Wright State basketball: Raiders beat NKU to advance to Horizon League title game

Cooper scored 23 of his 25 points in second half
The Wright State University men's basketball team hosted Robert Morris University as well as their Senior Day recognition ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. The Colonials beat the Raiders 81-68. JEREMY MILLER / CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Credit: JEREMY MILLER

Credit: JEREMY MILLER

The Wright State University men's basketball team hosted Robert Morris University as well as their Senior Day recognition ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. The Colonials beat the Raiders 81-68. JEREMY MILLER / CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

INDIANAPOLIS — Michael Cooper came off the bench to score 23 of his 25 points in the second half, propeling top seed Wright State to a 103-90 victory over Northern Kentucky on Monday night in a Horizon League Tournament semifinal.

Wright State (22-11) will play in Tuesday’s championship game against the winner of the semifinal nightcap between No. 2 seed Robert Morris and third-seeded Detroit Mercy.

Cooper shot 8 of 13 from the field, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the free-throw line for the Raiders. TJ Burch added 22 points and Kellen Pickett scored 14 on 6-for-8 shooting.

Kael Robinson led the seventh-seeded Norse (20-14) with 24 points. LJ Wells totaled 23 points and six rebounds. Donovan Oday contributed 15 points and three steals.

Wright State carried a slim 46-44 lead into halftime behind 14 points from Burch. The Raiders used an 11-0 run to turn a five-point deficit in the second half into a lead.

Next game

Who: Detroit Mercy vs. Wright State

What: Horizon League tournament final

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Corteva Coliseum, Indianapolis

Streaming: ESPN

Radio: 1410-AM, 101.5-FM

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