Wright State fighting for first-round league tournament home game

By Kyle Nagel | Monday, February 13, 2012, 06:56 PM

The Wright State men’s basketball enters this week’s only Horizon League game against Detroit on Wednesday in seventh place, one spot out of hosting a first-round league tournament game.

With three league games left, there isn’t a lot of time to make up ground, but the Raiders helped themselves on Sunday with a 70-46 thumping of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which moved WSU one game behind Milwaukee for the No. 6 spot.

In the Horizon League tournament, seeds Nos. 1 and 2 (currently Valparaiso and Cleveland State) receive two byes into the semifinals. Seeds Nos. 3-6 host 7-10 in the first round, and the winners player in the quarterfinals at the site of the No. 1 seed.

WSU will face three of the league’s top five teams to close the regular season: Against Detroit (tied with Butler and Youngstown State for third) on Wednesday, at Youngstown State (tied for third) on Feb. 23 and at Cleveland State (second) on Feb. 25. In between, WSU will play at Missouri-Kansas City in the BracketBusters event on Saturday.

That doesn’t set up well for WSU to make up ground, particularly because two of Milwaukee’s remaining games come against the ninth- and 10th-place teams, UIC and Loyola. If WSU travels for the first round, it will be the first time since 2005-06 they do so.

But there is more optimism after Sunday’s game, which was WSU’s best performance of the season.

WSU HL tourney history

With seed (and round beaten)

1994-95: 8 (final)

1995-96: 4 (quarterfinal)

1996-97: 8 (first round)

1997-98: 7 (semifinal)

1998-99: 7 (quarterfinal)

1999-00: 6 (quarterfinal)

2000-01: 4 (semifinal)

2001-02: 4 (quarterfinal)

2002-03: 8 (first round)

2003-04: 5 (first round)

2004-05: 6 (quarterfinal)

2005-06: 7 (first round)

2006-07: 1 (champion)

2007-08: 3 (quarterfinal)

2008-09: 4 (semifinal)

2009-10: 2 (final)

2010-11: 6 (quarterfinal)

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Wright State balance helps Raiders beat Milwaukee, 70-46

By Kyle Nagel | Sunday, February 12, 2012, 05:02 PM

Final: WSU wins 70-46. The Raiders got big contributions from Cole Darling (21 points, nine rebounds), Reggie Arceneaux (14), Vance Hall (13) and Julius Mays (12) in a balanced effort while shooting 57.1 percent. Milwaukee shot 31.8 percent and got 10 points each from Tony Meier and Shaqillle Boga.

7:46 second: WSU leads 55-36. The Raiders have matched their biggest lead as Cole Darling has scored a career-high 18 points to go with eight rebounds. WSU is shooting 55.9 percent, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 12-of-14 from the free throw line. Milwaukee is shooting 28.9 percent, led by Tony Meier with 10 points.

Halftime: WSU leads 29-22. Milwaukee’s Kaylon Williams hit a 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer with about 2 seconds left in the half to set the halftime margin. Cole Darling leads all scorers with 8 points, as WSU shot 45 percent. Julius Mays scored the final 5 points of the half for WSU to reach 7. Milwaukee shot 25.9 percent in the half.

6:12 first: WSU leads 18-11. Milwaukee is shooting 18.8 percent and went 9:33 without a field goal before Tony Meier connected on a 3-pointer with 7:04 left in the first half. Milwaukee’s three field goals have all been 3-pointers. Cole Darling has eight points for WSU, which is shooting 37.5 percent.

15:50 first: Milwaukee leads 6-5. The Panthers have 3-pointers from Ryan Allen and Tony Meier, and Reggie Arceneaux has all 5 points for the Raiders.

20:00 first: WSU starters: Reggie Arceneaux, Julius Mays, Vance Hall, Armond Battle, Johann Mpondo.

PREGAME: The Raiders have lost three straight entering today’s game against Milwaukee, which WSU has defeated six straight times at the Nutter Center. With a loss or Green Bay win today, WSU will remain in eighth place with just three league games to go. Milwaukee is 2-5 in its past seven, and WSU is 2-6 in its past eight.

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Wright State women fall at No. 9 Green Bay, remain in third place

By Kyle Nagel | Saturday, February 11, 2012, 07:29 PM

The Wright State women’s basketball team got another big production game from senior forward Molly Fox with 16 points and 12 rebounds but dropped a road game against first-place and ninth-ranked Wisconsin-Green Bay 64-59 on Saturday.

Green Bay senior Julie Wojta combined 30 points, 20 rebounds, eight steals, five assists and four blocks to lead the Phoenix (21-1, 11-1), who had suffered their first loss in the previous game against second-place Detroit.

Wright State (16-9, 9-4) remained in third place with five league games remaining, and the Raiders will return home to face Detroit on Thursday as the first of three straight home games.

Fox produced her third straight double-double, fourth in the past five games and 10th this season. She made 8-of-11 shots and added three steals.

Kim Demmings and Kayla Lamotte added 11 points, while K.C. Elkins scored 10 for Wright State.

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Green Bay tops Wright State in back and forth game, 53-48

By Kyle Nagel | Friday, February 10, 2012, 10:57 PM

Final: Green Bay wins 53-48. The Phoenix took the lead for good at 45-44 with 4:04 left on a Keifer Sykes basket, and they held on with the help of a big Alec Brown offensive rebound with about 15 seconds left that led to two free throws by Kam Cerroni. Green Bay made 6-of-6 free throws in the final 58.8 seconds. The lead changed 14 times. Johann Mpondo and Reggie Arceneaux both had 12 points for Wright State.

6:29 second: Green bay leads 41-40. The Phoenix have scored on two straight possessions with a 3-pointer from Kam Cerroni and a rebound and jumper by Alec Brown to reach the lead. Before those baskets, they hadn’t scored in more than 4 minutes. WSU’s Armond Battle appeared to injure his ankle on a drive with 8:46 left, but he shot free throws after and had his ankle retaped. Johann Mpondo has 11 points for WSU, and Brown has 12 for Green Bay.

