It’s hard to believe, but college basketball season is almost here. This week, we’ll preview Michigan’s nine Division II schools.

By Patrick Hayes

At a glance

• Coach: David Greer, 12th season
• Last year: 18-9, 14-5 GLIAC
• Conference: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
• Key losses: Ike Udanoh, Stacey Waters, Dale Brundidge
• Key additions: Michael Martin and Jamal Ragland (transfers from Alcorn State), Joel Ndondo (freshman from Canada), Robert Andrews (freshman from Chandler Park), Mike Lewis (freshman from Ann Arbor Huron), Gavin Toma (freshman from Southfield Christian)
• Team website
• Team roster
• Wayne State news on BallinMichigan

Overview

Wayne State loses its leading scorer, but returns several key players, has a strong recruiting class and will bring in two transfers who could help.

Strengths

Wayne State had a good season in the tough GLIAC South, but if the Warriors are to repeat that success, they’ll have to find a replacement for Udanho, who averaged 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, which both led the team.

Thankfully, they’ll be able to plug in a player who was the Preseason GLIAC Player of the Year in 2011-12 in Mike Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth only played in six games last season before an injury ended his season, but he averaged 17.2 points per game in those six games. His scoring should be a nice infusion into a lineup that also returns starters Ian Larkin and Cole Prophet. Larkin led the team in blocked shots and Prophet led the team in assists.

The Warriors were a good shooting team last year, hitting 38 percent of their 3-pointers as a team.

Weaknesses

Wayne State had a swoon in the middle of the season that saw the team lose six of seven games from late-December to mid-January. Four of those games were decided by single digit points, and if they could’ve come out of that stretch with just two more wins, they would’ve tied Hillsdale at the top of the GLIAC South standings.

Circle these dates …

• Nov. 29 – A loss last year against 7-12 Tiffin hurt Wayne State in the standings. They’ll try to avoid the upset this season.
• Jan. 3 – If Wayne State is going to take a step forward this season, they’ll have to get by Hillsdale at some point.
• Jan. 3 – Wayne State played Findlay three times last season and lost to them twice. The two teams tied for second in the GLIAC South.

Outlook

If Hollingsworth comes back fully healthy, Wayne State will once again be one of the top teams in the GLIAC.

Previously

• Northern Michigan hopes transfers can make immediate impact
• Michigan Tech returns reigning GLIAC Player of the Year in quest for league title
• New coach hoping to change the fortunes of Saginaw Valley State
• Northwood has to replace production of Bobby Lewis to repeat last season’s success
• High-scoring Derek Billing returns as centerpiece of Lake Superior State lineup

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