The good teams always find new ways to win.

For the Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team, they figured they would make Wayne State beat them from the outside.

And they did.

Wayne State (17-6, 16-4 GLIAC) converted 8-of-15 attempts from three-point range on their way to a 75-57 conquest of GVSU (17-8, 14-7 GLIAC).

“They’ve not been shooting the ball very well at all, then they end up coming in and hitting eight threes,” head coach Ric Wesley said. “You gotta give up something, and we thought we would try to make them beat us from the outside and they did. “

GVSU held a 20-16 advantage in the first half, their largest lead of the game. Wayne State would respond with an 11-2 run of their own and would not relinquish the lead again in the game.

“I just thought they were way more physical than we were,” Wesley said. “I thought we had a better opportunity in the first half to maybe get a lead that we didn’t take advantage of. We probably had three or four breakdowns defensively early that probably cost us not to get a bigger lead.”

The Lakers would get within two points after consecutive jumpers from senior Tony Peters and sophomore Ryan Sabin and trail 38-36 in the second half.
However, Wayne State responded with another run of their own, outscoring GVSU 19-5 over the next six and a half minutes to take a commanding 57-41 lead.

“Defensively in the second half, we didn’t come out,” Sabin said, “We just didn’t come out and execute on defense. They just made big plays tonight. That’s what it comes down to. We just didn’t make the plays.”

Both teams had success shooting the ball as Wayne State shot 58 percent from the field for the game, including 64 percent in the second half. GVSU managed to convert 51 percent of their attempts in the game, but committed 17 turnovers.

Freshman Ricardo Carbajal led GVSU with 15 points, while Sabin tallied 13.

“In the second half, we were just playing from behind the whole game,” Wesley said. “Their guards are so strong. It makes it difficult because then you have to extend your defense and they’re so strong penetrating the ball, it kind of plays right into their hands.”

GVSU was without one of their top scorers and three-point threats after sophomore Ryan Majerle suffered a sprained ankle in the win over Saginaw Valley State University this past Thursday. He is listed as day-to-day.

“We have a lot of injuries, so that takes away from our depth that we had in the beginning of the year,” Carbajal said. “Just have to execute on defense and on offense, especially against a good team like Wayne State.”

The loss was only the second time GVSU lost at home this season. The other defeat came at that hands of Walsh University, 83-79.

On Thursday, GVSU used stifling second half defense on their way to a 60-52 win over Saginaw Valley State. The Lakers held the Cardinals to 5-of-26 shooting and 1-of-13 from three-point range in the second half.

Four players scored in double figures for GVSU. Senior Tyrone Lee recorded 13 points and nine rebounds, Peters tallied 12 points, senior Breland Hogan added 10 points, and Sabin chipped in with 11 points.

“(We) played great in Saginaw,” Wesley said. “They’re not one of the top teams in the conference, but they’ve been playing really well. It was just a good solid road win late in the season. Disappointed we didn’t follow up on that and come back here and play a little bit better.”

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