Wright State
12/19/2015 9:20:19 AM Joe Thomasson - G Probable Ankle is probable Sunday (12/20) vs. Bowling Green
12/19/2015 9:39:25 AM J.T. Yoho - F Doubtful Knee is doubtful Sunday (12/20) vs. Bowling Green
12/19/2015 7:16:24 AM Steven Davis - F Out For Year Foot is out for the season
About Wright State: The Raiders are coming off a 71-65 win over Charleston Southern where multiple players had good games. They made 24-of-37 free throws. It?s the first time they?ve shot more foul shots than their opponents since the opener against South Dakota. It helped that they had a late lead, and the Buccaneers were forced to foul. But they showed aggressiveness by attacking the basket. ? Mark Hughes, a 6-4 freshman guard, had 10 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes after notching 13 points and six boards in a 23-minute stint at Miami. ? Parker Ernsthausen, a 6-11 freshman, is a Bowling Green native.
About Bowling Green: The Falcons had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 95-80 loss at Detroit of the Horizon League on Dec. 12. They?re 1-1 against HL teams, having beating Youngstown State. ?They?re coming off a 21-12 record and a postseason trip to the CIT. They split two games in the tournament, beating St. Francis and losing to Canisius. ? Coach Chris Jans was fired after his lone season at the school after becoming intoxicated at a bar and engaging in inappropriate behavior. ? The Falcons are 23rd nationally in 3-point percentage (40.6), 94th in field-goal shooting (46.0) but only 298th in foul shooting (64.2).
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Wright State coach Billy Donlon isn?t looking for sympathy over his team?s injury woes ? nor did he last year when numerous players were sidelined with various ailments.
But the ongoing knee problems for senior forward J.T. Yoho have put Donlon in a bind. He?d like to rely less on the preseason All-Horizon League pick, but the suitable backups at the 4 spot, Steven Davis (torn foot tendon) and Brandon Neel (lower-leg fracture), are out for the season.
That means the coach has been forced to get by with limited options.
?If you have a couple injuries spread out among positions ? as long as it?s not your four best players ? it?s more than survivable. It?s more than manageable. You can certainly still win,? Donlon said. ?But when you have three guys injured all at the same spot, that?s a different story.
?But we can figure it out. We have to figure it out.?
Actually, a solution for the Raiders may not be that far away. After dealing all season with injuries to both knees and seldom practicing, Yoho believes he could be back to full strength in time for the conference opener at Milwaukee on Jan. 2.
?I think I?m close to being able to play at 100 percent. I don?t remember the last time I was 100 percent. That would be great,? he said.
Yoho had surgery on his right knee midway through last season for a torn meniscus and deep bone bruise. When he returned this season, the injury flared up again.
Just when he looked to be past those issues, he suffered a hyperextended left knee in a collision at Miami last Sunday.
Though he didn?t have his usual mobility, Yoho tallied 11 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes in a 71-65 win over Charleston Southern on Thursday. He wore wraps on both knees, and he?ll likely do the same when the Raiders host Bowling Green at 4:30 p.m. today and then Murray State on Tuesday.
After averaging 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds last season, his numbers have dipped to 10.8 and 4.6.
?This is a short-term thing,? he said. ?I probably won?t be 100 percent for these next two games. But hopefully, after Christmas break, I can be healthy for conference play.?
A prolonged holiday break is coming at a good time. Wright State?s 12-day hiatus is the longest for the program since also having 12 days off in 2002-03.
Asked what fans will see when he?s fit again, Yoho said: ?My explosion and lift on my jump shot. When I?m 100 percent, that?s what I notice most. And definitely, in the low post, finishing my shots. Last year, when I?d catch it, I was finishing above the rim.?
The Raiders have missed that frontcourt athleticism, but they don?t mind waiting a little longer to have Yoho back at peak form.
?He?s a key part of our team. We want him out there, but at the same time, we need him healthy,? senior center Michael Karena said. ?This is the nonconference season. As much as we want these wins and would love to have him, we want him to be in the best shape he can be for the Horizon League and Horizon League tournament.?
