Wright State Hoops Prepare for Northern Kentucky in Weekend Action

The Wright State men’s and women’s basketball teams are gearing up for battle for weekend rematches with their conference archrivals, the Northern Kentucky Norse. The men’s game will be at the Nutter Center on Friday, February 21 at 7ET; while the women’s game will be at Truist Arena on Saturday, February 22 at 1ET. Both games can be streamed live on ESPN Plus.

WSU-NKU series history: All-time between these two schools, it will be the 50th men’s matchup and the 34th women’s matchup. Wright State leads both of the series, with the men’s side at 32-17 and the women’s side at 18-16.

Men’s last time out: Last Sunday afternoon at the Kress Center, the men’s basketball team (13-15, 7-10 Horizon) suffered an astonishing 89-78 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Phoenix (3-24, 1-15 Horizon) in one of the Horizon League’s most shocking and surprising upsets of the season. The Phoenix snapped a 21-game losing streak, which was the longest in the country before it finally came to an end.

Wright State was without starting point guard Keaton Norris, who missed the game with a flu virus. As a result of the loss, they moved down to eighth place in the Horizon League standings. WSU finished the day shooting a poor 39.3 percent overall from the field (22-of-56), a terrible 26.3 percent from three-point range (5-of-19), and a solid 79.2 percent on their free throws (19-of-24) all while outrebounding Green Bay 37-31. Solomon Callaghan put up a new career-high with 21 points while going 3-of-7 from the three-point land. Brandon Noel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots, but he turned the ball over a game-high five times. Nine points for Alex Huibregtse, six points and nine rebounds for Michael Imariagbe, and 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Jack Doumbia. Andrew Welage, who has not played since February 8 against IU Indy, got extended playing time with Norris out and scored just three points while playing a season-high 30 minutes off the bench.

Green Bay made 44.2 percent of their overall shots (23-of-52), 43.8 percent of their threes (7-of-16), and 76.5 percent of their free throws (26-of-34). Ben Tweedy, a freshman from Australia, led all scorers with a career-high 27 points while going 15-for-16 at the foul line. 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists for Marcus Hall; 14 points for Preston Ruedinger; and Ryan Wade scored 11 points in 30 minutes off the bench while going a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

Women’s last time out: On Thursday night, the Wright State women (8-19, 6-11 Horizon) earned their second straight win after a 60-53 route of Oakland (8-18, 6-11 Horizon) at the Nutter Center in their annual Pink Game, giving the Golden Grizzlies their fifth straight loss. With IU Indy losing 77-70 at Milwaukee on that same evening, Wright State has now moved into a seventh-place tie with Oakland in the Horizon League standings.

The two teams had several identical numbers: 40.4 percent shooting from the field (21-of-52), 17 personal fouls, and 11 offensive rebounds. However, Kari Hoffman’s squad won the total rebounding battle 35-31.

Wright State made only 20 percent of their threes (3-of-15), but they shot an incredible 93.6 percent on free throws (15-of-16). Amaya Staton finished with her Horizon League-leading 11th double-double of the season and 18th of her NCAA career: 15 points, 12 rebounds, a pair of blocks, and a career-high four steals. 15 points for Lauren Scott, followed by 11 points and six rebounds for Makiya Miller. Claire Henson scored nine points (3-of-9 FG) and pulled down five rebounds, but turned the ball over six times.

Deanna Richard’s Oakland squad was just as terrible from beyond the arc at 22.2 percent (2-of-9) and came into the night as the Horizon League’s worst free throw shooting team at 68.95%. That game, they shot 53.6 percent at the foul line (9-of-16). Maddy Skorupski led the team with 14 points, but she shot 5-of-16 from the field and also had six turnovers like Henson. 10 points from Macy Smith, nine points from Madison Royal-Davis, and eight points each from Dani Grim and Leah Bullard. Skorupski, Grim, and Royal-Davis all had three steals apiece.

Men’s last NKU matchup: On January 18 in the men’s game, the Raiders left Highland Heights, KY in victorious fashion 78-70. Both teams shot 68.8 percent from the foul line with WSU at 11-of-16 and NKU at 22-for-32, but the Raiders outrebounded the Norse 41-29.

