“To shoot 35 percent and win a basketball game tells me we’re right where I want our players to be, which is to be identified with defense,” Nagy said.
The Vikings (5-10, 1-2 Horizon League) cut a six-point deficit with two minutes left to two after back-to-back Raider turnovers and had a chance to force overtime.
But Rob Edwards missed a contested jumper, and Wright State’s Justin Mitchell snagged the rebound and was fouled with 11 seconds to go. He made both foul shots for the final points.
“We didn’t make shots we normally make. That’s why we don’t pride ourselves on our offense. We pride ourselves on our defense. When we have nights like that, we can get teams stopped,” said forward Steven Davis, who had a team-high 15 points.
The Raiders (11-5, 2-1) are starting to get a handle on the defensive tenets Nagy taught at South Dakota State, which are much different than those of the previous staff.
They gave up an average of 74.4 points to their first 10 opponents, who shot a collective 45.9 percent from the field. Their last six foes are averaging 60.5 points and shooting 35.8 percent.
“The really good teams I’ve coached — our 25- or 26-win teams — won games like that right there,” Nagy said. “When you only win 15 games, you lose games like that.”
Five things we learned:
Sluggish start: The Raiders had a forgettable first half with more turnovers (9) than baskets (7). They had a 24-23 lead because they held Cleveland State to 6-of-22 shooting (27.3 percent).
Coming alive: Mark Alstork, averaging 19.7 points, got off to a sluggish start. His first shot was an air-balled 3-pointer. He also had a pair of turnovers in the opening three minutes.
But the 6-foot-5 junior guard finds a way to contribute even when he isn’t hitting. He had a double-double with 12 points and a career high 12 rebounds despite shooting 2-for-10 from the field.
“I’ve not coached many players who can impact a game the way he can just about in every facet,” Nagy said.
Dazzling dunk: Davis did some sky-walking again for a slam that drew "ooohs" from the crowd. He beat his man with a dribble and elevated over helping defender Demonte Flannigan at the basket for Wright State's first points.
The 6-8 senior forward appeared on the ESPN SportsCenter’s top-10 plays with dunks twice this season.
Making strides: After appearing in one of the first eight games, sophomore guard Alan Vest has played in the last eight and had a hand in the victory.
The Chaminade Julienne grad swished a 3-pointer moments after coming off the bench in the first half and is starting to display the confidence that earned him significant playing time last season.
Women win: The Wright State women played before the men and improved to 10-5 under first-year coach Katrina Merriweather with a 71-58 win over Youngstown State
Chelsea Welch, a Pittsburgh transfer and former Fairmont High School star, had a game-high 19 points for the Raiders, who are 2-1 in the Horizon League. Youngstown State fell to 4-9, 0-2.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Who: Youngstown State at Wright State
When: 4 p.m.
TV/Radio: ASN, 106.5-FM
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