Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year Kim Demmings led all scorers with 19 points, Ivory James had nine points and six rebounds and KC Elkins added 12 points off the bench as the Raiders easily dispatched of Indiana Wesleyan 81-55 during an exhibition game Wednesday night at the Nutter Center.
The Raiders will begin the regular season on the road against Southern-Illinois on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.
Aside from the scoreboard, WSU held advantage in several key areas, including rebounding, second chance points and field goals attempted. For the game, the Raiders grabbed 16 more boards, dished out 13 more assists and took 26 more shots than the Wildcats.
The Raiders also enjoyed a healthy 39-28 bench scoring edge. All but one player who saw action against the Wildcats scored at least one field goal and recorded three points. Abby Jump connected on three threes and Ja’Monica Orton added eight points and four rebounds in 15 minutes. 
“[Mike] Bradbury talked after the game how he wanted to test us and see if we could do certain things against this team, and we did,” Jump said. “By going out and playing against different players who don’t know your plays, and don’t know your personnel, it helps a lot. So I think we’re off to a quick start.”
Heading into the game, WSU head coach Mike Bradbury said his team needed play disciplined basketball against the defending NAIA Division II National Champions. Afterwards, Bradbury characterized his team’s disciplined play as above average, despite the 26-point win.
“I’d say it was B-minus to C+,” Bradbury said. “For stretches, it was very good, but then we’d lose a little focus, mainly on offense. We beat a team tonight that is very good, but we are bigger and quicker and it showed.”
Bradbury said his team will scrimmage on Sunday against a Division I school that he would not name, but said will test the Raiders’ rebounding skills.
WSU used a starting lineup of Demmings, James, Tayler Stanton, Courtney Boyd, and Tay’ler Mingo, which Bradbury said would be the team’s usual starting five. Bradbury added that tonight’s game was not an audition for additional minutes for any player.
