The Wright State men’s basketball team bounced back in a big way on Saturday afternoon, as six players scored in double digits as the Raiders defeated Youngstown State 93-55 inside the Nutter Center.
Tanner Holden led the way, tying a season-best with 24 points as he collected the only double-double of the afternoon, finishing with 10 rebounds while also adding four assists and two steals. Loudon Love tallied 15 points and eight rebounds – giving him exactly 1,000 career rebounds. Already the leading rebounder in Wright State men’s basketball history, Love only sits behind former Raider women’s basketball standout Symone Simmons and her 1,050 career rebounds.
Alex Huibregtse set a new career-best with 12 points on four three-point baskets, while Grant Basile, Tim Finke and James Manns all notched 11 points in the win. Basile added six rebounds and Finke had seven boards as both shot 4-of-9 from the floor, and Manns’ season-high point total included three three-point makes and three rebounds.
The six double-digit scorers marked the second time this season that the Raiders had reached that mark after also doing so in the December 27 win over Green Bay.
After Love and Naz Boheannon traded baskets for each side in the opening minute, the Raiders rolled off a 18-2 run, paced by Trey Calvin’s seven points and six from Holden as the defense held Youngstown State to just 1-of-6 shooting during that stretch. Wright State doubled up the visitors on a Holden layup with just over seven minutes until the break and took a 49-26 advantage into the locker room with both Holden (18 points) and Finke (10 points) already in double digits.
Wright State opened the second half with 13 of the first 17 points in the first four-plus minutes, including six points from Love during the run, to cement its grip on the contest.
Wright State finished the afternoon shooting 52 percent (35-of-68) overall and was 10-of-27 (37 percent) from long distance, holding Youngstown State to just 31 percent shooting overall (18-of-59) and a 4-of-18 (22 percent) mark from three-point range. Both sides shot well from the stripe, with Wright State finishing 13-of-19 (68 percent) and the Penguins at 15-of-20 (75 percent).
The Raiders outrebounded Youngstown State 51-29 overall while pulling down 33 defensive boards as a team. The hosts finished with 40 paint points and 20 second chance points, along with 16 points off of 11 Youngstown State turnovers.
The Raiders improve to 8-3 overall (6-2 Horizon) ahead of two home contests with Cleveland State next weekend, while Youngstown State dropped to 7-5 overall and 3-5 in HL play.
COURTESY WRIGHT STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS