As you know, the two states of Indiana and Ohio aren’t too far apart from each other. Indiana is called the Hoosier State, while Ohio is known as the Buckeye State. When you think of those two states squaring off in college, a lot of us would easily think of Indiana and Ohio State. Here in the Horizon League, we have five schools proudly representing these two states.
Speaking of Indiana, the Wright State Raiders men’s and women’s basketball teams here in the Buckeye State. will both resume Horizon League action on Wednesday, January 12 against opponents from the Hoosier State. The women ’s team will go on the road to play the IU-Indy Jaguars at 6:30CT/5:30CT at The Jungle, while the men will return home to face the Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons at 7ET/6CT at the Nutter Center as part of Tie-Dye Night. Both games can be seen on ESPN Plus.
Women’s last time out: Last Sunday afternoon in the T1D Awareness Game, Kari Hoffman and her WSU women picked up their second straight win with a 77-62 win over the Youngstown State Penguins – who suffered the fourth straight loss. The Raiders hit 44.4 percent of their shots from the field (24-of-44), 50 percent on three-pointers (7-of-14), and 81.5 percent on free throws (22-of-27). Defensively, they held the Penguins to 32.8 percent shooting from the field (25-of-55) and 26.1 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-23). Wright State also outrebounded in-state rival YSU 41-33, while both squads turned the ball over 12 times each.
Amaya Staton recorded her a near triple-double with 14 points (8-of-11 FG), 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots – which tied a program record originally set by Christi Hill in 1982.
Hoffman’s crew (4-14, 2-6 Horizon) also had 10 points each from Makiya Miller and Claire Henson, nine points from Lauren Scott, a career-high of 11 points off the bench from Abbie Riddle, and seven points off the bench from Macie Taylor.
Olivia Brown did everything for the team like usual with eight points, three rebounds, five assists and four starts in her seventh start this season.
It was also the first time that Raiders guard Ellie Magestro-Kennedy has ever played against her older cousin, YSU’s Malia Magestro – who led the game in scoring with 16 points.
Men’s last time out: The road trip for the men’s team (9-9, 3-4 Horizon) turned out to be a close one as they did everything but win in their tough 75-72 defeat against the Robert Morris Colonials. They went to battle without second-leading scorer Alex Huibregtse (HUE-bricks), who didn’t make the trip because of a back injury in last Thursday’s win against Oakland.
With 1.1 left in the game, Andrew Welage tossed a football pass through the length of the court to Brandon Noel – who turned around and hit a three-pointer at the buzzer that looked like would’ve sent it into overtime. However, the replay showed that the ball was still in Noel’s hands before the final horn.
Noel led the Raiders with 16 points (6-of-14 FG), nine rebounds, and four assists. Keaton Norris had 10 points and four assists of his own, but he shot 4-of-10 from the field. Michael Imariagbe finished with seven points and six rebounds in just 13 minutes of action.
Doumbia – who started in place of Huibregtse – filled up the statsheet with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. But he also shot 4-of-15 from the field and committed six turnovers.
The biggest boost for the green and gold came from Welage, the graduate student from Greensburg, Indiana. Although he came in shooting 23.1 percent from downtown, the 6-6 guard stepped up when WSU needed it the most with a season-high 14 points off the bench while hitting 4-of-6 shots from downtown. It was Welage’s second double-digit scoring game of the season.
The Wright State men shot 41.9 percent overall from the field (26-of-62), 46.7 percent on 3-pointers (7-of-15) and 61.9 percent at the charity stripe (13-of-21).
As for RMU, they shot 45.5 percent overall (19-of-54), 31.6 percent from downtown (6-of-19) and 70.4 percent on free throws (19-of-27).
Wright State outrebounded Robert Morris 37-36, but RMU had eight more points in the paint than WSU (34-26). There were also a total of 11 ties and 12 lead changes, while both teams each had 24 bench points and 23 personal fouls.
One wild note about Sunday’s action is that both of the men’s and women’s contests were tied at 34 at halftime.
About the women’s opponent: The Jaguars (4-13, 3-5 Horizon) were picked to finish 10th in the Horizon League preseason polls, but their are currently standing in 7th, a half-game infront of Youngstown State and one full game ahead of Wright State. Although IU-Indy has lost 13 of their first 17 games, three of their wins have come against conference opponents. One main reason for their losing record is because of injuries to several players which includes the team’s leading scorer from last season in Katie Davidson who has missed 12 contests this season alone, and Butler transfer Kendall Wingler who has missed the last 10.
