Wright St defeats Milwaukee 76-70
Wright State Edges Milwaukee in Thrilling Conference Showdown
The Nutter Center was electric on Friday night as the Wright State Raiders hosted their conference rivals, the Milwaukee Panthers, in a tightly contested matchup that saw the home team emerge victorious by a margin of six points.
Trailing 41-28 at halftime, the visiting Panthers showed signs of life in the second half, but Wright State's relentless defense and balanced offense proved to be too much for Milwaukee to overcome. The home team's largest lead came with just over five minutes left in the game, as they extended their advantage to 20 points.
Despite a valiant effort from Danilo Jovanovich, who scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds, the Panthers ultimately fell short. Jovanovich's impressive performance was highlighted by a 58.3% shooting percentage from the field, but it wasn't enough to overcome Wright State's stifling defense.
For the home team, Michael Imariagbe led the way with 17 points on an efficient 40.0% shooting night from the field, while Kellen Pickett chipped in with 10 rebounds and 11 points. TJ Burch also had a strong all-around performance, dishing out three assists, scoring 15 points, and grabbing four rebounds.
The game was a testament to Wright State's ability to adapt and adjust on both ends of the floor. The team's advanced statistics – including an eFG% of 47.4%, FT Rate of 43.1%, and OREB% of 31.7% – suggested a well-oiled machine that was capable of executing in big games.
In contrast, Milwaukee struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 36.0% from three-point range on 5-of-14 attempts. The Panthers' struggles from distance were mirrored by their poor free throw shooting, as they converted just 64.0% of their attempts from the line.
The win marked a significant conference victory for Wright State, which now sits atop the standings. For the Panthers, it was a tough road loss that serves as a reminder that there's still much work to be done if they want to make a deep run in the postseason.
Final Score: Wright State 76, Milwaukee 70
Game Stats:
* Field Goals: Wright State (25/58), Milwaukee (29/65)
* 2-Point FG: Wright State (20/42), Milwaukee (24/51)
* 3-Point FG: Wright State (5/16), Milwaukee (5/14)
* Free Throws: Wright State (21/25), Milwaukee (7/11)
* Rebounds: Wright State (41), Milwaukee (33)
Game Leaders:
* Wright State: Michael Imariagbe (17 points, 40.0% FG), Kellen Pickett (10 rebounds, 11 points), TJ Burch (3 assists, 15 points)
* Milwaukee: Danilo Jovanovich (15 points, 58.3% FG), Danilo Jovanovich (10 rebounds, 15 points), Josh Dixon (4 assists, 9 points)