DDN: WSU needs 40-minute road effort
Jan 22, 2005 8:56:08 GMT -5
Post by Big D on Jan 22, 2005 8:56:08 GMT -5
WSU needs 40-minute road effort
Raiders hope to take advantage of Butler in down season
By Marc Katz
Dayton Daily News
INDIANAPOLIS | Just after their last sideline huddle and before the Wright State Raiders walked onto the floor to face the Milwaukee Panthers on Monday, WSU coach Paul Biancardi grabbed freshman guard Everett Spencer and gave him some advice.
"You're a freshman. You can't play like a freshman," Biancardi said as one of the biggest games of the Raiders' season was about to start. "You've got to play basketball."
Spencer promptly committed three turnovers in the first three minutes, four in the first seven minutes and then settled down to play more like a senior as the Raiders nearly upset the Horizon League's top team.
"I wasn't expecting it to be that tough," said Spencer, who made 6-of-8 shots, ending with 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals, a blocked shot and an assist in 31 minutes. "I had most of my turnovers in the first few minutes. I was unprepared (for Milwaukee's full-court press). I adapted."
He and the rest of the Raiders adapted so well, they went into the last five minutes of the game holding an 11-point lead. Then the Panthers hit a couple of 3-point shots, made all their free throws and the Raiders went into a free-fall, turning the ball over, missing shots they had been making and flubbing free throws.
The result was a 71-66 loss that emphasized two aspects of the team: the Raiders can play with anyone in the league, they just can't win all those games.
"We played okay in the first five minutes," Biancardi said. "We played really well the next 30. Then we played poorly in the last five. We played fantastic for 30 minutes. But you've got to play 40 minutes to beat a team like that."
Now comes Butler, another tough team to beat on the road, and this road game is in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, built in 1928.
The Butler program is down a bit after posting 22 or more victories seven consecutive years. Last season's team went 16-14, and with more than half this season's games already played, the Bulldogs will have to step it up a bit to match even that.
The Raiders have had recent success at Hinkle, winning two of the last three times they've played there, including 54-43 last season.
Now would be a good time to duplicate that achievement, as they are on a two-game losing streak, both games on the road.
"We realize what we have to do," Spencer said. "We have to win some road games."
Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.
www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0122wsubb.html
Raiders hope to take advantage of Butler in down season
By Marc Katz
Dayton Daily News
INDIANAPOLIS | Just after their last sideline huddle and before the Wright State Raiders walked onto the floor to face the Milwaukee Panthers on Monday, WSU coach Paul Biancardi grabbed freshman guard Everett Spencer and gave him some advice.
"You're a freshman. You can't play like a freshman," Biancardi said as one of the biggest games of the Raiders' season was about to start. "You've got to play basketball."
Spencer promptly committed three turnovers in the first three minutes, four in the first seven minutes and then settled down to play more like a senior as the Raiders nearly upset the Horizon League's top team.
"I wasn't expecting it to be that tough," said Spencer, who made 6-of-8 shots, ending with 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals, a blocked shot and an assist in 31 minutes. "I had most of my turnovers in the first few minutes. I was unprepared (for Milwaukee's full-court press). I adapted."
He and the rest of the Raiders adapted so well, they went into the last five minutes of the game holding an 11-point lead. Then the Panthers hit a couple of 3-point shots, made all their free throws and the Raiders went into a free-fall, turning the ball over, missing shots they had been making and flubbing free throws.
The result was a 71-66 loss that emphasized two aspects of the team: the Raiders can play with anyone in the league, they just can't win all those games.
"We played okay in the first five minutes," Biancardi said. "We played really well the next 30. Then we played poorly in the last five. We played fantastic for 30 minutes. But you've got to play 40 minutes to beat a team like that."
Now comes Butler, another tough team to beat on the road, and this road game is in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, built in 1928.
The Butler program is down a bit after posting 22 or more victories seven consecutive years. Last season's team went 16-14, and with more than half this season's games already played, the Bulldogs will have to step it up a bit to match even that.
The Raiders have had recent success at Hinkle, winning two of the last three times they've played there, including 54-43 last season.
Now would be a good time to duplicate that achievement, as they are on a two-game losing streak, both games on the road.
"We realize what we have to do," Spencer said. "We have to win some road games."
Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.
www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0122wsubb.html