Raiders' Late-game Struggle: Wright State Falls Short to Toledo in Thriller

FAIRBORN — In a crucial moment for Wright State, trailing by one point with a mere 9.2 seconds remaining, the anticipation in the Nutter Center was palpable. With 4,239 spectators holding their breath, the spotlight was on Trey Calvin, the go-to player for the Raiders when a crucial basket was needed.

However, the challenge for the Raiders was that Toledo was well aware of the situation. As Trey Calvin advanced the ball past halfcourt, the plan was for him to navigate a pick set by Brandon Noel. Unfortunately, Toledo threw an extra defender or two at Calvin, disrupting the play. The Horizon League preseason player of the year managed to release a contested 18-footer that fell far from its mark. Wright State, for the second consecutive game, found themselves on the losing end, succumbing 78-77 to the three-time defending MAC champions.

Despite the missed opportunity, Trey Calvin showcased his scoring prowess with a game-high 22 points. Coach Scott Nagy expressed satisfaction with the attempt, acknowledging Calvin's ability to make challenging shots. Nagy stated, “Almost every ‘look’ for Trey is a good look. He makes so many off-balance (shots). He’s such an efficient player."

Nagy did concede that in an ideal scenario, he would have preferred to see Calvin drive to the basket and draw a foul, acknowledging the difficulty of achieving that in such a critical situation. Nevertheless, Nagy emphasized the team's reliance on Trey, stating,

“We’ll live and die with Trey for sure.”

Teammates echoed this sentiment, recognizing the defensive efforts by Toledo to prevent Calvin from making the game-winning shot. Center A.J. Braun, who contributed 16 points and seven rebounds, commented,

“I’m sure they knew where the ball was going at the end…It was a tough shot for him.”

Toledo's Dante Maddox Jr., a preseason first-team All-MAC pick, scored 20 points, while Ra’Heim Moss, a Springfield product, added 16 points for the Rockets (3-0).

The game was closely contested, with the Rockets holding a 75-71 lead with five minutes remaining. Both teams struggled offensively down the stretch, creating a tense atmosphere.

Wright State, coming off a disappointing 105-point loss to Colorado State in the season opener, showed improvement defensively, holding Toledo to 37 second-half points. Despite shooting an impressive 62.1% in the first half, the Raiders trailed by one at halftime.

Coach Nagy acknowledged the team's defensive growth in the second half, addressing a historical concern. He said, “We can at least hang our hat on that effort, versus what we did the first game… I thought where we really grew was we were better defensively in the second half, which has been a problem for us.”

However, turnovers remained a persistent issue for the Raiders, as they committed 15 for the second straight game, resulting in 25 points for Toledo. Nagy emphasized the need to be tougher with the ball.

Looking ahead, Wright State faces Indiana on Thursday in a matchup scheduled for 7 p.m., which will be broadcast on BTN and 101.5, 1410. The team aims to build on defensive improvements while addressing ball control concerns in their pursuit of a victory.