IU-Indy head coach profile: Kate Bruce is in her third season as the woman in charge of the Jaguars. Before coming to Indianapolis, she was the head coach of Division II Walsh University and became the winningest coach in school history with a 134-43 record in that timespan along with four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 28-5 mark and the school’s first-ever Sweet 16 appearance in the 2021-22 campaign. Bruce played two seasons of college ball at Division II Florida Gulf Coast, where she earned Division II All-America honors and led Karl Smesko’s squad to a NCAA Division II National Runner-up finish in 2007. After a year overseas, Bruce returned to FGCU to start her coaching career as a grad assistant in 2008 and earned an assistant spot in 2009 under Smesko. She was later an assistant for head coach Bob Boldon at both Youngstown State (2010-13) and Ohio University (2013-16). As an assistant altogether, Bruce made four WNIT appearances: 2009 and 2010 with Florida Gulf Coast, 2013 with Youngstown State, and 2016 with Ohio University. She also helped lead the Bobcats squad to the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
The Wright State women swept IU-Indy last season and currently lead the all-time series 15-8.
Wright State women’s starting lineup
• Amaya Staton, F (6-1, Gr., Merrimack transfer) – 10.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg (leads Horizon), 51.5% FG
• Claire Henson, G (5-10, Jr.) – 10.3 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 34.2% 3-PT
• Makiya Miller, G (5-7, Jr.) – 7.3 ppg, spg;
• Macie Taylor, G (5-7, R-Soph.) – 8.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.2 spg
• Lauren Scott, G (5-7, Jr.) – 7.6 ppg in 14 games (12 starts)
Wright State women’s rotation players
• Rylee Sagester, G (5-7, R-Fr.) – 6.5 ppg, 39% 3-PT, 93.8% FT (15-of-16), 17 mpg; the reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Week
• Olivia Brown, G (5-7, R-Soph. Akron transfer) – 3.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.3 spg; started seven games including Sunday’s win over Youngstown State
• Chloe Chard Peloquin, C (6-3, Jr., Canisius transfer) – 5.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.7 bpg in 15 games
• Ellie Magestro-Kennedy, G (5-7, R-Fr.) – 5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg in 17 games
• Abbie Riddle, G (5-10, R-Fr., Bowling Green transfer) – 3.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 17.1 mpg in 11 games
• Florrie Cotterill, F (6-2, Fr.) – 1.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg in 12 games
Rest of the Wright State women’s roster: https://wsuraiders.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster
IU-Indy starting lineup
• Faith Stinson, F (6-2, Jr.) – 9.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.4 bpg (2nd in Horizon); played her freshman season at Akron
• Katie Davidson, G/F (5-10, Sr.) – 14.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 81.8% FT, 50% 3-PT, played and started five games (missed 12 due to injury); started her NCAA career at Miami University
• Nevaeh Foster, G (5-8, Soph., Western Kentucky transfer) – 9.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 37.8% 3-PT
• Logan Lewis, G (5-7, Sr.) – 3.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg
• Azyah Newson-Cole, G (5-7, R-Fr.) – 6.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg in 16 games (started the last 10); named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week on December 30
IU-Indy rotation players
• Shania Nichols-Vannett, G (5-7, Soph., JUCO transfer) – 10.4 ppg, 40.7% 3-PT, 85.4% FT in 16 games (started the first seven); scored a career-high 37 points against Southern Illinois on November 16
• Jada Patton, F (5-11, Jr., NCAA Division II U-Indy transfer) – 8.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg in 13 games (one start)
• Alexa Hocevar, F (6-1, Soph.) – 7.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 spg, started nine of 16 games; older sister Athena redshirted at Youngstown State and transferred to play one season at Wright State
• Camron Blank, G (5-9, Sr.) – 2.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg
IU-Indy injuries
• Kendall Winger, G (5-10, Gr., Butler transfer) – 4.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 83.3% FT in seven games (two games); has not seen action since November 27; played her freshman year at Eastern Kentucky
Rest of IU-Indy’s roster: https://iuindyjags.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster
About the men’s opponent: The Mastodons (13-6, 6-2 Horizon) were picked to finish in 2nd place behind Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Horizon League preseason polls and are currently tied for 2nd in the standings with Youngstown State. As a unit, Purdue-Fort Wayne averages only nine turnovers a game, which is tied with Texas and Marquette for second-best in the country behind South Alabama at 8.9. Jalen Jackson is currently the Horizon League’s top scorer at 19.1 points per game and right ahead of Noel at 18.6. Rasheed Bello, who is tied for 8th in scoring at 14.4 points per game, is the reigning Horizon League Player of the Week and currently ranks tied for 21st in the country with a 90.7 percent free throw percentage.
The Wright State men lead the all-time series over Purdue-Fort Wayne 12-6, with both teams winning on the road against each other last season.
