By Annie Walker
1 12 2024
YOUNGSTOWN – The Wright State men’s basketball team will be back in front of a national television audience for the second straight week on Friday night as the Raiders take on Youngstown State on ESPN2, with tipoff set for 9 p.m. Fans can follow the action several ways – via live stats, by watching on ESPN2 and ESPN+ or by tuning in to the new home for Raider Basketball 101.5 HANK FM and WING 1410 AM. Justin Kinner will have all the play-by-play on the radio feed.
Fans can tune into 101.5 HANK FM live over the air in the Dayton metro area, as well stream the station live nationwide through a variety of free streaming apps. The iHeartRadio app, the TuneIn Radio app and the Audacy app are all FREE and each carry 101.5 HANK FM. Just search “101.5 HANK FM” on any of the three apps for Raider Basketball.
FRIDAY: WATCH ON ESPN+ | FOLLOW LIVE STATS | LISTEN ON 101.5 HANK FM | GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT
Wright State came out on fire Wednesday night, connecting on its first nine baskets of the game on the way to a 101-76 victory at Robert Morris. The Raiders raced out to a 23-6 lead behind that 9-of-9 shooting start while holding RMU to a 2-of-7 start with three turnovers and never looked back. Tanner Holden led four Raiders in double figures with a season-high 29 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor to go along with a 10-of-11 mark from the free throw stripe. Holden filled his stat line with six rebounds, five assists, five steals and a block in just 29 minutes of action. AJ Braun and Brandon Noel each finished with 17 points, with Noel notching his fifth double-double of the year with a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with his scoring production. Trey Calvin was 5-of-9 from the floor with four three-pointers on the way to his 14 points.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING. . .
Wright State currently leads the nation with its 54.1 percent overall season shooting percentage. The Raiders’ Effective FG Percentage (59.5 percent) is No. 2 and the Scoring Offense (85.8) is No. 12. Individually, Trey Calvin is No. 7 nationally with 119 Field Goals made, while No. 34 nationally with 19.5 points per game scoring average. He is No. 17 with his 91.3 percent Free Throw Percentage (42-of-46). Calvin’s 312 total points are No. 22, while Tanner Holden (303 total points) is No. 27.
PLAYIN’ PENGUINS
Wright State and Youngstown State will meet for the 68th time on Friday night, with the Raiders holding a 50-17 lead in the all-time series. Youngstown State won the first-ever meeting on Jan. 29, 1977 (73-71) but the Raiders bounced back with a home win Jan. 28, 1978 (60-59) in the first of five straight wins early in the series.
YOUNGSTOWN TIDBITS
-Youngstown State is 12-5 overall with a 4-2 mark in the Horizon League and a 9-1 overall home record. The Penguins are 2-2 since Dec. 31 when Horizon League play restarted, with a home loss to Oakland and a road loss at NKU, along with home wins over IUPUI and Purdue Fort Wayne.
-Youngstown State is 12-5 for the second straight season, the fourth time since 1981-82 that YSU has started a season with at least 12 wins after 17 games.
PLAYING FROM AHEAD
Wright State never trailed in each of its last three contests (Jan. 4 vs. Cleveland State, Jan. 6 at Purdue Fort Wayne, Jan. 10 at RMU), only being tied twice early against Cleveland State and never being tied or trailing after the opening basket against Purdue Fort Wayne or RMU. Since being tied with 7:47 remaining in the first half against Cleveland State, the Raiders have played over 112 straight minutes with the lead.
THREE-POINTERS
Wright State’s 12 three-point baskets at Robert Morris on Jan. 10 were its most made triples this season and just the second time the Raiders have connected on double-digit triples. The 12 threes were the most in a single game for the Raiders since hitting 13 three-pointers at IUPUI on Jan. 23, 2021.
CENTURY MARK
Wright State’s 101-76 win at Robert Morris on Jan. 10 marked the 11th time the Raiders have reached the century mark under head coach Scott Nagy. The Raiders have now reached the 100-point mark six times over the last two seasons (four times vs. D-I opponents – IUPUI (2x), Purdue Fort Wayne, RMU).
HORIZON LEAGUE HOLDEN
Tanner Holden leads the Horizon League with his 22.5 points/game average in HL-only contests entering Friday night, while his 69.6 percent overall shooting percentage is second only to teammate AJ Braun (who has 30 fewer FG attempts). Holden’s 6.7 rebounds/game in League action is No. 9 as well.
COURTESY WRIGHT STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