Norris had the best scoring performance of his career with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting to go with three rebounds, five assists, and no turnovers. Doumbia had 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench, 12 points and six rebounds for Noel, 11 points for Huibregtse, and eight points and eight rebounds off the bench from Imariagbe.

Darrin Horn’s Northern Kentucky men were led by Josh Dilling and Trey Robinson with 17 points each, followed by 11 points and eight rebounds from Keeyan Itejere, and 10 points from Sam Vinson. Dilling also shot 4-of-6 from the beyond the arc.

Women’s last NKU matchup: Two weeks later on February 1, the women took center stage at the Nutter Center as WSU protected home court with a 75-67 victory in their annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day game and never trailed throughout the day.

Wright State shot 45 percent overall the from the field (27-of-60) and an abysmal 18.8 percent from downtown (3-of-16), but they shot a good 85.7 percent on free throws (18-of-21). Staton led the squad with 16 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks, and a steal. Ironically, she already had 12 points, 10 boards and a pair of blocked shots before halftime. Miller contributed with 11 points, two steals, a blocked shot, and she also made nine of her 10 free throw attempts. The Raider bench scored 30 of the team’s 75 points: 13 from Macie Taylor, 11 from Rylee Sagester, and eight from Chloe Chard Peloquin.

Jeff Hans’ Northern Kentucky women shot 42.2 percent overall (27-of-64), 28.6 percent from three-point land (6-of-21), and 70 percent from the charity stripe (7-of-10). Macey Blevins led all scorers with 24 points plus six rebounds, followed by 16 points from Mya Meredith.

Wright State starting lineup
• Brandon Noel, F (6-8/240, 5th-year R-Jr.) – 18.9 ppg, 8 rpg, spg, bpg, 35.5% 3-PT, 76.9% FT; leads the Horizon League in effective field goal percentage (58%), made field goals (197), and minutes played (950)
• Michael Imariagbe, F (6-7/220, Sr., Houston Christian transfer) – 5.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg in 24 games (11 starts)
• Alex Huibregtse, G (6-3/205, R-Sr.) – 13.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 37.3% 3-PT (3rd in Horizon), 77.5% FT, played and started 27 games
• Solomon Callaghan, G (6-2/195, R-Fr.) – 6.4 ppg, 38.6% 3-PT in 27 games (six starts)
• Keaton Norris, G (6-0/175, R-Jr.) – 7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 43.2% 3-PT, played and started 24 games

Wright State men’s rotation players
• Jack Doumbia, F (6-6/195, R-Sr., Norfolk State transfer) – 12.6 ppg, 6 rpg, spg, 0.8 bpg; started 11 games
• Logan Woods, G (6-5/180, R-Soph) – 7.2 ppg, 48% 3-PT in 27 games; started the first 25 contests
• Andrea Holden, W (6-6/215, Fr.) – 4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, spg, 11.8 mpg in 13 games (five starts)
• Andrew Welage, G (6-6/205, Gr.) – 3.6 ppg, 33.8% 3-PT, 13.5 mpg in 26 games
• Drey Carter, F (6-8/210, R-Soph.) – 2.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 8.8 mpg in 22 games (one start)

Rest of the Wright State men’s roster: https://wsuraiders.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Northern Kentucky starting lineup (from their last five games)
• Keeyan Itejere, F (6-9/220, R-Jr.) – 7.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.7 bpg, started all but one game; started his NCAA career at Marquette where they made the 2nd Round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament
• Trey Robinson, G/F (6-7/220 Jr.) – 15.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.6 spg, 29.6% 3-PT, started all but one game
• Sam Vinson, G (6-5/205, Sr.) – 11.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4 apg, 1.8 spg, played and started 26 games
• Josh Dilling, G (6-4/205, Gr.) – 12 ppg, 40.1% 3-PT, 76.5% FT
• Dan Gherezgher Jr., G (6-4/180, Jr., NCAA Division II Michigan Tech transfer) – 5.4 ppg, 17.4 mpg in 26 games (eight starts)

