On December 30th, 1999, the world was on the edge about Y2K and the possibility of our world ending. When the 3-8 Wright State men’s basketball team upset the eighth-ranked Michigan State Spartans at the Nutter Center that night, people probably thought the end was near.
WSU entered the game as 21 point underdogs to MSU, but forward Kevin Melson and his teammates were confident they could shock the world.
“With me being from Detroit and playing with and against most of their team every summer I definitely believed we could win the game,” Melson said. “I think most of our players saw it as an opportunity to measure themselves against the best college team at that time.”
The defensive struggle was close throughout. After trailing by six at the half, the Raiders were able to hold the Spartans to only 17 second half points, giving WSU the 53-49 upset.
Raider fan Terry Bogan, a season ticket holder for over 30 years, remembers the game like it was yesterday.
“The atmosphere was incredible,” Bogan said. “The fans sensed it could happen and the Nutter Center was electric.”
The party didn’t stop after the game for Raider fans.
“There was a[n] alumni beer tasting in the Berry Room after the game. They had to bring in more tables and chairs just to fit everyone in there were so many people,” Bogan said.
The Spartans won the national championship in 2000 while the Raiders failed to win any road games and stumbled to an 11-17 record.
But for one night, WSU fought with the best in college basketball and gave the world an extra New Year’s Eve shock.
