Under a year removed from Wright State’s second round exit to Robert Morris in the 2025 Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championships, the Raiders have shifted the tide from 15-18 overall and a 8-12 conference record to comfortably sitting at the No. 1 spot in the Horizon League standings.
Second year head coach Clint Sargent currently has his squad at 15-9 overall and 10-3 in league games. Despite a 72-66 road loss to Robert Morris on Feb. 4, WSU is one game ahead of second place Oakland, who sits at 10-4 within the standings.
Four players are averaging in double figures for WSU, with Michael Cooper leading the way as a freshman with 14 points a game. Although he has yet to start in a contest since Oakland on Dec. 29, 2025, Cooper has contributed solid play coming off the bench.
Another freshman whose play as of late has contributed to the team’s success is Kellen Pickett. Inserted into the role as a starting forward against Eastern Michigan, Pickett has made a strong claim for this year’s Horizon League Freshman of the Year honor. He’s had eight games where he’s scored in double figures and is two games removed from a career high 21 points against Green Bay.
Michael Imariagbe is not only second on the team in points with 11.7, but he leads in rebounds with 6.2 a game.
The second-year Raider in Imariagbe is coming off a 16 point and 13 rebound outing against the Colonials, which marked his third double-double of the season. He also added three steals, a block and an assist to his successful night. Imariagbe also scored the most points since his 24 point performance against Northern Kentucky on Jan. 24.
Imariagbe considers WSU the right fit for his style of play, which brings a sense of passion and family to the program.
“This is my home. I’ve grown so much since I’ve been here. When I was on my visit, I just knew this was the place to be,” Imariagbe said. “Great people, great head coach [and] want the right things for us. So, I knew this [was] the spot.”
TJ Burch is the team’s defensive mastermind, with 67 total steals, 84 defensive rebounds and seven blocks. Although heavily gifted defensively, Burch is the Raiders’ third leading scorer averaging 11.3 points per game.
The Ball State transfer has also recorded 12 straight games where he’s scored in double figures. This also includes his 14 point contribution against the Colonials.
To round out Wright State’s key contributors is Solomon Callaghan, the team’s three-point specialist. Reminiscent of former Oakland standout Jack Gohlke, Callaghan has made 50 shots from beyond the arc on 130 attempts — averaging out to 38.5%.
The former redshirt freshman has transcended his talents in his sophomore year of eligibility. Despite only averaging around six points last season, he’s slotted himself into a starting role with three games of 20 points or more attached to his resume this year.
As the regular season winds down, the Raiders’ defense has proven itself as one of the Horizon League’s best in recent memory — currently holding teams to under 73 ppg. Its perimeter defense has denied teams from deep for a roughly combined 32% from downtown.
For Wright state fans, the current iteration of the team is reminiscent of the 2020-21 squad that finished with the top offense and defense in the HL. Although the team fell short in the first round against Milwaukee in 2021, the defense held opponents under 68 points per game.
On the heels of a successful defense, the Raiders’ offensive capability, according to statistical numbers, is in the middle of the pack. Ranked at No. 6 in the Horizon League, its production is limited — averaging only 79.9 points per game. Despite the ranking, the Raiders are accurate in the field with a league high 48.5% in the paint.
All successful teams have an Achilles’ heel. For Wright State, its accuracy at the free-throw line has been subpar at 72.9% — Youngstown State is ahead by 0.7% at No. 5.
With seven games remaining on the schedule for Wright State, the path to the No. 1 seed is still within sight. Purdue Fort Wayne, Detroit Mercy and Cleveland State make up three straight contests in February, with the next two games being held in the comfort of the Nutter Center.
The Raiders return home to take on third place foe Purdue Fort Wayne in hopes of kick starting a win streak as they head into the final six games of the regular season.
Tipoff against the Mastodons is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 7 in Dayton, Ohio. The game can be heard on 101.5 FM The Fridge and WING 1410 AM as well as streaming live on ESPN+.
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