It is not often that Wright State head coach Billy Donlon sends his team home immediately after a game, but that is what he did after the Raiders fell to Illinois-Chicago 79-75 Thursday.
Plagued by injuries, the Raiders used everything that was left in their tank only to come up short. On Friday, he kept the preparation for Sunday’s contest for Youngstown State short as his team was still feeling the effects of Thursday’s game.
“We won’t be here as long today because they’re fired. I just wanted to get them home. My gut was they were fried,” Donlon said.
“Their circuits are fried right now and that is my responsibility if I feel that way. You don’t continue to fry them. You unplug the toaster. That is what we’re going to do.”
Donlon said that his squad was equally worn out physically as it was mentally following Thursday’s game.
In Thursday’s game, guard Grant Benzinger and center Michael Karena posted their career scoring highs. In doing so, Karena also marked his career high minutes, playing 36 minutes. Karena likely would have played more, but fouled out with 2:11 left.
“I’d definitely say that (Thursday) night was exhausting,” Karena said. “We knew our situation, so we had to do our best. One goal of mine was not to foul out, but obviously you’re playing an extended period of minutes and you’re averaging four fouls a game. There was a point where I was trying not to foul and play my best."
Injury report
With only two days of preparation, the Raiders will not be any healthier for Sunday’s game versus Youngstown State. The Raiders will be without Chrishawn Hopkins, Steven Davis, JT Yoho, Joe Thomasson and Kendall Griffin for another game.
One small glimmer of hope for the Raiders is all but Griffin could return in time for the Horizon League Championships.
Davis’ recovery has been slow after sustaining a severely bruised foot versus Ohio State on Dec. 27.
“He’ll play again, I would be shocked if he doesn’t play again this year,” Donlon said. “I just hope for those guys on our team that the first game isn’t the tournament game.”
Yoho has been rehabbing a bruised knee. Donlon expected on Friday that he would begin shooting. He has missed a month of action and his return this season was questionable.
“It is a more optimistic outlook on him playing again,” Yoho said. “Not Sunday, not Wednesday, I would say no Saturday for Valpo either. Maybe the last two games. Milwaukee was never sounding like much of an option just a few weeks ago, so that’s positive.”
Benzinger shines
After scoring 23 versus UIC, Benzinger is the fourth best 3-point shooter in the Horizon League shooting 51.0 percent from beyond the arc in conference play.
Coming from a successful program at Cincinnati Moeller High School, Benzinger is in uncharted territory. He has been apart of more losses this season with the Raiders than all three years he played in high school.
“You feel bad for the guys who are injured,” Benzinger said. “You really do. But it’s an incredible opportunity for all of us young guys to step up and show coach what we can do. When they get back, everyone will be playing at their highest level because we’ve been playing so many minutes. So it’s a good thing in the long run.”
Scouting Penguins
Sunday’s battle in the Nutter Center will be between the two last place teams in the league. YSU comes into Sunday’s game with just one league win this season.
Meanwhile, WSU has just one win in the last eight games.
While Youngstown State has struggled this season, the Penguins nearly upset league frontrunner Green Bay this week as the Penguins led by as many as 10 points in the second half versus the Phoenix.
“They’re always a tough out and they’re making 3s at a high rate,” Donlon said. “They’re playing four perimeter players like we do. (Shawn) Amiker who they normally start at the four is a guard. Whether that helps us or hurts us, I don’t know yet.”
