This weekend, the Wright State Raiders men’s and women’s basketball teams will hit the road for business trips, with both games being televised on ESPN+.
On Saturday, the men’s team and first-year head coach Clint Sargent will make a short one-hour and 15-minute drive to Millett Hall in Oxford, OH to square off against the Redhawks of Miami University for a 1:00pm start. A rivalry that started in 1972, it will be the 40th all-time meeting between these two Ohio schools. Miami University leads the all-time series 21-18, but Wright State has won the last 5 meetings. In their first two games of the season, the Raiders got blown out on Monday night 103-62 by 23rd-ranked Kentucky in Rupp Arena before sliding by NCCAA foe Ohio Christian 89-60 on Wednesday at the Nutter Center.
On Sunday, fourth-year head coach Kari Hoffman and her Raider women continue their short road trip to the Hoosier State of Indiana for a matchup with the Evansville Purple Aces scheduled for a 12pm ET/11am CT tip off at Meeks Family Fieldhouse. It’s only the 3rd meeting ever between them with both squads beating each other once and the first time in almost 16 years that they will meet for a game. The Wright State women started off the new season losing at Wisconsin 95-68 at the Kohl Center on Tuesday, which was also a contest when they trailed by only six in the second quarter.
Wright State men’s starting lineups; individual averages through the first two games of the 2024-25 season
• Brandon Noel (noll), F (6-8/240, R-Jr. – preseason Horizon League Player of the Year); 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks
• Michael Imariagbe (eh-mar-ee-bay), F (6-7/220, Sr. – transfer from Houston Christian); 3.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.5 steals
• Alex Huibregtse (HUE-bricks), G (6-3/205, R-Sr.); 19 points, 3.5 assists – led all scorers with 22 points (8/11 FG) last Wednesday night vs. Ohio Christian
• Logan Woods (6-5/185, R-Soph.); 8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks – career-high 12 points last Wednesday night against Ohio Christian
• Keaton Norris, G (6-0/175, R-Jr.); 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 steals – went 0-for-9 on shot attempts last Monday at Kentucky
Wright State men’s rotation players
• Solomon Callaghan, G (6-2/195, R-Fr.); scored 15 points off the bench in his first NCAA game at Kentucky, but sat out Wednesday’s home opener due to an ankle injury. However, Callaghan is scheduled to play at Miami University.
• Andrew Welage, G (6-6/205, Gr.)
• Drey Carter, F (6-8/210, R-Soph.)
• Jack Doumbia, W (6-6/210, R-Sr. – transfer from Norfolk State)
• Ayden Davis, C (6-10/250, Fr.)
Rest of the Wright State men’s roster: https://wsuraiders.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
About the Redhawks: Miami University and 3rd-year head coach Travis Steele started this new year off in victorious fashion by beating Appalachian State 77-63 on the road last Monday night. Last year, Steele and his bunch finished 6th in the MAC a 15-17 record and an even 9-9 against conference foes. This season, they were picked to finish 6th again in the preseason polls. They lost their top three scorers in sixth man Anderson Mirambeaux (12.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Darweshi Hunter (11.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 83.1% ft) and Bryce Bultman (7.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) to graduation. They also lost key subs Ryan Mabrey (6.8 ppg), Bradley Dean (7 ppg, 85.7% ft), and big man Jaquel Morris (5.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.1 bpg) to the transfer portal. The only key returners for Steele are sophomore point guard Mekhi Cooper, along with fellow sophomores Evan Ipsaro and Reece Potter.
Miami University starting lineup; individual stats from Monday’s win at Appalachian State
• Antwone Woolfolk, F/C (6-9/250, Jr. – transfer from Rutgers); 10 points (5/6 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 steals
• Kam Craft, W (6-6/205, R-Soph. – transfer from Xavier); 16 points (4/7 3-PT FG)
• Eian Elmer (EE-uhn), W (6-6/205, Soph.); 9 points, 6 rebounds
• Peter Suder, G (6-5/215, Jr. – transfer from Bellarmine where he made the 2022-23 Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team); 17 points (6/14 FG), 6 assists, 2 steals
• Mekhi Cooper, G (6-1/165, Soph.); 6 points, 4 assists, 4 steals
Miami University key reserves
• Evan Ipsaro, G (6-0/200, Soph.); scored 11 points off the bench last Monday at Appalachian State
• Luke Skaljac, G (6-2/180, Fr.); recorded 6 points and a pair of blocks in his first NCAA game
• Reece Potter, C (7-1/215, Soph.); One of the tallest players in the country; sat out Monday’s game (6 ppg, 3 rpg in 26 games last season (11 starts))
Rest of the Redhawks roster: https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
About the Purple Aces: Head coach Robyn Scherr has gone 23-69 (10-48 in the division) in her first three seasons at the helm, but it’s not scheduled to look any better for her and her team as they got picked to finish 12th and last place in the Missouri Valley. Also, two of her top three scorers – Nevaeh Thomas (15.7 ppg) and Kynidi Mason Striverson (11.5 ppg) – both transferred out of the program, while top rebounder Barbora Tomancova (9.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg) graduated. Last Tuesday in their first game of the season, they got torched by IU-Indy 101-76. Evansville’s top returning scorer is 6-1 sophomore Maggie Hartwig. Other key returners include seniors Júlia Palomo and Alana Striverson, along with incoming freshmen Camryn Runner and Kylee Norkus.
Wright State women’s starting lineup; individuals stats from Tuesday’s loss at Wisconsin
• Amaya Staton, F (6-1, Gr.); 8 points (3/5 FG), 5 rebounds
• Claire Henson, G (5-10, Jr.); career-high 12 points (4/13 FG), 4 rebounds
• Makiya Miller, G (5-7, Jr.);career-high 22 points (7/12 FT)
• Macie Taylor, G (5-7, R-Soph.); 4 points, 5 rebounds
• Lauren Scott, G (5-7, Jr.); 9 points (3/9 FG)
Wright State women’s rotation players
• Chloe Chard Peloquin, C (6-3, Jr.); chipped in 5 points and 7 rebounds off the bench in her Raider debut
• Lexi Bugajski (boo-GYE-skee), F (6-0, Soph.)
• Rylee Sagester, G (5-7, R-Fr.)
• Ellie Magestro-Kennedy, G (5-7, R-Fr.)
• Olivia Brown, G (5-7, R-Soph.); transfer from Akron
Rest of the Wright State women’s roster: https://wsuraiders.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster
Evansville starting lineup; individual stats from Tuesday’s loss at IU-Indy
• Maggie Hartwig, F (6-1, Soph.); 21 points (8/15 FG), 9 rebounds
• Tamesha “Mae” Dozier, F (6-1, Jr. – JUCO transfer); 5 points, 7 rebounds
• Kylee Norkus, G (5-10, Fr); 11 points (4/7 FG)
• Camryn Runner, G (5-8, Fr.); 18 points (8/10 FT)
• Júlia Palomo, G (5-7, Sr.); 15 points (5/10 FG)
Evansville key reserves
• Alana Striverson, G (5-10, Sr.); transfer from Lindenwood, averaged 6.6 points and 1.5 assists a season ago
• Avery Kelley, G (5-6, Fr.)
• Anica Skrivan, F (6-1, Sr. – JUCO transfer)
• Kaiden Kreinhagen (5-8, Fr.)
• Tené Smith (5-6, Soph.); World Champion Silver Medalist in the Jr. NBA Global Tournament as a member of Team Canada
Rest of Evansville’s roster: https://gopurpleaces.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster
