That makes them 0-2 in white-knuckle games this season, having lost to Kent State in OT.
Centerville grad Rich Rolf, a 91% free-throw shooter, made two foul shots with nine seconds left for the game-winning points.
On the Raiders’ final possession, Michael Cooper missed a corner 3.
There were 17 lead changes along with seven ties — the last when Wright State overcame a five-point deficit with 1:30 to go. TJ Burch made a layup, and Cooper knocked down a 3 with 55 seconds left.
“First of all, I love my freakin’ team. I love my players. I’m so encouraged, yet heartbroken, because of all the dumb stuff we did — starting with me. I got a technical foul,” coach Clint Sargent said on his post-game radio show.
“I know we’ll get over the hump.”
YSU’s Cris Carroll, who had a game-high 19 points, missed a 3 with 28 seconds to go.
Andrea Holden, making his first start of the year, was fouled and missed the front end of a 1-and-1. But Wright State grabbed the rebound, and Holden was fouled again.
Getting two attempts in the double-bonus, he went 1 of 2 for a 68-67 lead with 24 seconds left. But it didn’t hold up.
The Raiders (4-5, 0-1) shot 52.1% from the field, and they managed to get to foul line often (a point of emphasis this year). But they couldn’t capitalize, going 15 of 28 to the Penguins’ 12 of 20.
YSU (5-4, 1-0) had a 39-23 rebounding edge, grabbing 14 on the offensive end.
“We pride ourselves on rebounding, and we have not done it. We started our best rebounding group, and it doesn’t show up. But I know we’re going to figure it out,” Sargent said.
“There are no moral victories. We will absolutely break over this loss in a healthy way, and we will let it grow us.”
The Raiders made 11 of their first 18 shots, finishing 11 of 22 in the opening half while falling behind, 36-29.
The Penguins were hot, too. They were 15 of 30 in the first half, including 6 of 12 on 3’s. They finished 25 of 56 (44.6%) and 7 of 20 on 3’s.
Rolf, a 6-7 junior who transferred from Charlotte, scored eight of his 10 points in the first half, going 2 of 4 on 3’s overall
NEXT GAME
Who: Green Bay at Wright State
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 1410-AM, 101.5-FM
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