 |
 Jason Saddler led WSU with 16 points against Gannon. |
Jan. 24, 2008
DETROIT - The Wayne State University men's basketball squad (9-8 overall, 3-6 GLIAC) suffered its third consecutive defeat and its fifth setback in the last six contests with a 65-39 loss to 15th-ranked Gannon University (16-2 overall, 8-1 GLIAC) Thursday evening at the Matthaei.
The Warriors held the lead for over 11 minutes in the first half but their largest lead was five (14-9) at the 10:48 mark. Sophomore Lendyn Davis (Lansing, Mich./Sexton) hit two triples in less than a 90-second span but it would be his only points of the contest.
The Golden Knights took their first lead since early in the game at 17-16 following a three-pointer by Joe Lindsey with 5:51 remaining. Senior Jason Saddler (Detroit, Mich./Cody) answered with a lay-up but GU's Vince Mosley responded with a three-point basket which started a 9-0 for Gannon to close out the first half.
The Warrior scoring drought reached 6:40 until a Saddler lay-up from freshman Bryan Smothers (Pontiac, Mich./Northern) made it 34-20 at the 17:11 mark.
GU's lead remained between 13 and 19 for the next 11 minutes until a Mosley lay-up gave the visitors a 21-point lead at 58-37 with 4:43 remaining.
Saddler was the lone Warrior in double figures with 16 points. He grabbed a team-best six rebounds along with junior Lorenzo McClelland (Oak Park, Mich.). Mosley scored a game-high 30 points.
Wayne State shot 33.3 percent (15-45) from the floor, while Gannon connected on 26 of 52 shots (50 percent). The Golden Knights held a 37-25 edge on the glass with Pierre Howard grabbing a game-high seven rebounds for GU.
The 39 points was the lowest for the Warriors since a 60-37 setback at Butler University on Nov. 26, 2002, a span of 153 games.
WSU, after having its 10-game home court winning streak snapped, will try to start a new winning streak on Saturday when it hosts Mercyhurst College for a 3 p.m. start.