10:49 second: WSU leads 37-36. Vance Hall’s 3-pointer from the right corner after a Johann Mpondo steal set the current margin, and Reggie Arceneaux had a key drive and bucket after Green Bay took a lead. Arceneaux has 10 points on 4-6 shooting, but the teams remain very even in the game. Both are shooting fairly well with a slow offensive pace.

15:58 second: WSU leads 29-25. This matches the Raiders’ biggest lead. Johann Mpondo scored WSU’s first points in the half to reach 11 in the game, the fourth time this season and fifth time this year he has been in double figures. Green Bay’s Alec Brown scored to reach 10 points earlier in the half.

Halftime: WSU leads 24-23. The lead changed on the last four scores of the half, but Johann Mpondo’s hook with 1:51 left gave WSU the lead at the break. He has 9 points (averages 3.1), and Reggie Arceneaux has 8. WSU shooting 43.5 percent to Green Bay’s 39.1 percent. Alec Brown has 8 points and 4 rebounds for Green Bay.

3:20 first: WSU leads 20-16. The Raiders have twice led by 4 points, and Reggie Arceneaux leads all scorers with 8 points, including two 3-pointers. Julius Mays has just 2 points, but he also has 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Teams are shooting 40 percent and 42.1 percent, but Green Bay is 0-of-6 from 3-point range.

7:33 first: WSU leads 12-10. WSU freshman Reggie Arceneaux scored 5 straight points to give the Raiders their first lead at 12-10 with 7:57 left. Green Bay has scored 1 point in the past 4:29, and the Phoenix have 5 turnovers. WSU is on a 7-1 scoring stretch, and Arceneaux’s 5 points leads all scorers.

11:43 first: Green Bay leads 9-7. WSU shooting 3-8, including 0-2 from 3-point range. Green is shooting well, at 4-8, but has 3 turnovers. Green Bay’s Alec Brown has 4 points and 3 rebounds in the early going.

15:22 first: Green Bay leads 6-3. Johann Mpondo, with a freshly shaved head, has WSU’s 3 points, as he took to going to Green Bay forward Brennan Cougill early, getting one foul. Alec Brown had Green Bay’s first 4 points. WSU is 1-of-5 from the field.

12:00 first: Wright State starters: Reggie Arceneaux, Julius Mays, Vance Hall, Armond Battle, Johann Mpondo.

PREGAME: Wright State could finish the (late) night somewhere between sixth and eighth place in the Horizon League. The Raiders stand in seventh place while hosting eighth-place Green Bay, which would leapfrog WSU with a victory. But the Phoenix are 0-11 on the road this season. Last month, WSU lost a 17-point point in the 13:04 in losing to Green Bay by a point.

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Valparaiso takes control of Horizon League race with big Thursday win

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, February 9, 2012, 11:11 PM

Valparaiso has grabbed hold of the advantage in the Horizon League basketball race after a dominating 59-41 win against host Cleveland State on Thursday night in a matchup of the league’s top two teams.

CSU entered the game in first place, and Valparaiso was in second. Valparaiso then got 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals from junior Ryan Broekhoff and shot 11-of-22 from 3-point range. Cleveland State shot 25.9 percent.

Elsewhere, Butler beat host Youngstown State 68-59 to climb into a tie for fourth place with YSU behind Valparaiso, Cleveland State and Milwaukee.

The losses by CSU and YSU bring the standings even closer together entering the final three weekends of the season.

Seventh-place Wright State will host eighth-place Green Bay tonight.

Horizon League standings

1) Valparaiso (18-8, 11-3)

2) Cleveland State (20-5, 10-3)

3) Milwaukee (15-10, 8-5)

4) Butler (14-12, 8-6)

Youngstown State (13-11, 8-6)

6) Detroit (13-12, 7-6)

7) Wright State (11-14, 6-7)

8) Green Bay (9-13, 5-7)

9) UIC (7-16, 3-10)

10) Loyola (5-18, 0-13)

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Wright State baseball picked to win Horizon League title

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 08:18 PM

The Wright State baseball team, which won last season’s Horizon League regular-season and tournament championships, was voted as the preseason favorite for the season that begins on Feb. 17.

The Raiders, who 36-19 last season and 16-7 in the Horizon League, were a unanimous choice for the top preseason spot. They have 19 letterwinners returning, including reigning league first teamers Michael Schum, Corey Davis, Jake Hibberd, Zach Tanner, Justin Kopale and Tristan Moore.

WSU will open the season Feb. 17 against Monmouth at the USA Baseball Complex. That weekend will also include games against Bryant, North Carolina State and Canisius.

HL preseason baseball poll

1) Wright State

2) UIC

3) Valparaiso

4) Milwaukee

5) Butler

6) Youngstown State

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Wright State softball picked fifth in preseason poll

By Kyle Nagel | Tuesday, February 7, 2012, 06:11 PM

The Wright State softball team, which finished 26-29 last season and 13-11 in the Horizon League to finish sixth, was picked to finish fifth this season in the league preseason poll.

WSu returns two hitters who were better than .300 last season in senior infielders Chelsea Archer (.363) and China Frost (.319). Both were all-league second team selections.

Coach Lynn Curylo is entering her second season. Two years ago, the Raiders won the league tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

HL softball preseason poll

1) UIC

2) Butler

3) Loyola

4) Valparaiso

5) Wright State

6) Cleveland State

7) Green Bay

8) Youngstown State

9) Detroit

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Wright State women’s basketball enters week tied for second place in Horizon League

By Kyle Nagel | Monday, February 6, 2012, 11:01 PM

The Wright State women’s basketball team will travel to face the Horizon League’s two Wisconsin schools this week while tied for second place in the Horizon League.

The Raiders (15-8, 8-3) held second place alone after an 80-70 victory against fourth-place UIC on Thursday, but the dropped into a tie for second with Detroit after a 74-66 loss to sixth-place Loyola on Saturday.

Here are a few notes about the team:

Big performance

WSU senior forward Molly Fox combined a career-high 30 points and 11 rebounds for a big performance against Loyola on Saturday. She is averaging 14.7 points and 9.7 rebounds for the season.

Continuing big season

Freshman guard Kim Demmings had 22 points, 10 assists and three rebounds against UIC, followed by 14 points, six assists and four rebounds against Loyola. She is averaging 16.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists while improving to 18.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists in Horizon League games.

