By Bert Leeson

2 1 2024

BOX SCORE

https://wsuraiders.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=9637

DAYTON – The Wright State men’s basketball team was a in a back-and-forth battle all night, but the Raiders came up on the losing end of an 88-77 contest against Youngstown State on Thursday night inside the Nutter Center.

Wright State (12-11, 7-5 Horizon) now prepares for a Sunday trip to take on Northern Kentucky in one of only three remaining regular season road games for the Raiders. Sunday’s tipoff is set for a 2 p.m. start. NKU has lost its last two contests but will not have played in a week since a loss at Youngstown State back on January 28.

On Thursday night, four Raiders finished in double figures, led by Trey Calvin’s game-high 22 points, but Youngstown State (17-6, 9-3 Horizon) always seemed to have an answer. Wright State led by one point at the halftime break and trimmed a second half margin to three on a Brandon Noel dunk with 13-plus minutes to play, but Youngstown State tallied the next seven points to gain just enough separation down the stretch.

Calvin finished the night shooting 7-of-16 from the floor on the way to his 22 points, connecting on a trio of three-pointers while adding four assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals. Noel was 6-of-6 at the free throw line as he finished with 16 points, adding three rebounds and three assists. AJ Braun notched 16 points of his own on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting line as he grabbed seven rebounds. Tanner Holden was the final Raider in double digits, finishing with 13 points as he added six rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocks.

Wright State shot 50 percent from the floor (27-of-54) and made 6-of-16 (38 percent) three-point attempts, with five of the made triples coming in the first half. The Raiders were 17-of-22 (77 percent) at the free throw line. Youngstown State ended the night shooting 48 percent (31-of-64) and was 11-of-28 (39 percent) from three-point range, adding a 15-of-18 mark (83 percent) at the free throw line.

DJ Burns and Bryson Langdon each had 17 points to lead five Youngstown State players in double digits scoring in the win.

COURTESY WRIGHT STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS