DDN: Raiders try for sweep of Cleveland St.
Jan 29, 2005 8:19:48 GMT -5
Post by Big D on Jan 29, 2005 8:19:48 GMT -5
Raiders try for sweep of Cleveland St.
WSU goes on road to seek third straight win against Vikings
By Marc Katz
Dayton Daily News
CLEVELAND | Wednesday was not only a victory night for the Wright State Raiders, it might have been a statement night.
"I thought it was an outstanding effort by our guys," WSU coach Paul Biancardi said after the Raiders defeated Illinois-Chicago 72-61. "When you look at the numbers and the effort, it was a total team effort. Every single person who played for us contributed in some way or another, even if it was (just) energy."
Sophomore point guard DaShaun Wood and freshman forward Jordan Pleiman, of course, stood out, with 28 and 19 points.
The Raiders will have to put together another team game tonight when they play at Horizon League rival Cleveland State. At stake is WSU's third-place standing, which translates into a first-round bye in the league tournament.
Although the Raiders have already defeated CSU, 73-57, on Jan. 6, this is a different Vikings team than the one that showed up at the Nutter Center three weeks ago.
Cleveland State coach Mike Garland has used nine different starting lineups in 16 games, but the same lineup in the last three, including Thursday's 77-57 whipping of Butler. If the Vikings continue tonight with that lineup, only forward Omari Westley and guard Mike Redell will be
familiar to the Raiders as starters at the newly named downtown Wolstein Center.
As important as the game is to the Raiders for tournament position, the same could be said for CSU, currently standing in seventh place in the league. A move up one spot would earn the Vikings a first-round Horizon home game.
While Wright State has been more consistent with its starting lineup — three players have started every game — the bench has been particularly helpful.
"Last year, we had two seniors (Vernard Hollins and Seth Doliboa) and we tried to run everything through them," Wood said. "We can go to others."
And not always for scoring. While usually high-scoring Zakee Boyd was reduced to a 2-point night against UIC, he helped reduce Illinois-Chicago star Cedric Banks to no points in the first half and only 12 for the game.
When senior forward Zach Williams had to sit out much of the first half against UIC with two fouls, Pleiman came in to produce his best game.
"Jordan came in and he rebounded, he checked their big guys, he did everything," Wood said. "Every time the ball went up, it seemed like he came down with it."
It wasn't only Pleiman. Another freshman forward, Parysh Munroe, played only three minutes, yet produced two rebounds.
Still, this is the third time this season the Raiders are trying to extend a two-game winning streak. They have yet to hit three.
"We're trying to get back to being one of the top three (league) teams," Wood said. "We don't want to keep going up and down. We just want to stay consistent and play with energy and leave everything out there."
Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157
www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0129wsubb.html
WSU goes on road to seek third straight win against Vikings
By Marc Katz
Dayton Daily News
CLEVELAND | Wednesday was not only a victory night for the Wright State Raiders, it might have been a statement night.
"I thought it was an outstanding effort by our guys," WSU coach Paul Biancardi said after the Raiders defeated Illinois-Chicago 72-61. "When you look at the numbers and the effort, it was a total team effort. Every single person who played for us contributed in some way or another, even if it was (just) energy."
Sophomore point guard DaShaun Wood and freshman forward Jordan Pleiman, of course, stood out, with 28 and 19 points.
The Raiders will have to put together another team game tonight when they play at Horizon League rival Cleveland State. At stake is WSU's third-place standing, which translates into a first-round bye in the league tournament.
Although the Raiders have already defeated CSU, 73-57, on Jan. 6, this is a different Vikings team than the one that showed up at the Nutter Center three weeks ago.
Cleveland State coach Mike Garland has used nine different starting lineups in 16 games, but the same lineup in the last three, including Thursday's 77-57 whipping of Butler. If the Vikings continue tonight with that lineup, only forward Omari Westley and guard Mike Redell will be
familiar to the Raiders as starters at the newly named downtown Wolstein Center.
As important as the game is to the Raiders for tournament position, the same could be said for CSU, currently standing in seventh place in the league. A move up one spot would earn the Vikings a first-round Horizon home game.
While Wright State has been more consistent with its starting lineup — three players have started every game — the bench has been particularly helpful.
"Last year, we had two seniors (Vernard Hollins and Seth Doliboa) and we tried to run everything through them," Wood said. "We can go to others."
And not always for scoring. While usually high-scoring Zakee Boyd was reduced to a 2-point night against UIC, he helped reduce Illinois-Chicago star Cedric Banks to no points in the first half and only 12 for the game.
When senior forward Zach Williams had to sit out much of the first half against UIC with two fouls, Pleiman came in to produce his best game.
"Jordan came in and he rebounded, he checked their big guys, he did everything," Wood said. "Every time the ball went up, it seemed like he came down with it."
It wasn't only Pleiman. Another freshman forward, Parysh Munroe, played only three minutes, yet produced two rebounds.
Still, this is the third time this season the Raiders are trying to extend a two-game winning streak. They have yet to hit three.
"We're trying to get back to being one of the top three (league) teams," Wood said. "We don't want to keep going up and down. We just want to stay consistent and play with energy and leave everything out there."
Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157
www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0129wsubb.html