Stopping good shooting

The Raiders rank 42nd nationally in field goal percentage defense, allowing 35.5 percent per game. But they are just 206th in scoring defense, allowing 63.3 points per game.

Solid rebounders

Fox ranks 29th nationally in rebounding, at 9.7 per game, while senior forward Shaunda Sandifer ranks 48th nationally at 9.3 rebounds per game. Sandifer adds 8.1 points per game.

This week

The Raiders will face ninth-place Milwaukee on Thursday before traveling to face first-place, undefeated and ninth-ranked Green Bay on Saturday.

Horizon League standings

1) Green Bay (20-0, 10-0)

2) Wright State (15-8, 8-3)

Detroit (12-11, 8-3)

4) UIC (13-9, 6-5)

Butler (10-12, 6-5)

6) Loyola (10-12, 5-6)

7) Youngstown State (10-12, 4-7)

8) Cleveland State (8-14, 3-8)

9) Milwaukee (6-15, 2-8)

10) Valparaiso (6-16, 2-9)

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Wright State junior guard continues to play well in Horizon League games

By Kyle Nagel | Sunday, February 5, 2012, 10:50 PM

Julius Mays, the Wright State junior guard, scored 20 points in a Raiders loss against Valparaiso on Saturday, and even though the Raiders stand in seventh place in the Horizon League, he has made his case as one of its best players.

After the weekend’s games, Mays leads the league in scoring in conference games, at 16.9 points per game. In league games, he leads the Raiders in scoring, assists, steals, minutes, field goal percentage (with at least 21 attempts), 3-point shooting and free throw shooting.

Here’s a look at Mays’ 12 Horizon League performances (with ranking in the league where possible).

16.9 Points (1)

3.7 Rebounds

2.0 Assists

1.5 Steals (7)

34.6 Minutes (4)

45.2 Field goal percentage

39.1 3-point percentage

87.7 Free throw percentage (1)

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Wright State can’t overcome hot Valparaiso shooting despite forcing big turnovers in 63-54 loss

By Kyle Nagel | Saturday, February 4, 2012, 10:04 PM

Final: Valpo wins 63-54. Wright State forced a season-best 24 turnovers, but Valparaiso shot 65.6 percent in the game, including 8-of-17 from 3-point range. Richie Edwards led four double-digit scorers for the Crusaders with 16 points, and WSU’s Julius Mays led all scorers with 20 points. WSU shot 29.6 percent in the game, including 5-of-24 from 3-point range.

2:56 second: Valpo leads 55-49. The Raiders have been no closer than 5 this half, but they were once down 13. The game has increased in intensity as it has gone on, and Tavares Sledge just took a charge for WSu to get the ball back coming out of the time out. Julius Mays has 16 points for WSU, and Richie Edwards has 16 for Valpo. WSU shooting 38.1 percent this half and 31.3 percent in the game but is 15-18 from the free throw line and has forced 22 turnovers, tying a season best.

7:36 second: Valpo leads 51-42. The Crusaders have the answers for a better Wright State offensive half, and the game is happening mostly on the inside. The teams scored a combined 9 straight points on free throws in one stretch as WSU cut the deficit to 49-42, but then Valpo’s Ryan Broekhoff went on a drive past Armond Battle and was fouled. Valpo has 19 turnovers but is shooting 67.9 percent in the game, and Julius Mays leads all scorers with 16 points.

11:41 second: Valpo leads 45-33. Julius Mays has 7 points this half to reach 14 in the game, but the Raiders are still shooting 32.4 percent. Valparaiso has 17 turnovers but is shooting 68.4 percent, led by 13 points from Richie Edwards. Valpo has led by as many as 13.

14:22 second: Valpo leads 39-30. WSU went down 34-21 early int he half before scoring 7 straight points, Julius Mays has 11, including 4 this half, as the Raiders are shooting 4-of-6 this half. Valparaiso has 16 turnovers (WSU most forced in a game this season is 22), and Richie Edwards leads the Crusaders with 10 points.

Halftime: Valpo leads 31-21. A Reggie Arceneaux 3-pointer near the halftime buzzer cut the deficit to 10, but the Crusaders had built a 13-point lead at 31-18 with a 14-2 scoring advantage. WSU shot 25.9 percent in the firts half to 68.4 percent for Valpo, although the Crusaders also had 12 turnovers. Valpo top player Ryan Broekhoff didn’t attempt a shot in the firts half, and Richie Edwards has a team-best 8 points. Julius Mays and Reggie Arceneaux lead Wright State with 7 points.

3:49 first: Valpo leads 24-16. This is the Crusaders’ biggest advantage, as WSU is shooting 26.1 percent to 66.7 percent for Valpo. It’s only not worse because the Crusaders have 11 turnovers. Valpo top player Ryan Broakhoff was just called for his second foul, but he is scoreless so far. Julius Mays has 7 points for WSU, which is 1-8 from 3-point range.

6:37 first: Valpo leads 17-14. Julius Mays has 7 of WSU’s 14 points, and guard Reggie Arceneaux scored on a drive to set the current margin before a Valpo offensive foul became its 10th turnover of the game heading into the timeout. Richie Edwards, who averageds 7.7 points, has 8 coming off a 16-point game in the previous outing. WSU shooting 5-19 (26.3 percent), compared with 58.3 percent for Valpo, but turnovers slowing Crusaders.

11:07 first: Valpo leads 10-6. The Raiders got two straight baskets from Tavares Sledge to tie the game at 6 before Valpo scored four straight. WSU has been running plays for Sledge more tonight, but he just picked up his second foul (which he was not pleased about). WSU is shooting 3-13, and Valpo is 5-7 with eight turnovers.

14:42 first: Valpo leads 6-4. Wright State scores on its first possession but then went 4:46 without any points until Tavares Sledge ran a pick-and-roll with Julius Mays and scored with a foul. WSU is 2-6 from the floor, and Valpo is 3-4, including 4 points off the bench from Richie Edwards, who also blocked a Sledge shot. Sledge came down the next time and scored.

20:00 first: Wright State starters: Reggie Arceneaux, Julius Mays, Vance Hall, Armond Battle, Johann Mpondo.

