Eastern Wayne Today

The Wayne State University men's basketball team concluded its season with a loss to Ferris State in the GLIAC First Round. Despite leading at halftime, Wayne State was outscored 54-39 in the second half, resulting in a 77-65 defeat. The game took place in Big Rapids, Michigan.

Wayne State started slowly, trailing 6-0 before Jordan Briggs scored two free throws. Rob Lee Jr.'s three-pointer and Carlos Paul III's fast-break layup gave Wayne State its first lead at 9-8. The Warriors maintained their lead through strong plays by Carmelo Harris and Ray Williams Jr., ending the first half ahead 26-23.

In the second half, Harris and Lee Jr. extended Wayne State's lead to nine points early on. However, Ferris State quickly tied the game and eventually took control. Despite efforts from Lee Jr., who scored a game-high 31 points, and Harris's timely three-pointers, Wayne State couldn't regain the lead after falling behind midway through the second half.

Ferris State shot 47 percent from the field compared to Wayne State's 32 percent. The Bulldogs also held a significant rebounding advantage with a 44-29 edge over the Warriors. Wayne State converted 86 percent of their free throws but struggled to match Ferris State's efficiency in shooting and rebounding.

Rob Lee Jr.'s performance included hitting 12-of-13 free throws while Carmelo Harris contributed all his points in the second half with four three-pointers. Ray Williams Jr. led Wayne State with six rebounds, and Jordan Briggs provided five assists.

For Ferris State, Ethan Erickson topped their scoring with 14 points. Reece Hazelton and Nathan Claerbaut each added 12 points, while Jimmy Scholler contributed significantly with ten points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four blocks.