DaytonDailyNews.com

FAIRBORN — Hello, NCAA? Reservations, please. Wright State — yep Wright State — needs court time and some hotel rooms.

And could you please throw in some extra towels to wipe off the perspiration? It wasn't easy, you know.

Tuesday night 10,686 fans, mostly dressed in WSU green, watched low-scoring Will Graham sink four foul shots in the final 11.6 seconds as the Raiders beat No. 19 Butler, 60-55, to claim their first Horizon League tournament championship and secure only the second NCAA tournament invitation in 20 Division I seasons, the other coming in 1993.

Wright State is 23-9; Butler is 27-6 and will probably get an at-large NCAA bid. Bids and first-round opponents will be announced Sunday night.

As much as Graham meant at the end — while the teams schemed during six timeouts in the final 37.2 seconds — senior guard DaShaun Wood meant that much to the game and the season.

Wood, the Horizon League's Player of the Year, scored 27 points in his final game in the Nutter Center, including 18 in the first half, as the Raiders led 31-29 at the break after having trailed 10-0 after only three minutes.

It was Wood's 3-point basket with 16:30 to play that got the Raiders started, and he wasn't easily finished.

"Butler's a tough team," Wood said, surrounded by hundreds of fans who stormed the court when the game was finished and stayed while the players and coaches cut down the nets. "You've got to fight to the end.

"It's a great feeling. It's not just us, it's the coaches and fans. This may mean more to the fans. It has made them happy."

Wood not only led both teams in points, he had five assists, eight rebounds, a block and three steals. Drew Burleson added 15 points and Scottie Wilson came off the bench for 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Raiders took what looked to be a commanding 43-35 lead with about 10 minutes to go, then hit a dry spell, missing seven straight shots and a free throw as Butler closed the gap and tied the score.

Butler also took three brief leads, the last 52-50 on an A.J. Graves 3-point basket with 2:57 to play.

Burleson and Wood followed with baskets and the Raiders never trailed again.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.

> Raiders battle past Butler in thrilling final minutes
> Tom Archdeacon: WSU has raucous, joyous night
> Wood easy choice for MVP
> Nutter's a new place, at least for now
> Photos from the game
> More on the Horizon League Tournament