Northern Kentucky rotation players
• Randall Pettus II, G (6-3/185, Soph.) – 8.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 spg, started 14 games
• LJ Wells, F (6-8/205, Jr.) – 6.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.9 spg, 20.9 mpg in 26 games (16 starts)
• Hubertas Pivorius, G (6-2/170, Sr.) – 3 ppg, 13.2 mpg in 26 games (four starts)
• Jeramiah Israel, G (6-3/190, Soph.) – 2.1 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 6.4 mpg in 14 games
• Paulis Rapolis, C (7-0/240, Fr.) – ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.4 bpg, 5.4 mpg in 22 games
• Cesar Tchilombo, F (6-9/220, R-Soph.) – 0.3 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 4.6 mpg in 16 games

Rest of the Northern Kentucky men’s roster: https://nkunorse.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Wright State women’s starting lineup
• Amaya Staton, F (6-1, Gr., Merrimack transfer) – 11.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 0.6 spg, 55.4% FG, 76.7% FT, 22.5 mpg
• Claire Henson, G (5-10, Jr.) – 10.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.2 spg, 36.8% 3-PT
• Makiya Miller, G (5-7, Jr.) – 8.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.3 spg, 30.5% 3-PT
• Lauren Scott, G (5-7, Jr.) – 8 ppg, 25.8 mpg in 23 games (19 starts)
• Olivia Brown, G (5-7, R-Soph. Akron transfer) – 3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg; started 16 games, including the last 10

Wright State rotation players
• Macie Taylor, G (5-7, R-Soph.) – 7.6 ppg, spg, 80.8% FT; started the first 17 games
• Abbie Riddle, G (5-10, R-Fr., Bowling Green transfer) – 3.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 18.1 mpg in 19 games (two starts)
• Rylee Sagester, G (5-7, R-Fr.) – 5.2 ppg, 34.7% 3-PT, 90.9% FT (20-of-22), 14.9 mpg
• Chloe Chard Peloquin, C (6-3, Jr., Canisius transfer) – 4.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.6 spg, 0.5 bpg, 14.3 mpg in 24 games
• Ellie Magestro-Kennedy, G (5-7, R-Fr.) – 4.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 10.9 mpg in 25 games
• Florrie Cotterill, F (6-2, Fr.) – 1.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 4.6 mpg in 17 games; has not played the last two games (coach’s decision)

Rest of the Wright State women’s roster: https://wsuraiders.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster

Northern Kentucky starting lineup (from their last eight games)
• Abby Wolterman, F (6-0, Jr., IUPUI transfer) – 5.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 20.4 mpg
• Halle Idowu, G/F (5-11, Gr.) – 12.5nppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.7 spg, 0.5 bpg, played and started 26 games
• Mya Meredith, G (5-11, Sr.) – 10.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.6 spg, 74% FT in 25 games (19 starts); started her career at Western Kentucky where she was the 2021-22 Conference USA Rookie of the Year
• Macey Blevins, G (5-10, Sr.) – 12.6 ppg, 1.7 spg, 33.7% 3-PT in 22 games (21 starts); started her career at Western Kentucky
• Jaci Jones, G (5-5, Gr., IUPUI transfer) – 5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 91.3% FT (21-of-23)

Northern Kentucky rotation players
• Kamora Morgan, G (6-0, Fr.) – 8.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 72% FT, started eight games
• Kalissa Lacy, G (5-9, Sr.) – 6.2 ppg, 14.4 mpg; started her career at Eastern Kentucky
• Anna Hamilton, G (5-5, Fr.) – 3.8 ppg, 3 rpg, 18.2 mpg, 88 5% FT (23-of-26) in 25 games (six starts)
• Noelle Hubert, G (5-11, Soph.) – 2.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 11.6 mpg
• Gabby Razzano, C (6-2, Soph.) – 2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 9.1 mpg in 22 games (one start)

Rest of the Northern Kentucky women’s roster: https://nkunorse.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster