WSU builds confidence from tough schedule


Next Game

Who: UW-Milwaukee (6-7) at Wright State (7-6)

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Radio: WONE-AM (980)

TV: WWRD tape delay (9 p.m. Time Warner Cable channel 997)

FAIRBORN — Vaughn Duggins stood outside the Wright State dressing room inside Charlotte’s Halton Arena, talking about the 57-53 loss that slipped away last Wednesday.

The Wright State senior and his teammates were about to take seven days off before playing Horizon League opponent Milwaukee on Thursday. With just one non-conference game remaining — a BracketBusters event matchup in February — Duggins was asked about how the 13 games set up WSU for league play.

“It’s the hardest we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Duggins said of the schedule.

The Raiders (7-6) hope it has prepared them well. Following four straight 20-win seasons and with a first-year head coach in Billy Donlon, WSU secured participation in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, a road game against Indiana and contracts with Cincinnati, Charlotte and Air Force.

The result was a schedule that ranks No. 121 nationally, according to the Sagarin ratings.

“Sure, we’d all like to win a few more of the games, but the totality of the schedule is very challenging,” Donlon said. “And to be fair to our players, except for the Indiana game, they’ve played very well and been competitive every time out.”

The Raiders have played their league opener, losing on the road against Detroit on Dec. 4. Overall, their 13 opponents have a combined 81-76 record. Wright State’s most significant win came against Oakland, which won 27 games last season and beat Tennessee after losing to WSU.

“Those are teams that are gonna get us prepared for our league,” senior guard N’Gai Evans said. “We have confidence we can make a run in our league.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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