Purdue-Fort Wayne head coach profile: Jon Coffman is currently in his 11th season overall with the ‘Dons and is the winningest coach in school history (194). He was their assistant for three years under Tony Jasick (2011-14) until the latter left for Jacksonville. Coffman was named named the 2015-16 Summit League Coach of the Year and the 2021-22 Horizon League Coach of the Year, with both of his teams clinching regular season conference titles those the exact same years he got his individual awards. He has also led the Mastodons program to six postseason appearances as a head coach: four CollegeInsider.com Tournaments – including the 2024 CIT Runner-Up, the 2016 National Invitational Tournament (NIT), and the 2022 College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
Coffman was also an assistant coach for Emory & Henry (1998-2000), College of Charleston (2000-01), Stetson (2001-09), and Colgate (2009-11).
As a player in the 90s, Coffman played at NCAA Division III Washington and Lee, where was a starter his final three seasons and was a 1995-96 captain as a senior. He currently holds the school records for three-pointers made in a game (7) and free throws both made and attempted in a game (18-of-22).
Wright State men’s starting lineup
• Brandon Noel, F (6-8/240, 5th-year R-Jr.) – 18.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.1 bpg, 37.3% 3-PT
• Michael Imariagbe (eh-mar-ee-bay), F (6-7/220, Sr., Houston Christian transfer) – 5.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg; started 11 games
• Jack Doumbia, F (6-6/195, R-Sr., Norfolk State transfer) – 12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.9 bpg; started nine games
• Logan Woods (6-5/185, R-Soph.) – 7.7 ppg, 46.3% 3-PT FG
• Keaton Norris, G (6-0/175, R-Jr.) – 6.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.5 spg, played and started 15 games; 29th in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.09)
Wright State men’s rotation players
• Solomon Callaghan, G (6-2/195, R-Fr.) – 5.5 ppg, 36.6% 3-PT in 17 games (one start)
• Andrew Welage, G (6-6/205, Gr.) – 3.1 ppg, 28.9% 3-PT, 12.4 mpg
• Drey Carter, F (6-8/210, R-Soph.) – 2.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 10 mpg in 17 games (one start)
• Andrea Holden, W (6-6/215, Fr.) – 8.7 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.3 spg in three games
Wright State injuries
• Alex Huibregtse, G (6-3/205, R-Sr.) – 14.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.2 apg, 39.3% 3-PT FG, 81.8% FT, leads the Horizon League in effective field goal percentage (60.2%), played and started 17 games; status for Wednesday is uncertain because of his back injury
Rest of the Wright State men’s roster: https://wsuraiders.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Purdue Fort-Wayne starting lineup
• Deangelo Elisee, C (6-9/260, R-Sr.) – 2.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.6 bpg; started the last five games
• Maximus Nelson, F (6-8/215, Jr.) – 8.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 42% 3-PT
• Jalen Jackson, G (6-2/200, Jr.) – 19.1 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.9 spg; played his freshman season at Illinois-Chicago
• Rasheed Bello, G (6-0/185, Sr.) – 14.4 ppg, 4 apg, 1.3 spg, 40.4% 3-PT, 90.9% FT; started out at Division II Wisconsin-Parkside where he was the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s 2021-22 Freshman of the Year and the 2022-23 GLIAC Player of the Year as a sophomore
• Quinton Morton-Robertson, G (5-8/155, Gr.) – 8.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 35.9% 3-PT, 81.8% FT; played and started in 18 games; played his first two NCAA seasons at Radford
Purdue-Fort Wayne rotation players
• Corey Hadnot II, G (6-3/175, Soph.) – 10.5 ppg, 44.4% 3-PT; started one game
• Chandler Cuthrell, F (6-8/220, Sr., Texas-San Antonio transfer) – 6.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg
• Trey Lewis, G/F (6-6, 200, R-Soph., Loyola-Chicago transfer) – 4.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 9.4 mpg
• Chris Morgan, G (6-2/190, R-Soph.) – 2.4 ppg, 0.9 apg, 8.3 mpg in 13 games
Purdue-Fort Wayne injuries
• Eric Mulder, F (6-8/225, Jr.) – 9.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, stl, played and started in 14 games; suffered an ankle/foot injury on December 22 at Michigan and has missed the last five games
Rest of Purdue-Fort Wayne’s roster: https://gomastodons.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Wright State game notes
– The men’s team currently ranks 26th in the country in team field goal percentage (48.9%) and tied for 37th in team three-point percentage with Michigan, Ohio State, and Northern Iowa (37.8%).
– The women’s team are currently tied with Mercyhurst and Delaware State for the nation’s 46th-worst rebound differential (-4.6), tied with Oral Roberts for the nation’s 32nd-worst opponent points per game (73), and have the nation’s 10th-worst opponent free-throw percentage (76.9%).
