The Stroh Center sparkles in the distance as one approaches it from the Interstate 75 exit in Bowling Green. It opened a year ago and still has that new arena smell.

Wright State might have liked the look of the place, but it won’t remember it fondly when it returns in two years. The Raiders had two scoring droughts totalling more than 10 minutes in the second half and slipped to 5-3 this season with a 54-41 loss to Bowling Green on Monday.

It was Wright State’s lowest scoring game since it lost 58-38 at Milwaukee last season. The Raiders committed 17 turnovers and were outscored 19-5 at the foul line.

“There was nothing I could draw on the board,” Wright State coach Billy Donlon said. “This was a pride game. This was a toughness game, and we got out-toughed. We were physically beaten. They’re bigger. They’re stronger. They just physically and emotionally beat us in the game.”

Bowling Green senior A’uston Calhoun, a 6-foot-7 forward who was an All-Mid-American Conference honorable mention selection last season, scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half. He shot 3-of-11 from the floor but was 12-of-12 at the free-throw line.

“We did a better job in the first half,” Donlon said. “I always believe this with defense. Your first-half defense is normally better because it’s in front of your bench, and you’re coaching your kids. In the first half, we were down there digging the ball out. In the second half, we weren’t. We allowed him to make his catches deeper, and that’s where he imposed his will.”

Sophomore guard Reggie Arceneaux led the Raiders with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He made all three of his 3-point attempts, including one at the 14:10 mark of the second half that gave the Raiders a 30-26 lead. He then scored on a layup at the 13:22 mark to put the Raiders up 32-28.

About 30 seconds later, AJ Pacher scored his lone basket to give the Raiders a 34-31 lead. That would be their last lead.

Bowling Green’s Richaun Holmes scored the next six points on two three-point plays. That was the turning point in the game, Donlon said.

Bowling Green (4-4) didn’t stop there. James Erger followed with his only 3-pointer of the game. Calhoun then closed out a 13-0 run with a jumper and two free throws. In just 3 minutes, the game had gotten away from the Raiders.

“We felt like we didn’t bring any energy to the game at all,” said junior forward Cole Darling, who scored 8. “Bowling Green has played well against other Horizon League teams. They bring energy from the beginning, and we needed to match that energy. We did OK in the first half. We just didn’t sustain that energy throughout the whole game. That really hurt.”

The Raiders overcame a 6 minute, 30 second scoring drought in the first half. They had just 6 points in the first 11 minutes of the game, but the Falcons weren’t much better. It was a 22-all game at halftime.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, those first-half offensive struggles were signs of things to come. After Bowling Green’s 13-0 run gave it a 44-34 lead, Wright State ran off 7 straight points and trailed only 44-41 with 5:47 left.

It was anyone’s game, but Wright State didn’t score again.

“It hurts,” Arceneaux said. “We should have never lost to this team.”