PREGAME: The Raiders are coming off a loss against Butler on Thursday that dropped them to 6-6 in the Horizon League, and they stand in seventh place entering tonight’s game. WSU could pull back into a tie with Detroit and Butler for fifth place with a win, but Valparaiso is both second in the league at 9-3 and looking to avenge and convincing 73-55 Wright State win in their previous meeting, Jan. 8 at the Nutter Center.

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Cleveland State stays ahead of Horizon League pack in first place

By Kyle Nagel | Friday, February 3, 2012, 10:30 PM

Entering a three-game Saturday in the Horizon League, including a Wright State visit to second-place Valparaiso, the top two teams are hoping to continue separation from the pack.

Cleveland State took care of its part on Friday night.

The Vikings stayed alone in first place in the league at 9-2 (19-4 overall) with a 65-47 win against Loyola. They shot 67.6 percent in the game with double figures from three players, led by 16 from senior guard Jeremy Montgomery, who added four assists, three steals and two rebounds.

CSU and Valparaiso (16-8, 9-3) are the only league teams with fewer than five losses, which has provided some separation. Three teams — Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Youngstown State and Butler — will enter Saturday’s games tied for third place.

Wright State (11-13, 6-6) is tied with Detroit for sixth place. Teams finishing in places 3-6 (after tiebreakers) host first-round games in the Horizon League tournament, so that No. 6 spot is valuable.

Horizon League standings

1) Cleveland State (19-4, 9-2)

2) Valparaiso (16-8, 9-3)

3) Milwaukee (14-10, 7-5)

Youngstown State (12-10, 7-5)

Butler (13-11, 7-5)

6) Detroit (12-12, 6-6)

Wright State (11-13, 6-6)

8) Green Bay (9-12, 5-6)

9) UIC (7-15, 3-9)

10) Loyola (5-17, 0-12)

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Butler uses hot start and keeps command and beat Wright State, 64-53

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, February 2, 2012, 08:57 PM

Final: Butler wins 64-53. The Bulldogs shot 61.9 percent in the first half and held the advantage at the free-throw line that was the difference (18-of-23 for Butler to 4-of-6 for WSU). Armond Battle led all scorers with 18 points, and Chsihawn Hopkins had 13 for Butler.

3:25 second: Butler leads 58-48. Armond Battle has made 5-of-6 3-pointers for WSU, not bad for a guy who entered the game making 12-of-52 this season. He has 18 points, but the Raiders are still way behind at the free throw line, which is the difference in the game (14-of-19 for Butler, 1-of-2 for WSU. The Raiders haven’t attempted fewer than six free throws in a game this season.

5:38 second: Butler leads 56-43. The Bulldogs have led by as many as 15 points even though their shooting has significantly cooled this half. Chrishawn Hopkins and Erik Fromm are both in double figures, while Armond Battle has reached 14 points for WSU on 4-of-5 3-pointers. Butler has made 14-of-19 free throws to 1-of-2 for Wright State.

11:37 second: Butler leads 44-34. Julius Mays has scored 6 points in this half to reach 8 in the game on 4-6 shooting, including 4-4 from inside the 3-point line. Chrishawn Hopkins continues to lead Butler with 11 points as the Bulldogs are shooting 52 percent (3-of-10 this half).

15:24 second: Butler leads 39-30. The Bulldogs went up by a game-high 13 points at 39-26 before WSU’s Julius Mays scored on back-to-back possessions to reach 6 points in the game. Butler’s shooting is down to 56 percent shooting, and WSU is shooting 43 percent. WSU hasn’t been closer than 5 points since the very early stages.

Halftime: Butler leads 35-26. Cole Darling rebounded a Butler miss with about 1.5 seconds left and hit from 70 feet at the halftime buzzer to set the current margin, although Butler had taken a game-high 12 point lead before that shot. The Bulldogs shot 62 percent int he half compared with 42 percent from WSU. Armond Battle and A.J. Pacher each scored 6 points for WSU, while Chrishawn Hopkins has 9 to lead Butler.

3:48 first: Butler leads 29-21. After finally getting a few stops in a row on turnovers, Wright State got as close as 26-21, including four points from freshman Tavares Sledge, who hadn’t scored in the previous four games. Guard Chrishawn Hopkins has 9 points to lead Butler, which is shooting 65 percent.

7:59 first: Butler leads 22-14. The Bulldogs have led by 11 points twice, and Armond Battle just hit his second 3-pointer of the game to set the current margin. Butler is shooting 62 percent, very good for a not-so-good offensive team, and Chrishawn Hopkins leads the team with 6 points. Battle has 6 for WSU, which is shooting 40 percent.

11:52 first: Butler leads 15-6. The Bulldogs went up 15-4 before Julius Mays got his first basket, a turnaround fadeaway jumper after shrugging off Butler defender Ronald Nored. WSU is shooting 3-10 while Butler has made 5-10, and 6-11 Andrew Smith has already connected on a 3-pointer for Butler (he had two big 3s in Butler’s win at Wright State last month).

15:38 first: Butler leads 8-2. Wright State has gone six possessions without a score after Reggie Arceneaux connected on a driving layup. The Raiders are on a 1-6 start with 3 turnovers, while Butler has scored on 5 of 7 possessions, including two 1-of-2 free throw trips. Khyle Marshall has 4 early points for Butler.

20:00 first: Wright State starters: Reggie Arceneaux, Julius Mays, Vance Hall, Armond Battle, Johann Mpondo.

PREGAME: After sweeping the Horizon League’s Chicago schools last week, WSU enters Hinkle Fieldhouse tied with Butler at Detroit for fifth place in the Horizon League at 6-5. The Raiders have lost the past eight games against Butler at Hinkle and are 4-14 in the building all time. Butler, the preseason league favorite, is 3-4 in its past seven games.

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Horizon League favorite Butler riding offensive issues into fifth-place start

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 07:37 PM

The Butler men’s basketball team was picked to win the Horizon League in the preseason poll of coaches, media and sports information directors.

But since, the Bulldogs have recorded a 12-11 record and 6-5 performance in the league, tying Wright State and Detroit for fifth place heading into Thursday night’s visit from WSU to Hinkle Fieldhouse.

