With Wright State down 70-66 in the final minutes of Friday’s contest, the Raiders gutted out a 7-0 run to close out the game to defeat Belmont 73-70 to open the season 1-0.
While WSU had a few big plays offensively to help finish the rally, the Raiders had two huge defensive plays from freshman Grant Benzinger to win the game. First, Benzinger came up with a huge steal that led to a Reggie Arcneueax free throw, which gave WSU a 71-70 lead. On the ensuing possession, Benzinger took a charging foul from Belmont’s Evan Bradds with 10 seconds left.
“I don’t know if I have ever been more proud of a team, being a part of a team, than what took place out on that floor,” WSU head coach Billy Donlon said. “I would have said that regardless of the final score. If Belmont had come down and made a shot and won the game – what those guys just did to find a way to win was incredible.”
While WSU struggled to shoot the ball in the second half, the Raiders came up big as time ran out. Arceneaux described the final two minutes of Friday’s contest as, “Intense. Tough.”
Wright State battled a size disadvantage for most of the second half as forwards Michael Karena and Rod Davis fouled out. Davis and Karena combined for only 25 minutes in Friday’s game.
The Raiders were also without JT Yoho and Mark Howell who were suspended for offseason incidents. To compound problems, guard Kendall Griffin went out with a head injury with five minutes left in the first half. He did not return and his future status is unknown.
“That was a great atmosphere, two great teams going at it, but give great credit to us when we don’t have JT Yoho and Mark Howell playing, and Kendall Griffin went out, we found a way to win,” Arceneaux said.
Bradds, a local product from Jamestown, led the Bruins with 21. He was matched by WSU’s Chrishawn Hopkins who scored 21.
“We knew how good Evan Bradds was,” Donlon said. “You watched him late in the season last year on film, we knew how good he was. First class family all the way."
Donlon said had Benzinger not taken the charge from Bradds, he would have scored and given Belmont the lead. Benzinger said Bradds dropped his shoulder and gave him the call.
Benzinger played 33 minutes in his first Division I contest and was a spark defensively.
“It was a lot of fun but at the same time but had to be focused and intense at the same time,” Benzinger said. “I am the one freshman out there so if I mess up, they’re going to look to me and ask, ‘What are you going to do about it?’ It was fun but tough at the same time.”
Leading up to WSU’s rally, Steven Davis dove to recover a loose ball after a missed shot with the Raiders trailing by two. He pounced on the ball and called timeout that gave Arceneaux the opportunity to hit two free throws to tie the game at 70 with 1:10 left.
“That play epitomized what went on,” Donlon said. “When you give up hustle plays, it just demoralizes your team.”
Wright State got off to a slow start down 6-0. After the Raiders fell behind as much as eight early in the first half, WSU’s defense was up to the task limiting the Bruins to just one field goal for a 10-minute span.
When Griffin left the game, Belmont’s offense went to work and the Bruins took a 40-37 lead into halftime.
The Raiders are back in action Sunday hosting Division II Ohio Dominican.
