Eastern Wayne Today

Rob Lee Jr. made history on Thursday night by becoming the fourth player in Wayne State University's men's basketball team to score 40 points in a single game, leading his team to an 82-67 victory over Northern Michigan. This marks the first time since 2006 that a Warrior has reached this milestone.

Lee's achievement places him among elite company, joining George Duncan, Danny Lewis, and Kris Krzyminski as the only Warriors to have scored at least 40 points in a game.

The game began with Wayne State taking control early, scoring 25 of the first 35 points within nine minutes. The Warriors shot efficiently from the floor during this period, including seven successful three-pointers without a miss. Five players contributed to this early surge: Lee Jr., Ray Williams Jr., Carmelo Harris, Jordan Briggs, and Kelvin Tamakloe.

Northern Michigan responded with a 13-point run but could not sustain their momentum. Wayne State regained dominance before halftime with a strong offensive display led by Carlos Paul III and Lee Jr., ending the half with a significant lead of 48-29.

In the second half, Wayne State extended their lead further before Northern Michigan attempted another comeback. Despite reducing the deficit to nine points twice late in the game, Northern Michigan was unable to close the gap completely.

Wayne State finished with superior shooting statistics compared to Northern Michigan and won the rebounding battle by six boards. However, Northern Michigan outperformed Wayne State in bench scoring and paint points.

Paul III followed Lee Jr.'s performance closely with 18 points for Wayne State while Williams Jr. nearly achieved a double-double with his rebounds. On defense, Harris recorded one block for Wayne State.

For Northern Michigan, Gerald Gittens led with 17 points followed by Dylan Kuehl and Cal Klesmit who also scored in double figures.

Wayne State will next face off against Michigan Tech on Saturday afternoon at SDC Gymnasium.