So what’s different? Like WSU, Butler has placed plenty of players into new roles this season, which is taking some adjustment. There is also a lack of consistent scorers, which has dropped Butler dramatically in scoring (eight fewer points per game).

Here’s a look at other differences in Butler from last season to this season.

Butler season comparison

(Category: 2010-11 rank; 2011-12 rank)

Scoring offense: 99 (71.2); 270 (63.2)

Scoring defense: 67 (64.1); 77 (63.0)

Turnovers per game: 19 (10.9); 137 (13.4)

3-point field goals per game: 56 (7.6); 218 (5.7)

3-point field goal percentage: 130 (35.2); 276 (28.6)

Free throw percentage: 69 (72.6); 311 (62.4)

Field goal percentage: 183 (43.3); 307 (39.9)

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Former Wright State player signs with team in Melbourne, Australia

By Kyle Nagel | Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 05:12 PM

While at Wright State practice today waiting to do interviews, we ran into former WSU player Cory Cooperwood, who played for the Raiders for two seasons from 2008-10.

Cooperwood shared some news: He has signed to play with the professional team Sandringham Sabres from Melbourne, Australia, whose season will begin in March. A 6-foot-7 forward, Cooperwood said he would travel to Houston for a training camp with the team in February before the season that runs from March through September.

Cooperwood came to WSU from Wallace Community College in Alabama, which went undefeated during his season season there until the junior college national championship game, which it lost to a team it had defeated twice before.

“Kind of like the Patriots a couple years ago,” Cooperwood said with a laugh while shooting baskets in the WSU practice facility.

Cooperwood averaged 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds as a junior before averaging 9.3 points and 6.1 rebounds as a senior. He said he played in Finland for a period last year before going on a tour with a team organized by Xenia-based Athletes-in-Action.

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Wright State will travel to Missouri-Kansas City in BracketBusters event

By Kyle Nagel | Monday, January 30, 2012, 07:00 PM

The Wright State men’s basketball team will travel to face Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday, Feb. 18, in the annual BracketBusters event. The game time has not been announced.

UMKC (9-15) stands in eighth place in the Summit League at 3-9. Senior guard Reggie Chamberlain leads the team with a 16.9-point scoring average, while junior forward Thomas Staton boosting his scoring average from 8.3 points to 11.3 points in conference play.

The Kangaroos rank 27th nationally in 3-pointers made per game (8.3) and 40th in 3-point percentage (38.1). They are also on a 2-10 stretch.

UMKC assistant coach Stephen Brough was a Wright State assistant in 2002-03 and also earned degrees, was a student assistant and coached at Miami University.

The BracketBusters event including 71 games with teams from 16 conferences, all played the weekend of Feb. 17-19. Thirteen of those games will be broadcast on an ESPN channel.

The WSU game will include a return game by UMKC to the Nutter Center either next season or in 2013-14. UMKC will choose which season it will return the game.

Two Horizon League teams will play on ESPNU, as Valparaiso will travel to Loyola Marymount at 9 p.m. on Feb. 17 and Cleveland State will host Drexel at 11 a.m. on Feb. 18.

Here’s a full schedule of Horizon League teams in the BracketBusters event:

Friday, Feb. 17

Valparaiso at Loyola Marymount, 9 p.m., ESPNU

Saturday, Feb. 18

Drexel at Cleveland State, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Indiana State at Butler, time TBA, HLN

Fairfield at Milwaukee, time TBA, HLN

James Madison at Detroit, time TBA, HLN

Eastern Michigan at Green Bay, time TBA

UIC at Eastern Illinois, time TBA

Loyola at Bradley, time TBA

Wright State at UMKC, time TBA

Youngstown State at Austin Peay, time TBA

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Wright State home game vs. Green Bay to be broadcast on ESPNU

By Kyle Nagel | Monday, January 30, 2012, 10:26 AM

Wright State’s Feb. 10 home game against Wisconsin-Green Bay will tip at 9 p.m. and be broadcast on ESPNU, the result of a fan vote on the Facebook page for ESPN Home Court.

Fans voted between WSU-Green Bay and Milwaukee at Detroit, with the Raiders’ game winning 1,769 to 1,718, the Horizon League said.

The Raiders will learn their opponent for the upcoming BracketBusters weekend later today.

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Wright State By the Numbers: League defensive performances strong

By Kyle Nagel | Sunday, January 29, 2012, 08:12 PM

The Wright State men’s basketball team won two games last week in part by allowing 63 points to UIC and 41 points to Loyola. That helped the Raiders improve on an already impressive defensive resume in Horizon League games.

In its 6-5 HL start (11-12 overall), WSU ranks first in the league in scoring defense, allowing 57.4 points per game. It was defense that got praise from coach Billy Donlon after Friday’s win against Loyola. The Raiders are also first in turnover margin and defensive rebound percentage.

Here’s how the Raiders rank in defensive categories in Horizon League games (in which schedule is all the same):

1 Scoring Defense (57.4)

1 Turnover Margin (plus-4.1)

1 Defensive Rebound Percentage (71.4)

3 Rebounding Defense (31.1)

3 Steals (7.3)

4 3-point Percentage Defense (30.1)

7 Field Goal Percentage Defense (43.1)

10 Blocked Shots (1.4)

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Wright State freshman combines 25 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists in win

By Kyle Nagel | Saturday, January 28, 2012, 06:54 PM

Kim Demmings, the Wright State freshman guard from Richmond, Ind., compiled 25 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Raiders to a 71-66 victory against Youngstown State on Saturday as WSU retained sole possession of second place in the Horizon League.

YSU came back from a 15-point deficit with 10:23 left to send the game to overtime. Demmings then scored Wright State’s first 10 points in the extra period while finishing one assist shy of a triple-double.

Kim Demmings

Senior forwards Molly Fox (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Shaunda Sandifer (11, 10) also finished with double-doubles as WSU improved to 14-7 on the season and 7-2 in the league. WSU trails undefeated and 12th-ranked Green Bay in the standings.

Saturday was the midpoint of the Horizon League women’s basketball season, and Demmings has been a memorable part of it. Here are a few notes about Demmings’ freshman campaign, and Saturday’s exclamation point on it:

She set career highs in rebounds and assists on Saturday.

She scored at least 25 points for the fourth time this season.

