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 Senior Kris Krzyminski poured in a career-high 41 points. |
Nov. 30, 2006
DETROIT - The Wayne State University men's basketball squad (3-3 overall, 1-0 GLIAC) rallied from a 12-point deficit just before intermission for a 70-67 triumph over visiting Gannon University (2-2 overall, 0-1 GLIAC) Thursday night at the Matthaei.
The Warriors started slowly with only two leads in the first half, both by one point at 3-2 and 8-7, and both coming after triples by senior guard Kris Krzyminski (Flint, Mich./Central).
The Golden Knights responded with an 8-0 run and a 15-7 advantage with 12:43 remaining in the first half. WSU had a 6-1 run to pull within three at 16-13 on a jumper by freshman Michael Henderson (Flint, Mich./Southwestern) at the 11:33 mark.
Krzyminski's sixth bucket of the first 14 minutes, including his fifth three-pointer (he also had made two free throws), had WSU trailing 24-21 with 6:47 left before the break. Kris had 19 of Wayne State's first 21 points.
A 5-0 run by Gannon was ended when senior Will Pierce (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) made a lay-up with 2:54 left. WSU trailed by 12 at 37-25 until Pierce drained a triple at the buzzer.
In the second half, Gannon scored eight of the first 13 points for a 45-33 lead with 18:22 remaining in the contest. Six consecutive points by freshman Jerry Oden (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) was followed by two free throws from senior Joe Carr (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) to make it a 45-41 Gannon advantage at 16:04. The Golden Knights recorded the next five points for a nine-point lead at 50-41.
With WSU behind 51-43, Krzyminski hit a triple then a jumper and Pierce made a jumper to pull the Warriors within one at 51-50 at the 11:45 mark. After a Gannon turnover, Krzyminski drained another from beyond the arc for Wayne State's first lead in over 24 minutes. GU scored six straight points before back-to-back three-pointers by Krzyminski gave WSU a 59-57 lead with just under six minutes remaining.
It was a see-saw game with six lead changes in the final five minutes and neither team leading by more than two points. Carr made two free throws with 60 seconds left helping WSU regain the lead at 66-65. Robert Buckner made a jumper giving the guests a 67-66 advantage with 52 seconds remaining. Krzyminski found a wide-open Carr in the corner for his only triple of the game and a 69-67 WSU lead with 30 seconds left. Carr made one of two free throws after a Gannon turnover and Tyler Stoczynski's three-point shot at the buzzer was just off the mark.
Wayne State continues its home stand with a 3 p.m. tip-off on Saturday against Mercyhurst.
NOTES:
Krzyminski finished with a career-high 41 points including 11-of-16 from beyond the arc. The 41 points is the most by a WSU player since Feb. 10, 2000 when Charles LeSure scored 36 in a 94-85 overtime win over Findlay. The last 40+ point game by a WSU player was Feb. 20, 1993, when Danny Lewis scored 45 in a 103-97 victory at Michigan Tech.
Carr added 10 points and a career-high 10 assists in a game that had 13 lead changes.
