Eastern Wayne Today

Wayne State University's men's basketball team secured an 83-75 victory over Ferris State on Thursday, extending their winning streak to three games. The match took place at the Fieldhouse, with Wayne State now holding a record of 15-12 overall and 11-8 in the GLIAC conference. This win marked their first triumph over a top-25 opponent since defeating No. 24 Lake Superior State in January 2018.

The game began with Wayne State leading early on an 8-2 run, thanks to contributions from Jordan Briggs and Carmelo Harris. However, Ferris State responded with a strong offensive push, taking a seven-point lead midway through the first half. Despite trailing by four points at halftime, Wayne State came back after the break to regain control of the game.

Carmelo Harris and Jordan Briggs were pivotal for Wayne State in the second half, scoring all of the team's initial 20 points. A critical three-pointer from Rob Lee Jr. gave Wayne State its largest lead of eight points during this period. Although Ferris State briefly reclaimed a two-point advantage, another key shot from Lee Jr. put Wayne State ahead for good.

In terms of statistics, Wayne State excelled at free throws with a remarkable 29-of-34 conversion rate and dominated rebounding against Ferris State by securing 42 boards compared to their opponent's 31. "The Warriors made 29 free throws (29-of-34), their most in over 13 years," highlighting their performance from the charity stripe.

Carmelo Harris led all scorers with 23 points and reached a personal milestone by becoming the latest member of Wayne State's exclusive club for players who have scored over 1,000 career points. "Harris was one of four Warriors in double figures along with Jordan Briggs (21), Carlos Paul III (18), and Rob Lee Jr. (16)."

For Ferris State, Tyler Hamilton contributed significantly with his team-high score of 18 points while Ethan Erickson added another 16 points to their tally.

Wayne State will next face Lake Superior State on Saturday as they conclude their regular season campaign and celebrate Senior Day festivities before tip-off.