She leads the Raiders in points, assists, steals and minutes.

Entering Saturday, Demmings ranked fourth in the league in scoring, third in assists, ninth in assist/turnover ratio, 13th in free throw percentage and 15th in rebounding.

She is now averaging 16.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

In nine Horizon League games, she averages 18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

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Wright State overcomes slow offensive game to beat Loyola, 47-41

By Kyle Nagel | Friday, January 27, 2012, 09:10 PM

Final: WSU wins 47-41. Julius Mays led all scorers with 16 points, and Armond Battle added 11 as the Raiders overcame 33.3 percent shooting snd 4-of-16 from 3-point range to move above .500 in league play at 6-5 (11-12 overall).

The Raiders trailed 27-21 with 15:28 left before using a 15-0 run to take control in a game between two offenses that regularly struggle.

2:45 second: WSU leads 40-36. The Raiders used a 15-0 run to take a 36-27 advantage, but then the two stagnant offenses came to life as both teams started hitting shots. Julius Mays has scored 16 points, and Armond Battle has 11 as WSU is now shooting 33.3 percent in the game (had 20.8 percent at halftime). Ben Averkamp has 9 points and 8 rebounds for Loyola, but he is scoreless this half and took a hard spill to the floor on a loose ball with 4:55 left.

11:27 second: Tied 27-27. Loyola went up by as much as 27-21 before back-to-back Julius Mays baskets in transition and a layup by A.J. Pacher with 12:03 left to tie the game. WSU last led at 17-16. The Raiders are shooting 5-of-11 this half after making 20.8 percent in the first half. Ben Averkamp continues to lead Loyola with 9 points, and Jordan Hicks has 8 points and 7 rebounds.

15:49 second: Loyola leads 25-21. Armond Battle opened the half with a steal and layup to reach 7 points and tie Julius Mays for the team lead in the game. But the Raiders continue to shoot poorly, making 24.1 percent in the game, while Loyola is making 47.6 percent despite 15 turnovers. Ben Averkamp has 9 points and 6 rebounds for Loyola.

Halftime: Loyola leads 20-17. The Ramblers have twice held leads of four points, and WSU shot 20.8 percent in the first half. Julius Mays has 7 points for WSU, while Ben Averkamp has 9 for Loyola. But the Ramblers turned the ball of 12 times, while WSU has just four turnovers.

3:18 first: WSU leads 12-11. Ben Averkamp has 7 of Loyola’s 11 points, but the teams have made a combined 9-34 shots. WSU is shooting 20 percent as Julius Mays and Armond Battle each have 5 points. I’m trying to think of more to say, but as you can see, it’s a little slow.

7:52 first: Tied 8-8. The teams went a combined 14 possessions and 5:43 of game time tied at 6-6 before Armond Battle scored to reach 5 points. Ben Averkamp of Loyola followed with a basket to get to 4 points, for the Ramblers’ leading scorer. The teams are shooting a combined 7-24, including 2-12 from 3-point range.

11:00 first: Tied 6-6. Neither team has scored in 4:26, and WSU is 2-10 from the field. Both Julius Mays and Armond Battle are 1-3 as both teams are taking possessions deep into shot clocks, and WSU has forced six turnovers.

14:32 first: Tied 6-6. These are the two worst offenses in the Horizon League, and they’re showing why. There are 6 combined turnovers, and Armond Battle and Julius Mays each have 3-pointers for WSU. Three different players have baskets for Loyola.

20:00 first: Wright State starters: Reggie Arceneaux, Julius Mays, Armond Battle, Cole Darling, Johann Mpondo.

PREGAME: Wright State will try to top .500 in the Horizon League tonight with a visit from last-place Loyola. The Raiders are tied with Detroit for sixth place in the league at 5-5, and Detroit is hosting UIC tonight. WSU guard Julius Mays is coming off the best scoring game in the league this season, with 33 points against UIC on Wednesday, including 19-of-20 from the free throw line. Loyola could be without second-leading scorer Walt Gibler (13.4 ppg), who aggravated an injury in a loss to Detroit on Wednesday.

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Wright State women back alone in second place after road win

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, January 26, 2012, 10:26 PM

The Wright State women’s basketball team topped Cleveland State 64-54 on Thursday night to retake sole possession of second place in the Horizon League.

The Raiders (13-7, 6-2) dropped into a tie for second place with Detroit last weekend with a road loss against the Titans. But after a Youngstown State defeat of Detroit on Thursday, WSU again has second place to itself. Every team in the league is chasing undefeated and 12th-ranked Green Bay (18-0, 8-0).

Senior forward Molly Fox scored 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 8-of-9 free throws and added nine rebounds for WSU, and freshman guard Kim Demmings had 13 points. The Raiders outscored CSU 41-28 in the second half while shooting 56 percent from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range.

The Raiders will travel to face Youngstown State (9-10, 3-5) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

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Return of leading scorer sparks Wright State in 69-63 win against Illinois-Chicago

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 09:08 PM

Final: WSU wins 69-63. Junior guard Julius Mays returned from a one-game absence because of an Achilles tendon injury to set a career high of 33 points, and he set a WSU record with 19 made free throws (in 20 attempts).

The Raiders led by 18 points late in the first half, but UIC whittled that deficit to 1 point with 7:25. But the Flames never led in the second half.

2:36 second: WSU leads 55-53. UIC has been as close as one point but hasn’t led since 3-2. Julius Mays made his first 11 free throws and has 22 points (19 of which came in the first half). The Raiders are shooting 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) this half after shooting 54.2 percent in the first half. UIC guard Marc Brown, who averages 6.5 points, leads the Flames with 15 points.

7:58 second: WSU leads 50-48. This is the closest UIC has been since 4-3, but the Flames are still shooting just 18.2 percent from 3-point range int he game. Julius Mays got to 10-of-10 from the line in the game to get to 21 points, his eighth 20-point scoring performance in 20 games this season. The Raiders once led by 18, 42-24 with 1:49 left in the first half, but WSU has gone cold.

