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Raiders have 10-point lead slip away, fall in overtime
Sunday, November 23, 2008
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — In less than four minutes, Wright State's 10-point lead evaporated as fast as Big Three auto stocks, and the only bailout seems to be more practice and a better try in the next game.
Central Michigan scored the final 10 points in regulation Saturday, Nov. 22, to tie the game, then overcame two five-point WSU leads in overtime to beat the Raiders 70-68 on Robbie Harman's 3-point basket with about 1.4 seconds to play.
It left the Raiders 0-2 with Miami visiting Monday.
Not quite a hero
Junior college transfer Cory Cooperwood probably would have been the star, but considered himself the goat when he missed the front end of a bonus free throw situation with 14 seconds to play and WSU leading 59-56.
Harman scored on a 3-pointer to tie the game 59-59 with 7.1 seconds left.
"I should have made the free throws," said an emotional Cooperwood, close to tears. "If I make them, it doesn't go to overtime and we'd be out of here."
About a half-minute before Cooperwood's free-throw miss, N'Gai Evans went to the line in the bonus and also missed. Cooperwood led the Raiders with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Hard play, tough result
"I thought both teams played extremely hard, especially in the first half," WSU coach Brad Brownell said. "Kids on both sides tried to defend. They had us down most of the first half and we were kind of hanging around, hanging around and we made a nice run and played very good defense and took that 10-point lead. We didn't understand well enough, if we get a stop or two here, they might be done."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Chicago Challenge
Invitational
Who: Dayton (2-0) vs. Bethune-Cookman (1-1)
When: 2 p.m. today
Where: UD Arena
Radio: WHIO-AM (1290), WHIO-FM (95.7)
Next game
Who: Miami (1-2) at Wright State (0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Radio: WONE-AM (980); WIZE-AM (1340)
