Wright State Basketball: What to know about the Raiders for the Big Dance
By Bryan Mauro
Wright State basketball surprisingly became the automatic bid from the Horizon League. What should you know about the Raiders and how far can they go?
On Thursday morning, the staff and players for the Wright State basketball team are going to be fulfilling a dream. They will participate in the NCAA tournament. The task in front of them will be daunting as they will be facing a very good and superior Tennessee Volunteers squad. The Raiders are still going to be playing in the NCAA tournament, though.
When the season began, the expectations regarding the Raiders’ season were not very high. They were not picked in the preseason to finish in the top half of the Horizon League, much less make the NCAA tournament. The ride this team has been on this year is one for the history books. This year’s version of the Raiders has made history in a program that does not have much of a storied history.
When the season started, it was Northern Kentucky, Oakland, and everyone else in the Horizon League. Coach Scott Nagy and staff got their team ready to play, and the Raiders earned the No. 2 seed in the Horizon League tournament.
Most pundits figured the Horizon league tournament was an open and shut case with Northern Kentucky winning the tournament and earning the automatic bid into the NCAA tourney. However, Wright State went on to play their best basketball of the season in the tournament, and with a few upsets along the way to the other higher seeded teams, they were able to earn the berth into the NCAA tourney.
Wright State will play the third NCAA game in their history. Sandwiched between the two previous NCAA tournament appearances was a 2-1 appearance in the CBI and a 1-1 appearance in the CIT. The Raiders, however, are more than just happy to be here.
Defense and Loudon Love
Scott Nagy and the Raiders are a scrappy bunch who win with defense. They are not known to light up the scoreboard, but they are great at keeping the other teams off of it. They only give up on average of about 65 points per game. It all starts on the defensive end of the floor for Wright State with future Horizon League star Loudon Love. Love can clog the paint and protect the rim. He plays with an attitude and makes up for a lot of his deficiencies with his hard play.
Love is not just a defensive stalwart. He is also a huge part of what the Raiders do on the offensive end. Love is an old-school big man who makes a living in the paint. Love is responsible for 13 points per game and none of them have come from beyond the arc. Love is a big part of this team, but he is not the guy they rely on to all of their scoring. That responsibility goes to Grant Benzinger.
Grant Benzinger
Benzinger is a great shooter and allows the Raiders to run a high-low game. With Benzinger and Love playing at their best, they can keep the Raiders in any game. Wright State has really good role players who all help pitch into what Wright State is trying to do on the floor. Love and Benzinger make the Raiders a formidable opponent for anyone they play and these two players are the reason the Raiders are where they are.
The Raiders have their eyes on the Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday afternoon in the NCAA tournament. This is going to be a tall task for the Raiders as Tennessee has superior talent and has had a magical year in their own right. The NCAA tournament is ripe with upsets every year and Wright State is a team capable of pulling off the feat. It will take a herculean effort from Love and Benzinger will need to knock down some threes.
The anatomy of the upset is going to start on the defensive end for the Raiders. It is their bread and butter. The next step is going to be limiting the bigger and more athletic Volunteers to one possession every time. If the Raiders are able to keep the Volunteers off of the offensive glass, they will have a chance. The next level of the upset could be the hardest part. The Raiders need to score consistent points against one of the better teams in college basketball this year.
If the Raiders can do all of these things for the duration of the game, they may be able to pull the upset. At the very least they will put a scare into the Volunteers. The Raiders are a scrappy team who is going to give you their best shot every night. Tennessee is going to play well, but so are the Raiders. They have not shrunk in the moment this year yet.
Next: Most-likely first-round upsets by seed
Win or lose, the Raiders should be proud of the way they have represented the university this year. No one knows if the slipper will fit for Wright State, but they are going to be ready to play and ready for a fight. They are going to make their fans, alumni, and Ohio proud.