wayne State and Northern Michigan are tied at 42 wins each in their series history. Against Michigan Tech, Wayne State holds a slight advantage but has struggled on the Huskies' court recently.

Wayne State's last game against Purdue Northwest saw significant contributions from Ray Williams Jr., Rob Lee Jr., Jordan Briggs, and Carmelo Harris. Despite missing key starters Kareem Aburashed and Tamario Adley, the Warriors managed to secure a narrow victory.

Carmelo Harris continues to excel at free throws, ranking second nationally with a 94% success rate this season. His teammate Rob Lee Jr. also performs well at the line.

Ray Williams Jr., known as "The Maestro," is climbing Wayne State's career records list in several categories including minutes played and total rebounds.