Wright State women’s basketball team concluded their non-conference schedule with a 63-57 loss to Georgia at the Nutter Center on Sunday, Dec. 20.
“It’s disappointing,” head coach Mike Bradbury said. “We get out-rebounded by 16, that’s what we do is rebound and we get absolutely pummeled on the boards. I give them credit.”
Junior guard Anatnia Hayes led the Raiders with 26 points while shooting 8-15.
“I kind of had the hot hand,” Hayes said. “If it wasn’t for my teammates then I can’t get the ball and do what I do.”
Hayes got the Raiders on the board 11 seconds after the tip-off and stayed hot throughout the first half as she paced Wright State with 15 points in the opening 20 minutes.
"She's a high school All-American, she's supposed to do this," Bradbury said. "That's what we expect."
The Bulldogs led 10-6 with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter but the Raiders fought back to tie the score at 12 by the end of the quarter.
The Raiders gained a six point advantage after holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the first 5:35 of the second quarter but Georgia battled back to cut the deficit to one just two minutes later.
Hayes retaliated for WSU as she faked out the defender, drove to the basket, drew the foul and got the basket to go. On the Raiders next possession, senior guard Kim Demmings hit the only 3 pointer of the first half which gave Wright State a 26-17 lead at the break.
Demmings continued to shoot well for the Raiders as she made a 3 pointer 54 seconds into the third quarter. On the next possession, freshman guard Emily Vogepohl made a layup to give Wright State their largest lead of the game at 31-21.
Senior center Merritt Hempe retaliated for the Bulldogs as she scored seven points in the quarter on a 21-9 run by Georgia.
With 12 points, Demmings left the game with 58 seconds remaining in the third quarter with a calf injury.
“It makes it a little tougher because they took their best defender and put her on Hayes which makes it tougher for her to score,” Bradbury said.
Demmings returned with 2:26 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Raiders trailed 58-56 but the Bulldogs closed the game out on a 5-1 run.
Wright State (10-3) will be back in action at the Nutter Center on Wednesday, Dec. 30 as they host UIC (7-1) in their first Horizon League match-up of the season. Tip-off will be at 7 p.m.
