Wright State rallies to top NKU in Horizon League showdown

Wright State’s Cole Gentry during Friday night’s game vs. NKU. CONTRIBUTED

Wright State’s Cole Gentry during Friday night’s game vs. NKU. CONTRIBUTED

Wright State overcame a 16-point first-half deficit and pulled out a 81-77 victory over Northern Kentucky in a Horizon League showdown at the Nutter Center on Friday.

Bill Wampler tossed in a career-high 29 points and Loudon Love had 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Raiders improved to 16-11 with their eighth win in their last nine games and jumped into a first-place tie at 10-4 with four games to go.

NKU is 20-7, 10-4.

The Norse’s Jalen Tate scored on a drive for a 73-70 lead with 4:45 left, but he was called for a technical for celebrating demonstrably, his fifth foul. Cole Gentry made one of two free throws on the tech, and Wampler was fouled and made a pair to tie the game with 4:31 left.

Love broke the tie by scoring over Drew McDonald, who had 23 points and nine rebounds, with 2:01 to go.

NKU’s Dontez Walton made two free throws at 1:42.

Mark Hughes shot an airball, but Wampler was under the basket for the rebound and dropped it in for a 77-75 lead at 1:08.

NKU missed a 3-pointer. Hughes missed a 3, but Love was fouled fighting for the rebound with 23.5 seconds left. McDonald was called for a flagrant 1 foul, and Love made one of two free throws for a three-point lead while the Raiders kept the ball.

Wampler then made one of two foul shots with 20.1 seconds left to make it 79-75.

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