Raiders Fall to RedHawks in Close Decision

Men's Basketball Scoreboard (Dec. 15)
Miami (Ohio) 59, Wright State 56

Miami (Ohio) 59, Wright State 56

The Wright State men's basketball team led by one with 1:10 remaining, only to see Miami score five of the game's final six points to pull out a 59-56 decision Sunday afternoon at Millett Hall.

A JT Yoho three put the Raiders up 11-6 at the 14:37 mark of the first half, but Miami answered with five straight over the next two minutes.  Jerran Young gave WSU the lead back as two threes from the senior forward helped make it 17-13, only to see the RedHawks again respond with a run, this time 11-2, to go in front 24-19 with 6:42 left in the period.

The margin was still five at the break at 34-29 as Miami's Geovonie McKnight hit two foul shots in the final seconds.

Miami hit 12 of 21 shots in the first half for 57 percent and was 10 of 14 at the foul line compared to 39 percent shooting, including five of 13 three-pointers, and a perfect six for six at the line for Wright State.

Neither team had more than a four-point lead in the second half as the Raiders went in front 55-54 on an AJ Pacher layup with 1:10 to play.  The RedHawks tied by hitting one of two free throws with 49 seconds to go and regained the advantage at 57-55 as Will Felder made two at the 33-second mark.

Pacher hit one of two foul shots with 20 seconds remaining to trim the deficit to one and WSU had a chance to tie it as Pacher grabbed the rebound and was fouled, but he missed the front end of the one-and-one and Miami went up 58-56 as Quinten Rollins connected on one of two from the stripe with 16 seconds left.

Following a missed shot by the Raiders on their next possession, Rollins again hit one of two with seven second to go for the final margin.

Wright State shot 52 percent the final 20 minutes to end up at 46 percent for the game and was seven of nine at the foul line while the RedHawks shot 49 percent overall and were 20 of 31 at the stripe.

Pacher led the Raiders with 15 points while Young had 10 and Yoho added seven points and six rebounds off the bench.

McKnight paced Miami (2-5) with 16 points while Reggie Johnson had 13 off the bench and Felder chipped in 12 along with nine rebounds.