Cleveland State

[raider fan]

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't think they would win this game. I am glad they proved me wrong.

I'll take any win on the road especially a conference win.

Interesting coaching move by PB? Started Graham at the point and Deshuan at the 2 guard. I'll give PB credit for shaking things up and trying something new.

Lets hope they can find some consistancy.

[raider fan]

Some observations after looking at the box scores.

- Parysh Munroe finally played some minutes and produced. 9 minutes, 5 pts, & 4 rebs. NICE JOB PARYSH! I would like to see more of Walts minutes go to Parysh.

- Drew had another steady game. To date he has probably been our most consistent players.

- Jordan only played 18 minutes due to foul trouble and still managed 10 pts & 6 rebs. He continues to be one of my favorite players.

- Dashaun had 6 assist but he also had 6 turnovers which I think is to many for a guard.

- Tyrone Scott only played 16 minutes? Interesting because he was suppose to be our 3rd/4th scoring threat. PB must not be happy with something.

- Scottie Wilson had a solid all around game. 19 minutes, 8 pts, & 5 rebs.

- I intentionally saved Will Graham for last. Not only did he start the game at the point but he played 30 minutes and scored 4 pts but what really impressed me is that he did what a point guard is suppose to do....distribute the ball. Not only did he have 5 assist but just as important he only had 1 turnover. I don't know if we can get this level of play from Will every night but he did a terrific job tonight!

[wsu97]

That sure was an ugly win. Spencer didn't play again. Even Munroe made an appearance tonight.

[wsu grad 83]

I thought the game was supposed to be on Time Warner Channel 25, didn't see it there.

Is ONN on the digital tier? Thought it used to be around channel 21, didn't see the game anyplace on basic cable, I don't have the digital tier. Luckily the games are still on the radio. I like the post game call in show on 980 WONE. The host is pretty good.

[wsu97]

2nd-half surge powers Raiders
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

CLEVELAND | After scoring the first 11 points of the second half to lead by 12, Wright State played enough defense at the end to secure a 58-55 victory over Cleveland State Thursday night to go 2-0 in the Horizon League.

"Those other nine games we played, we could be 9-0, but if you don't win this one, it hurts you," said co-captain DaShaun Wood, who led the Raiders with 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. He also had six turnovers and three steals.

The Raiders are 5-6 overall.

"We gave up 24 points on 20 turnovers," said WSU coach Paul Biancardi.

"It was a problem, but it didn't cost us tonight because we were good in other areas."

The other areas were rebounding (38-25 in WSU's favor) and half-court defense. Cleveland State shot just 37.7 percent and the Vikings' three big inside players — Patrick Tatham, J'Nathan Bullock and Ije Nwankwo —were a combined 7-for-19 (37 percent).

Still, the Vikings closed WSU's lead to two points on Raheem Moss' 3-point shot, it hit the front of the rim, bounced high and dropped in, with 41 seconds to play to make it 57-55.

The Raiders went to the line in bonus situations three times after that, making only one, while CSU tried vainly to make a shot.

Cleveland State's last chance was a 3-point cast by Victor Morris that drew nothing but air.

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.
www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0106wsubb.html

[wsu97]

WSU NOTES

Latest new lineup pays dividends, buys rest for Wood
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

CLEVELAND | Wright State basketball coach Paul Biancardi used all kinds of lineup configurations Thursday night.

He also had a new one at the start, making redshirt freshman William Graham a starter for the first time. Graham became the 10th Raider to start a game this season, and when he was in the lineup with usual point guard DaShaun Wood, Graham did most of the ball-handling.

"We wanted to take DaShaun off the ball (to give him a rest)," Graham said. "He's our No. 1 guy."

Biancardi went back to the three-guard lineup when Scottie Graham missed the previous game with the flu. He also liked the way his five starters looked during his team's best run at Akron on Saturday.

That's why Jaron Taylor joined Graham in the starting lineup, along with Wood. Wright State's two big men were Jordan Pleiman and Drew Burleson.

Taylor scored eight points and Graham four, but each missed a key free throw — as did Wood — in the final 35 seconds of play.

Taylor did make a 3-point shot with 3:57 left that gave the Raiders a 55-47 cushion.

Asked how he felt about his new starting lineup, Biancardi said, "I feel good right now." It remains to be seen what he'll do for Loyola on Saturday.

Wood, Burleson and Pleiman have started every game. The other two spots in the lineup have been filled by Tyrone Scott, Taylor, Everett Spencer, Wilson, Walter Chancellor, Reinaldo Smith and now Graham.

