Wright State women’s basketball team came into Saturday’s game against the Detroit Titans, riding a five game winning streak, but that came to an end as they fell just short in an overtime thriller, Detroit 95 – WSU 93.
Senior guard Kim Demmings came into the game averaging 32.3 in the team’s last three outings, but was held to her season-average of 21 points in this contest.
“They (Detroit) made the plays all night,” Raiders head coach Mike Bradbury said. “They made winning plays all night."
Junior forward Antania Hayes scored a team high 24 points while adding 12 rebounds while junior center Richelle van der Keijl contributed another double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds.
Freshman guard Lola Ristovski hit a three for Detroit to give the Titans their largest lead of the game 74-68 with 6:38 remaining in the game.
Hayes hit back to back buckets with-in three seconds of time and added a free-throw for WSU to cut the deficit to one, 74-73 Detroit with 5:59 to go.
With 13 seconds remaining in the contest, Wright State retained possession with a chance to tie the game. Demmings put up a shot that missed and Hayes grabbed the rebound and was fouled. She made both shots from the line to cut the Titan lead to one.
Ristovski was fouled and made one of two to give the Raiders another chance to tie with just under five seconds remaining.
Demmings took the ball to the hoop on the inbound and was fouled with just over one second left in regulation. She connected on both shots to send it to overtime.
Vogelpohl splashed in a three-pointer with 3:32 remaining to put the Raiders up 89-87.
After losing the lead, Hayes hit a layup to put the Raiders back on top 93-92 with 50 seconds remaining in the contest. She went down hard after the shot and was helped off the floor.
With just under 3 seconds to go, WSU and Demmings heaved up a three-point attempt that rimmed out.
"They outplayed us and they made big shots," Bradbury said.
Hayes hit a short jumper 11 seconds into the game to give WSU their first points of the game. Demmings connected for three with 5:13 remaining in the quarter to put the Raiders up 14-12.
Freshman guard Emily Vogelpohl drained a free-throw to complete a three point play with 4:48 left in the quarter, she added a layup with 57 seconds remaining, giving her 10 for the quarter. The Raiders went on a 9-3 run and led at the end of the first quarter 25-17.
The Titans opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run, which was finally ended by a layup from Hayes with 7:54 to go in the half.
Detroit freshman guard Brittney Jackson hit a long three to tie the game at 42-42, but Demmings retaliated with a basket to put the Raiders back up by two for a 44-42 lead going into halftime.
Vogelpohl faked out a defender and put in a layup to increase the WSU lead to nine, 61-52 with 4:05 to go in the third quarter. Wright State held on to a four point lead to enter the final quarter 66-62.
Detroit began the quarter on a 7-0 run capped off by a three-pointer by sophomore guard Nicole Urbanick to give the Titans a 69-66 lead before the tight finish.
Urbanick had a game high 27 points and helped the Titans to their tenth win in the Horizon League.
Wright State (20-7; Horizon 10-4) will be back in action this Thursday Feb. 25, as they take on the first place Phoenix of Green Bay (23-3; Horizon 13-1). Tip-off is at 8 p.m.
