Every game is an opportunity to silence the critics. As the wins mount for the 2012-13 Raiders, those critics are becoming believers.
Picked to finish near the bottom or last in the Horizon League preseason polls, Wright State (13-4, 4-0) instead sits first in the conference as March Madness looms. For a roster that faced so much turnover in the off-season, it's a credit to head coach Billy Donlon and his staff for maximizing the team's talent.
When guard Julius Mays-- last year's leading scorer (14.1 ppg) and the 2011-12 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year-- left to finish his career for John Calipari at Kentucky, WSU's prospects of winning the conference seemed to dwindle. Mays was often the first, second and third scoring option on a team which struggled to put points on the board. Without his presence, it appeared the Raider offense would take another step back.
“He’s not irreplaceable,” Donlon said at the time. “Nobody’s irreplaceable. He was a good player on a team that [didn’t have a good season]. I think a lot of attention is from the fact that he’s going to Kentucky more than anything else. I wish Julius well; he’s graduated from Wright State. Wright State has done right by him, and our program will continue to move forward.”
The team lost only one player to graduation-- forward Johann Mpondo (4.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg)-- but soon other players joined him on the way out. During the summer, a slew of players transferred, including forward Armond Battle (6.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and guards Vance Hall (4.5 ppg) and John Balwigaire (4.3 ppg). Each player averaged over 18 minutes per game and were crucial parts of the rotation.
Director Christopher Nolan didn't write the Riddler into his Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises", but he could have cast the role with a WSU team surrounded by so many question marks.
Only six main players from Donlon's 2011-12 squad returned. Forwards Cole Darling and A.J. Pacher, along with guard Matt Vest, came back and have become the elder statesmen on the team in their junior seasons.
Darling is the team's second leading scorer (10.7 ppg) and leads the team in rebounding (5 rpg). After battling shoulder injuries last season, Darling is healthy and an improving presence in the low post. With a 29 point game against Morehead State on Dec. 1 and a 25 point performance against Hofstra two weeks later, the 6'8" forward from Holt, MI has provided efficiency and intensity, and is WSU's best big man.
While Darling's frontcourt mate Pacher (3.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg) has seen his production and minutes drop, Vest has become a key player in Donlon's rotation in his third season. While Vest's numbers-- 6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 2.6 apg-- won't blow any one away, the Dayton native is third on the team in minutes per game (26.4) and provides the hustle and heart WSU needs.
But a trio of sophomores have also been instrumental in helping the Raiders jump out to their hot start.
In the backcourt, guards Reggie Arceneaux and Kendall Griffin have seen their production soar. Arceneaux, the lightning-quick 5'9" guard from North Carolina, has used his blazing speed to race past defenses and leads the team in scoring (10.8 ppg). In a comeback win against Loyola on Jan. 11, Arceneaux scored a career high 29 points.
Griffin (5.8 ppg) may not put points up like Arceneaux, but he keeps them off the board with his stingy defense. It's a recipe that makes it tough for Donlon to take Griffin (27.1 mpg) off the court.
The third member of the sophomore squad-- forward Tavares Sledge-- has taken minutes away from Pacher with his improved play (4.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg) in the post. Though he served a two-game suspension early in the season, Sledge has toed the line since and become an integral member of Donlon's rotation.
While those six players returned and saw their roles transform, it's been the production from the new guys that has allowed WSU to become a lethal force in the Horizon League.
When the team began training for the season, Donlon had to acclimate five freshmen and two JUCO transfers into the program. Prognosticators and fans weren't sure what the Raiders had in these new players, but it soon became evident that WSU had found a new core to replace all those departing players.
The two JUCO transfers-- guard Miles Dixon and forward Jerran Young-- have infused life into a listless offense. Dixon is third on the team in scoring with 9.2 ppg, while Young is fourth with 6.8 ppg. Both are key contributors off the bench for Donlon.
From the incoming freshman class, the Raiders have found two main players-- forward JT Yoho and guard Joe Bramanti. Yoho (6.4 ppg) tore through the gates at the beginning of the season with a number of double-digit scoring games. He's seen his production and minutes decline since then, but Donlon still relies on Yoho every night.
Bramanti (0.9 ppg) won't wow anyone with his statistics, but games aren't won on paper--they're won in the trenches. For 10 minutes a night, Bramanti gives Arceneaux a breather and does the dirty work to help WSU win. His grittiness on defense is a key attribute for an efficient second unit.
These players helped WSU race to a 3-0 start and earn wins over NCAA Tournament regulars like Morehead State, Hofstra and Miami (OH). But it was a loss that may have kick started the Raider's recent string of success.
On Dec. 22, WSU traveled to Cincinnati to play the Bearcats. A top 25 program loaded with scorers like Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright and JaQuon Parker, it seemed like UC would have their way with WSU for the second straight year. Instead, the Raiders put the Bearcats on upset alert with ferocious first half play en route to a 28-22 halftime lead. WSU played well in the second half, but UC came all the way back and pulled out a 68-58 win. Still, Donlon and the Raiders earned confidence for hanging with the talented Bearcats for 40 minutes.
Since that game, WSU has reeled off five straight wins, including Friday's comeback 62-61 win at Loyola (IL). A dozen games are left on the schedule before the Horizon League tournament starts, and there are sure to be more intense nights like Friday in the race for the conference crown.
With a balanced roster of veterans and newcomers, WSU has transported itself from the preseason cellar to the top of the league. Only time will tell if the Raiders can keep up their torrid start, but with Donlon's boys reaching new heights every day, anything is possible.