Taylor said he had a good idea this week he'd start, but it didn't make much difference to him.

"I don't get too up and down about starting," he said. "Everybody's got a chance to play. You never know when your number is going to be called."

• Wood's number is always called, but he needs teammates.

"He's still looking for five guys who can give their all," Wood said of Biancardi. "We're growing as a team."

• One guy Biancardi didn't expect to play much was Wilson, who played 19 minutes while scoring eight points and grabbing five rebounds.

"Scottie Wilson gave us a lift," Biancardi said. "He practiced only a little this week."

• The Raiders, who had won three straight before losing 72-44 at Akron on Saturday, won on the road for the first time in six games. Asked if this game would "right the ship," Biancardi answered, "I think we're game to game. I don't think we'll have a game that's going to right the ship."

• CSU fell to 4-8 and 0-3 in league play, and coach Mike Garland did not hide his displeasure. "I'm at a loss for words," Garland said. "We certainly didn't play like we practiced. In the past, I've taken the hits. It was my fault. Tonight, it's on the players. We played some uninspired basketball. Not everyone, but still uninspired."

• WSU assistant coach Brian Donoher was in Cleveland, but did not attend the game. He was suffering from the early stages of flu, rented a car and drove home.
www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0106wsunotes.html

[Big D]

wsu said:

I thought the game was supposed to be on Time Warner Channel 25, didn't see it there.

Is ONN on the digital tier? Thought it used to be around channel 21, didn't see the game anyplace on basic cable, I don't have the digital tier. Luckily the games are still on the radio. I like the post game call in show on 980 WONE. The host is pretty good.

The game was only on ONN and it is on the digital tier. I believe it is channel 119. You could have watched the game on the internet rather than listen to it on the radio.

[Smiley]

Where on the internet Big D?

[keithfromxenia]

smiley, i accessed it last night by going to "horizonleague.org. then i clicked on a banner that said something about video, then on the team name then clicked on "watch". i think that about did it. one thing, you have to have a high speed connection to get the video on your computer. the picture was not as clear as tv but it was quite good. it will be really nice to watch games in chicago and wisconsin. one other thought, what the heck has happened to spencer. he was supposed to be a great recruit but he has disappeared. i wonder if his game, the athletic, high flyin up tempo game is just not what we are going to do, so he has no chance to excel. i wish we could see more of what he can do. GO RAIDERS!!!!!!!!!1

[wsu97]

RAIDER CONNECTION

Wilson rebounds from illness to contribute to win
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

CLEVELAND — Shortly after the Northeastern game on Dec. 27, WSU sophomore forward Scottie Wilson began to feel sick, and he didn't feel well enough to get out of bed again until Sunday.

He didn't practice again until Tuesday.

"I'm fine now," Wilson said. "It was pretty bad. I was throwing up, I had diarrhea and a terrible headache. I never had anything like that. It was real bad."

Wilson's daughter had the flu, as did his girlfriend.

"We all had it," Wilson said.

Coach Paul Biancardi didn't think Wilson was strong enough to play much Thursday night, but he was a big contributor with eight points, five rebounds and a steal in 19 minutes of play.

• The 2-0 Horizon League start for the Raiders is the first time they've done that in two years ago, Biancardi's first season. Wright State has never started a league season 3-0.

• Co-captain DaShaun Wood on being on the road: "It gives the home team more confidence," Wood said. "The visiting team has to play that much harder."

• After the Akron game, a 72-44 loss, the Raiders bussed back to Dayton (it was New Year's Eve, remember), and the team held a meeting for about 45 minutes at the Nutter Center.

"We talked over lots of issues," Wood said. "We talked about how we could get better."

• Co-captain Drew Burleson put in perspective the six losses suffered so far, all of them out of league play.

"To be honest, we're not going for an at-large (NCAA tournament) bid," Burleson said. "Really, the conference is what you play for."

Burleson also said he was a Michigan fan, having been born there. He lived in Michigan for six years. It's where his father, an Ohio State undergrad, went to dental school. The family then moved to Wheelersburg.

• Speaking of favorite other teams, coach Paul Biancardi was asked on his radio show Tuesday a possible score for Wednesday night's Rose Bowl between USC and Texas.

"His wife was there, and she's a Texas grad," broadcaster Chris Collins said. "He predicted 37-31 Texas."

Texas won, 41-38.

• Rick Boyages, a former assistant coach with Paul Biancardi and for Jim O'Brien at both Boston College and Ohio State, recently accepted an assistant commissioner's job with the Mid-American Conference.

