Despite having four players score in double figures, Wright State men’s basketball team lost 72-67 and blew a 14 point lead in the second half against Cal State Northridge in the NIU Showcase on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The Raiders (1-1) held the lead for the majority of the game but allowed the Matadors to go on a 21-6 run in the final 6:11 to hand WSU their first loss of the season.
Senior guard Joe Thomasson paced the Raiders with 14 points, eight assists and eight rebounds while Cal State guard Michael Warren led all scorers with 21 points.
Sophomore guard Grant Benzinger was on fire from the 3 point line by making his first five attempts of the game with four in the second half. He finished with 15 points and fouled out with 2:58 remaining.
The Raiders were on fire from behind the 3point line to start the game as they sank four of their first five attempts to gain a 12-2 advantage 3:47 into the game.
The Matadors responded with an 8-0 run in the next few minutes to cut the deficit to two before sophomore guard Mark Alstork made a jumper to end the run and begin a 10-5 run for WSU over the next 5:15.
Alstork finished with 13 points and four rebounds.
Raider’s senior center Michael Karena was out last game against South Dakota but ended a four minute and 15 second span where the Raiders were held without a field goal.
The Raiders sank six three’s and shot 66.7 percent from the 3 point line in the first half and headed into the locker room with a 33-27 lead.
Wright State started the second half on a 7-0 run in the first minute and 30 seconds with a pair of layups by Thomasson and a 3 pointer by senior forward JT Yoho to gain a 40-27 advantage.
Yoho finished with 13 points.
After going scoreless for the first 3:46 of the half the Matadors retaliated with a 10-3 run in 1:54 while converting on four straight field goals.
The game went back and forth for the next five minutes as the Raiders led by 10 with 6:11 remaining before a 12-2 run by the Matadors tied the game at 63 with 1:50 remaining.
Karena made a free throw to put the Raiders up one with 1:20 left but Cal State responded with seven straight points to take a 70-64 lead with 18 seconds remaining before closing the game out.
Wright State turned the ball over on three straight possessions in the final two minutes and 14 times total.
The Raiders will look to bounce back as they play the host of the NIU Showcase, Northern Illinois (2-0) on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4:30 p.m.
The Huskies defeated Cal State Northridge 83-71 on Friday and South Dakota 72-65 on Saturday.
The game will be available on ESPN3.
