Western Wayne Today

Following a two-game road trip, the Wayne State University men's basketball team is set to return home. The Warriors, who hold an 8-8 overall record and are 4-4 in the GLIAC, will host Saginaw Valley State on Thursday night before facing Roosevelt on Monday evening.

Wayne State recently split its road games, securing a win against Northern Michigan but falling short against Michigan Tech. The Warriors have been strong at home, winning four straight and ten of their last twelve games at the Fieldhouse.

Saginaw Valley State arrives in Detroit after losing three consecutive games and five of their last six. Their away record stands at 1-7 this season. Meanwhile, Roosevelt has had a mixed start in Division II play, having won only two consecutive games once so far.

The all-time series between Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State sees the Cardinals leading by seven wins. However, Wayne State has a slight edge when playing at home. Monday's game will mark the first meeting between Wayne State and new GLIAC member Roosevelt.

Saginaw Valley's head coach Randy Baruth relies heavily on senior guard Freddie McIntosh and redshirt-senior guard Toodles Seal for scoring. Junior forward Elijah Mattingly leads the team in rebounds. The Cardinals are known for their frequent attempts from beyond the arc.

Roosevelt is led by former Illinois standout Dee Brown, now in his third season as head coach. Brown's team includes top scorer Forte Prater along with Enari Thomas and Ramean Hinton contributing significantly to the team's offense.

In their last outing against Michigan Tech, Wayne State struggled offensively early on but managed to take a narrow lead into halftime. Despite maintaining a lead through parts of the second half, they ultimately lost as Michigan Tech's Marcus Tomashek led his team to victory with a strong performance.

Rob Lee Jr., recognized as GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performances last week, notably scored 40 points against Northern Michigan — a rare achievement within the program.

Ray Williams Jr., referred to as "The Maestro," continues to climb up Wayne State’s career record book across several categories including minutes played and total rebounds. He is close to becoming the all-time leader in games played for Wayne State.