In that capacity, he showed up at the Akron vs. Wright State game on Saturday. He said he did not speak with Biancardi.

"We didn't socialize very much when we were coaching together," Boyages explained.

Boyages was not implicated in the NCAA investigation that cost O'Brien his OSU job and has Biancardi still under NCAA investigation.

Boyages worked at OSU from 1998-2000, when he left to become head coach at William & Mary. He was 35-52 in three seasons there, and was asked to return to OSU, which he did in April, 2003. On June 8, 2004, he was asked to become interim head coach at OSU when O'Brien was fired.

After Thad Matta was hired as OSU's head coach, Boyages went looking for a job.
www.daytondailynews.com/news/content/sports/wsu/daily/0106raiderconnection.html?cxntnid=rc-010606

[Big D]

Smiley said:

Where on the internet Big D?

Here is the link Keith was talking about. It has every game for the rest of the season in the HL. All you need to do is click on the "watch" icon next to the game you want to see.

horizonleague.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/hori-m-baskbl-sched.html

[wsu97]

Wednesday's rematch is a big game for Wright State. It is our last home game of the year and the last game we are favored to win. I hope we can bring in another big crowd for senior night and send off Taylor in style.

[wsu97]

Pomeroy has WSU as 8 point favorites in the rematch.

kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Wright%20St.&t=p

[wsu97]

Taylor steps up for Raiders
JUCO transfer tied for second on team in assists
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | As he usually does when he talks about himself, senior Wright State guard Jaron Taylor shrugs his shoulders and sighs.

"I've been able to help," Taylor said before his last home game, tonight vs. Cleveland State at the Nutter Center. "I've had a good time here. I've started, and I've finished, too."

Saturday, in WSU's pulsating 86-83 double-overtime victory over Butler, Taylor did both. In his two years at WSU, he has done nearly equal parts of each.

A junior college transfer from Baltimore's Catonsville Community College, Taylor started the first eight games for the Raiders last season, then became a 6-foot-1 sixth man who played tough defense and scored when needed.

Taylor began this season as a top reserve, but will start his 18th straight game tonight as the Raiders end their home season with a Horizon League game against a team that has lost six straight.

Taylor is averaging 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds and is tied for second on the team with 48 assists.

"He came into this program when the program was down," WSU coach Paul Biancardi said. "He took a chance coming here. He's been a fine player. His teammates love him. He's going to graduate on time.

"He can shoot. He's steady with the ball in his hand. He's emerging as a defensive player."

The Raiders finish with three road games — at Bowling Green Saturday and in Chicago for Loyola and UIC next week — followed by the league tournament, most likely in Milwaukee.

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0215wsubb.html

[wsu97]

WSU NOTES

WSU looks to lock up third
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | Wright State can just about assure itself of at least a third-place finish in the Horizon League with a victory tonight over struggling Cleveland State.

With three league games to go, the Raiders have lost five times and only two teams behind them — Loyola and Detroit — have lost just seven. Butler, just a game ahead in the loss column and in second place, has a game Thursday vs. Loyola and next week hosts Youngstown State before ending its season at dangerous Detroit on Feb. 25.

• Cleveland State, which has lost six straight, has used three different starting lineups over the last four games. The Vikings have lost each of the last two games — against Butler and Milwaukee — by 29 points. On Jan. 5, WSU beat the Vikings 58-55 in Cleveland.

• So far, two games stand out for the Raiders this season. Their 59-54 victory over Milwaukee and the 86-83 double-overtime victory over Butler.

"The (Butler) game was more exciting," senior guard Jaron Taylor said. "It was definitely more exciting for the fans. The Milwaukee game was more to prove ourselves."

• Milwaukee's Adrian Tigert was named Horizon League player of the week for averaging 16 points, 4.5 assists and shooting 84 percent (16-of-19) from the field in games against Cleveland State and Youngstown State, the teams with the worst records in the league.

Wright State's DaShaun Wood, meanwhile, averaged 30.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3 steals against Detroit and Butler. Wood was 17-of-34 from the field and 25-of-30 from the line.

• For the second straight season, the Raiders have only one senior to honor prior to the game. Zach Williams, who played only one season here after transferring from Ohio State, was last season's senior. Taylor is this season's.

Sometimes, players transfer in, use up their eligibility and are out. Williams graduated. Taylor will graduate in the spring, in organizational leadership. He wants to be a coach some day.

"He'll be successful," WSU coach Paul Biancardi said. "He's a hard worker and he works together with other people."

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0215wsunotes.html