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Wright State hoping to stop skid

Donlon laments absence of ‘passion, toughness’ as team struggles.

Preview: Wright State vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee

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By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer Updated 1:47 AM Sunday, February 12, 2012

FAIRBORN — Wright State basketball coach Billy Donlon had finished explaining several key plays late in the Raiders’ 53-48 loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay on Friday night.

All went against WSU, including an attempted rebound that was instead tipped to a Green Bay player and a big Phoenix offensive board with the game close. Green Bay made 6-of-6 free throws in the final minute to take advantage of those plays.

“Our guys have to feel accountable for those kinds of plays,” Donlon said. “And as a staff, I’m ultimately most accountable. It’s a disappointing loss because of the way we lost the game.”

And also what it did in the standings. With the win, Green Bay leapfrogged WSU into seventh place in the Horizon League, dropping the Raiders into eighth (their preseason poll pick). That, and the three-game losing streak to fall to 6-8 in the league (11-15 overall), has increased the pressure for today’s visit from equally disappointed Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Once a first-place team, and last season’s No. 1 seed in the league tournament, Milwaukee is 2-5 in its past seven games, including a loss to Detroit on Friday night that leaves it in a tie for fourth place.

The Panthers dominated WSU in a 58-38 win in Milwaukee last month.

That loss at U.S. Cellular Arena, which came after WSU thumped current first-place team Valparaiso at home, started WSU on a 2-6 stretch that continued with Friday’s defeat.

“That Wright State passion, that Wright State toughness is not here right now,” Donlon said.

“We’re gonna find out what our team is made of here down the stretch.”

Today’s game

Who: Wisconsin-Milwaukee (15-11, 8-6) at Wright State (11-15, 6-8)

When: 3 p.m. today

TV: Dayton’s CW

Radio: WBZI-FM (100.3), Info 1660 AM

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