On Wednesday, Jan. 21, Wright State University (WSU) played Cleveland State University (CSU) in a tightly contested game of men’s basketball at The Nutter Center.
The WSU men’s basketball team is now in the second half of its schedule for the season, with only Horizon League games remaining. WSU was first place in the Horizon League, coming off a win against Youngstown State, but struggled to keep a lead against tenth-place CSU.
WSU entered the game as the projected favorite, but CSU pulled off an upset, capitalizing on multiple scoring runs highlighted by consistent free throws and strong three-point shooting.
The teams traded the lead throughout the game, but CSU secured the advantage, finishing with an 85–79 win capped by a made free throw on the final play.
Solomon Callaghan, a sophomore guard for WSU men’s basketball, highlighted his feelings about the loss.
“The game situation caught up to us, and we started questioning where we were. We had to refocus, but unfortunately, it was too late," Callaghan said.
CSU was able to finish the first half of the game with the leading score 40-33, setting the tone for CSU's desired second half.
CSU had an early scoring advantage from the tipoff, but WSU moved fast to maintain its competitiveness. Throughout the game, the teams exchanged baskets, three-pointers and free-throw attempts.
Freshman guard for WSU men’s basketball, Michael Cooper shared the importance of what needs to happen to get back on a winning streak.
“I feel like we got comfortable with trading buckets and we have to dig in and get stops at the end of the day, because our offense is not going to win us games, and we have to bring our defense every game no matter who we are playing,” Cooper said.
This game broke WSU’s seven-game win streak. The Raiders are still in first place in the Horizon League but are now tied, sharing this spot with Oakland University. This season, WSU has already played Oakland twice, being able to pull off a win in both of the games.
Returning for his second year as head coach, Clint Sargent reflected on the game and its unexpected outcome.
“Honestly, I thought it was very similar to our first half against Youngstown. You start winning and assume it will continue, but that’s just not how it works," Sargent said.
WSU's next home game at The Nutter Center will be on Feb. 7 against Purdue Fort Wayne. This will also be the WSU Homecoming game.