11:31 second: WSU leads 46-43. The Raiders once led by 18 points, but UIC used a 17-2 run spanning both halves to come within three points twice. A technical foul called against Julius Mays for a swung elbow with 15:57 left help ignate an 11-2 UIC run following that play, and Darrin Williams (11), Marc Brown (11) and Gary Talton (10) have all reached double figures for the Flames. Julius Mays had 19 points in the first half but is scoreless this half.

15:57 second: WSU leads 44-32. As hot as they were in the first half, the Raiders have come out cold in the second, with 1-3 shooting and 2 turnovers. WSU’s lead was once 18 points in the first half, but UIC leading scorer Daniel Barnes got his first points of the game with 17:49 left.

Halftime: WSU leads 42-28. Julius Mays scored 19 points by making his first four shots, including three 3-pointers, and 8-of-8 free throws. The Raiders matched their highest first-half point total of the season, and beat their best against a Division I opponent by 10 points. They shot 54.2 percent, including 6-10 from 3-point range. Marc Brown leads UIC with 9 points.

3:57 first: WSU leads 34-20. The Raiders have reached their highest first-half point total against a Division I opponent this season as Reggie Arceneaux hit a 3-pointer to reach 6 points. WSU is shooting 60 percent, and Julius Mays leads the team with 13 points. UIC is shooting 40 percent, and Marc Brown has 5 points to lead the Flames. WSU coach Billy Donlon called a timeout with 4:36 left after a 6-0 UIC run, clearly frustrated with the defense.

7:52 first: WSU leads 28-11. Julius Mays clearly doesn’t like watching from the bench. After returning from his one-game absence, he has made his first 4 shots, including 3 3-pointers and has 13 points as the Raiders are shooting 62.5 percent and 4-4 from 3-point range. Guard Gary Talton is driving the offensive action for UIC, and he has 6 points, but the Flames are shooting 5-15.

11:50 first: WSU leads 18-7. The Raiders clearly have a big sense of urgency with three straight losses, and they have responded with 18 points in the first 8:10 (for them, an astounding pace) on 7-of-12 shooting. Julius Mays has 7 early points with a 2, a 3 a 2 free throws, and Cole Darling has 4 points on two hard drives to the basket. UIC has 4 points from guard Gary Talton and 3-9 shooting.

15:57 first: WSU leads 10-3. The Raiders have scored on four of their first five possessions, and Julius Mays has 5 points after missing the last game with an Achilles tendon injury. He’s wearing a sleeve on his left leg for that injury, matching the sleeve he’s wearing on his left arm to take care of an elbow injury he suffered in December in a fall against Cincinnati. WSU is 4-5 from the floor, while UIC is 1-4.

20:00 first: WSU starters: Reggie Arceneaux, Julius Mays, Armond Battle, Cole Darling, Tavares Sledge.

PREGAME: Wright State returns home after an 0-3 road stretch to face UIC, a team it beat in overtime on Dec. 31. The Raiders lost to Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay and Detroit in three road games after leading scorer Julius Mays injured his left Achilles tendon in a Jan. 8 game against Valparaiso. The Raiders have played five of their past seven on the road and will now play five of their next seven at home.

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Broadcast for Wright State-Green Bay basketball game up for vote

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 11:10 AM

The broadcast outlet for Wright State’s home basketball game against Green Bay on Friday, Feb. 10, is up for vote on the Facebook page for ESPN Home Court.

The game will be broadcast on either ESPNU or ESPN3, with Milwaukee’s road game at Detroit appearing on the other.

Voting begins at 4 p.m. today and ends Sunday. The results will be announced on Monday.

Go to the ESPN Home Court Facebook page to vote.

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Week 11 Horizon League Power Rankings: Once again, Cleveland State on top

By Kyle Nagel | Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 12:32 PM

For the second time in the Horizon League season, Cleveland State has responded to a disappointing loss with a strong run to again reach the top of the rankings. Previously, the Vikings dropped a home game against Youngstown State before winning three straight, including a road game against Butler. Then, after losing by six at Valparaiso, they thumped Green Bay and Milwaukee, both boosting themselves into a weekend matchup with Youngstown State and casting some doubts on just how good Milwaukee is.

CSU is tied with Valparaiso for first place in the league standings at 7-2, and the Crusaders have won four straight and six of seven. They swept the league’s Chicago trip to stay hot entering the Milwaukee trip this weekend as part of four straight road games.

Back to Milwaukee. The Panthers held first place alone in the league when last week began, but they dropped games by 2 points to Youngstown State and 26 points to Cleveland State. In a different light, they are now 3-4 in their past seven games, with wins against sub-.500 Wright State, Detroit and Green Bay in that span.

DAYTON DAILY NEWS HL POWER RANKINGS

1) Cleveland State (17-4, 7-2): The Vikings responded to a loss against Valparaiso the previous week with one of the league’s biggest statement wins of the season, blasting Milwaukee 83-57 on Sunday after beating Green Bay by 10 points on Friday. Six CSU players scored in double figures against Milwaukee, which entered the week alone in first place in the league, between 10 and 15 points. Aaron Pogue, the Dunbar High School product, had 11 points and six rebounds on Sunday, his best scoring total in 14 games and best rebounding total in 16 games. The Vikings balance their scoring (four players average between 12.1 and 9.3 ppg) and play strong defense (25th nationally in scoring defense, 28th nationally in steals per game). Preseason all-league first teamer Trevon Harmon, a senior guard, had 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting against Milwaukee, continuing a strong stretch.

2) Valparaiso (14-7, 7-2): The Crusaders have won four straight to tie Cleveland State for first place in the league, and sophomore reserve Jay Harris has been a big help in doing it. He had 18 points and five assists in a win against Loyola on Thursday, and he followed that with 13 points and two assists in a win against UIC on Saturday. The Crusaders are one of the country’s most on-target teams, ranking 26th nationally in shooting percentage, making 48.2 percent on the season. While going 6-1 in the past seven games, the Crusaders have shot 50 percent from the field, and junior forward Kevin Van Wijk ranks sixth nationally in shooting for the season, making 62.7 percent to rank first in the league while also ranking first in scoring (16.0).

