Wright State vs. Loyola

[IE]

Probable Wright State starters

Matt Vest, 6-5, Jr., G, 6.3
Kendall Griffin, 6-4, So., G, 5.8
Tavares Sledge, 6-9, So., F, 4.9
Reggie Arceneaux, 5-9, So, G, 9.7
Cole Darling, 6-8, Jr., F, 10.6

Probable Loyola starters

Ben Averkamp, 6-8, Sr., F, 15.1
Christian Thomas, 6-5, So., G, 6.9
Jordan Hicks, 6-6, Sr., F, 6.0
Cully Payne, 6-1, Jr., G, 8.7
Joe Crisman, 6-4, So., G, 5.2

About Wright State: The Raiders are on a season-best four-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight games. This is the first of four straight road games. ? Wright State has won five games in a row in the series and five of the last six games at Loyola. ? Jerran Young had 14 points in just six minutes in the first half Wednesday against Cleveland State. He finished with 23 points in 21 minutes. Young and Darling are the only Raiders to score 20 or more points in a game twice this season. ? Wright State shot 80 percent (16-of-20) from the free-throw line Wednesday after shooting 57 percent over the previous four games (43-of-75).

About Loyola: The Ramblers opened Horizon League play with an upset of preseason favorite Valparaiso on the road, 63-54 on Jan. 2. Then they lost at home Saturday to Youngstown State 68-66. On Wednesday, they trailed the entire way at Green Bay, losing 58-45. They shot 19 percent in the first half and trailed 28-12 at halftime. ? Loyola finished 7-23 a year ago and 1-17 in Horizon League play. It was picked to finish seventh this season. ? Loyola ranks second in the league in defense (58.3 points per game) behind only Wright State (55.5).

Coach Billy Donlon on Loyola: ?Watching them on film, we?re a similar team. They play really hard. They run a very similar offense. Ben Averkamp, I said this on media day, just through the suit he was wearing, you could see his body, and it?s unbelievable what he?s done. He?s having a phenomenal season. Cully Payne, the transfer from Iowa, can really shoot the ball. Joe Crisman has really improved. Hicks has been healthy finally for an entire year.?

 

[IE]

This is the second of five Horizon League games Wright State will play on one day of rest. It beat Milwaukee on Saturday two days after beating Green Bay. Later this month, it plays three games in five days: at Valparaiso (Jan. 19), at Detroit (Jan. 21) and at Youngstown State (Jan. 23). In February, the Raiders play the two Wisconsin teams in a three-day stretch on the road.

?It?s a tough stretch,? sophomore guard Kendall Griffin said. ?We?re going to be on the road for a while. You?ve just got to take it one game at a time.?

How do the Raiders prepare in such a short timeframe? Donlon called it the $50-million question.

?Sometime tonight, our staff will come up with the answer,? he said after Wednesday?s victory. ?I don?t normally come up with the $50-million dollar answers. Two-cent answers I?m pretty good at.?

Through Wednesday, five of the Horizon League?s nine teams already had two losses. The home teams were 9-3 in Horizon League games. The team picked to finish last, Wright State, was in first, and the preseason favorite and defending regular-season champion, Valparaiso, had already been beaten by the team that finished last a year ago, Loyola.

In other words, no one knows what?s going to happen this season.

?It?s a long season,? Donlon said. ?There are 13 conference games left. There are a lot of good teams in the league, and every night is a different night.?

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

I'm rolling with Wright State +3.5. Been researching these teams for the last hour, and it seems like a pretty close match up. The line is pretty tight, but I think WS can win this outright if they can make their free throws.

 

[IE]

good luck with your play.