12/19/2015 9:20:19 AM Joe Thomasson - G Probable Ankle is probable Sunday (12/20) vs. Bowling Green
12/19/2015 9:39:25 AM J.T. Yoho - F Doubtful Knee is doubtful Sunday (12/20) vs. Bowling Green
12/19/2015 7:16:24 AM Steven Davis - F Out For Year Foot is out for the season
About Wright State: The Raiders are coming off a 71-65 win over Charleston Southern where multiple players had good games. They made 24-of-37 free throws. It?s the first time they?ve shot more foul shots than their opponents since the opener against South Dakota. It helped that they had a late lead, and the Buccaneers were forced to foul. But they showed aggressiveness by attacking the basket. ? Mark Hughes, a 6-4 freshman guard, had 10 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes after notching 13 points and six boards in a 23-minute stint at Miami. ? Parker Ernsthausen, a 6-11 freshman, is a Bowling Green native.
About Bowling Green: The Falcons had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 95-80 loss at Detroit of the Horizon League on Dec. 12. They?re 1-1 against HL teams, having beating Youngstown State. ?They?re coming off a 21-12 record and a postseason trip to the CIT. They split two games in the tournament, beating St. Francis and losing to Canisius. ? Coach Chris Jans was fired after his lone season at the school after becoming intoxicated at a bar and engaging in inappropriate behavior. ? The Falcons are 23rd nationally in 3-point percentage (40.6), 94th in field-goal shooting (46.0) but only 298th in foul shooting (64.2).
----------
Wright State coach Billy Donlon isn?t looking for sympathy over his team?s injury woes ? nor did he last year when numerous players were sidelined with various ailments.
But the ongoing knee problems for senior forward J.T. Yoho have put Donlon in a bind. He?d like to rely less on the preseason All-Horizon League pick, but the suitable backups at the 4 spot, Steven Davis (torn foot tendon) and Brandon Neel (lower-leg fracture), are out for the season.
That means the coach has been forced to get by with limited options.
?If you have a couple injuries spread out among positions ? as long as it?s not your four best players ? it?s more than survivable. It?s more than manageable. You can certainly still win,? Donlon said. ?But when you have three guys injured all at the same spot, that?s a different story.
?But we can figure it out. We have to figure it out.?
Actually, a solution for the Raiders may not be that far away. After dealing all season with injuries to both knees and seldom practicing, Yoho believes he could be back to full strength in time for the conference opener at Milwaukee on Jan. 2.
?I think I?m close to being able to play at 100 percent. I don?t remember the last time I was 100 percent. That would be great,? he said.
Yoho had surgery on his right knee midway through last season for a torn meniscus and deep bone bruise. When he returned this season, the injury flared up again.
Just when he looked to be past those issues, he suffered a hyperextended left knee in a collision at Miami last Sunday.
Though he didn?t have his usual mobility, Yoho tallied 11 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes in a 71-65 win over Charleston Southern on Thursday. He wore wraps on both knees, and he?ll likely do the same when the Raiders host Bowling Green at 4:30 p.m. today and then Murray State on Tuesday.
After averaging 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds last season, his numbers have dipped to 10.8 and 4.6.
?This is a short-term thing,? he said. ?I probably won?t be 100 percent for these next two games. But hopefully, after Christmas break, I can be healthy for conference play.?
A prolonged holiday break is coming at a good time. Wright State?s 12-day hiatus is the longest for the program since also having 12 days off in 2002-03.
Asked what fans will see when he?s fit again, Yoho said: ?My explosion and lift on my jump shot. When I?m 100 percent, that?s what I notice most. And definitely, in the low post, finishing my shots. Last year, when I?d catch it, I was finishing above the rim.?
The Raiders have missed that frontcourt athleticism, but they don?t mind waiting a little longer to have Yoho back at peak form.
?He?s a key part of our team. We want him out there, but at the same time, we need him healthy,? senior center Michael Karena said. ?This is the nonconference season. As much as we want these wins and would love to have him, we want him to be in the best shape he can be for the Horizon League and Horizon League tournament.?