3) Youngstown State (11-8, 6-3): The Penguins set themselves up for one of the biggest games in recent program history by winning two straight against Milwaukee and Green Bay last week. On Saturday, they will host Cleveland State in a matchup that could help boost them to new confidence and keep them at the top of the league. In earning Horizon League Player of the Week honors, junior guard Blake Allen scored 27 points (including 7-of-8 3-pointers) against Milwaukee, and he followed that with 16 points against Green Bay. In the past seven games, on a 5-2 YSU stretch, Allen has averaged 13.9 points while shooting 51.1 percent from 3-point range. He leads the team in minutes, at 35.5 per game, as all five Penguins starters average more than 30 minutes per game. Guard Kendrick Perry leads the team, which ranks eighth nationally in 3-pointers made per game at 9.3, at 14.4 points per game.

4) Milwaukee (13-8, 6-3): The Panthers entered the week with the No. 1 spot in the rankings and first place alone in the league. Then they traveled to northeast Ohio, lost 68-66 to Youngstown State on Friday and then were blown out 83-57 by Cleveland State on Sunday. It was even more surprising because Milwaukee ranks second in the league in scoring defense, allowing 60.3 points per game, and CSU’s 83 points were seven more than Milwaukee had allowed in any game this season. After putting four players in double figures against YSU, only James Haarsma (15 points) reached double figures against CSU as the Panthers shot 35.3 percent and 4-of-16 from 3-point range. Milwaukee will return to U.S. Cellular Arena for three straight home games (Butler, Valparaiso, Youngstown State) to try to lick its wounds and stay in the league race.

5) Butler (12-9, 6-3): How do you go 2-0 in a week while making 8-of-38 from 3-point range? The Bulldogs did it, beating UIC and Loyola by 8 and 6 points to move into a tie for third place in the league. Senior guard Ronald Nored has never been much of a scorer (although good at most other things), but he has turned more to that role lately. On 7-2 stretch for Butler, Nored has averaged 11.9 points, pretty good for a 5.6-point career scorer. That production comes on a team still, 21 games into the season, without a go-to scorer on a consistent basis. Seven players average more than five points per game, but none of them are better than 10.6 points per game (junior center Andrew Smith, also 5.8 rebounds per game). So, what’s working? Butler remains a strong defensive team, ranking 66th nationally in scoring defense (62.6 points per game).

6) Detroit (10-11, 4-5): After a sputtering start to both the season overall and the league season, the Titans are 3-1 in their past four, including a 69-53 defeat of Wright State on Saturday. They tied their season best with nine 3-pointers, including 4-of-9 by senior guard Chase Simon, who scored 16 points. Simon’s complete game included five rebounds, four assists and three steals, and he now is tied for third in the league in scoring (14.9) and is eighth in free throw percentage (75.0). Notice 3-point shooting is not on that list, as he averaged 30.3 percent from long range this season, and he set season highs in both long-range makes and attempts on Saturday. On a 4-2 stretch since a loss against UIC, preseason player of the year Ray McCallum has averaged 16.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

7) Green Bay (7-12, 3-6): The Phoenix played within 10 points of Cleveland State on Friday before a 77-47 drubbing against Youngstown State on Sunday, during which they watched YSU make 12-of-24 3-pointers. Freshman point guard Keifer Sykes broke an impressive string during which he averaged 15.6 points in five games by scoring six against YSU on 2-of-8 shooting with one rebound and one assist. Green Bay has struggled to score points, as sophomore center Alec Brown leads the team with a 13.3-point average, and Sykes is second at 8.9 points per game. Judging by the stats, the Phoenix have found all kinds of ways to lose games, and they’re currently on a 1-6 stretch, with a win only against Wright State.

8) Wright State (9-12, 4-5): The Raiders have lost three straight, all since leading scorer Julius Mays suffered an injury to his left Achilles tendon in a Jan. 8 game against Valparaiso. That victory against Valpo closed a 5-1 stretch, and with a limited Mays the Raiders lost both games on the Wisconsin trip before suffering a 69-53 loss to Detroit without him altogether on Saturday. Wright State continues to play good defense, ranking 52nd nationally in scoring defense (61.7 ppg), but the Raiders have trouble scoring in their losses. Only Mays averages in double figures, and freshman guard Reggie Arceneaux is second on the team at 9.0 points per game. The Raiders are now on a 1-4 stretch while heading home for two games against the Chicago schools this week.

9) UIC (6-13, 2-7): Continuing its competitiveness despite a poor league record, the Flames lost to Butler (57-49) and Valparaiso (60-55) last week. Their five league losses that didn’t come on the northeast Ohio swing (which has been brutal in the season’s first half) are by 3, 2, 4, 8 and 5 points. Guards Daniel Barnes (11.1 ppg) and Gary Talton (10.8) continue to drive the offense from the backcourt, and sophomore forward Hayden Humes show signs of improvement against Valparaiso. He finished with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists, his best all-around game since transferring to Chicago from Toledo after last season. At 6 feet 8, he made 3-of-5 3-pointers while playing 26 minutes. UIC remains the league’s top rebounding team, averaging 36.6 per game, led by senior Darrin Williams at 6.3 per game.

10) Loyola (5-14, 0-9): The Ramblers have lost seven straight, including defeats against Valparaiso (69-48) and Butler (63-57) last week. Loyola is actually quite strong in keeping other teams from scoring (42nd nationally), but the Ramblers also have the sixth-worst offense in Division I, scoring 55.3 points per game. They boast a talented inside presence in Walt Gibler (14.1 ppg) and Ben Averkamp (13.9), but those two score 49.3 percent of the team’s points, even though they combined for 32 points in the two games last week. Freshman Joe Crisman showed promise in tying his career high with 14 points against Butler, with six rebounds and three assists, and the Ramblers would welcome the third scoring threat.

Week 10 rankings

1) Milwaukee

2) Cleveland State

3) Butler

4) Valparaiso

5) Youngstown State

6) Detroit

7) Green Bay

8) Wright State

9) UIC

10) Loyola

This week’s schedule

Wednesday

UIC at Wright State, 7 p.m.

Loyola at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Butler at Milwaukee, 8 p.m., ESPN3

Valparaiso at Green Bay, 8 p.m.

Friday

Loyola at Wright State, 7 p.m.

UIC at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Valparaiso at Milwaukee, 2 p.m.

Butler at Green Bay, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Cleveland State at Youngstown State, 7:05 p.m.

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