DAYTON – Playing in just 10 miles away from home, Wright State squares off against Bryant at UD Arena Wednesday.
The Raiders won the Horizon League championship in dramatic fashion over Northern Kentucky. Trey Calvin nailed the game-winner just inside the free throw line with 10.5 second left to give WSU the 72-71 win. They trailed by 16 and reeled off 14 straight points to battle back into the game.
Four Wright State players posted double figures. Calvin netted 21 points. Tanner Holden tallied 19 points, while Grant Basile poured in 18, and Tim Finke added 10.
The Raiders finished fourth in the conference in the regular season. They knocked off top seed Cleveland State by 15 in the semifinals before the victory over Northern Kentucky.
Holden leads the team with 19.8 points per game, which was good for third in the conference. Basile was right behind him at 18.5 points and boasted a team-best 8.6 rebounds.
It is Wright State’s fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2018.
By contrast, Bryant is making its first appearance in March Madness. The Bulldogs won the NEC regular season and tournament championships.
In the championship game, Bryant rolled past No. 2 Wagner 70-43. The Bulldogs scored 25 of the game’s 29 points. Peter Kiss powered the offense with 34 points. He also registered six rebounds, five steals and three assists. Charles Pride posted a double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds.
Bryant has lost just once since Jan. 6. It has won 16 of the last 17 games it played, including the last seven. The Bulldogs narrowly escaped with a one-point win over Mount St. Mary’s in the NEC semifinals, which avenged last season’s loss in the championship game.
Kiss leads the nation in scoring at 25.1 points per game. Pride ranks second on the team with 18.0 points.
Matchup: Bryant vs. Wright State
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 16 at 6:40 p.m. ET
Location: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
TV: TruTV
DraftKings Line: Wright State -3.5, O/U 154.5