“I knew when we scheduled it, I was going to hate it because our kids are going home afterward,” he said. “These are the games we like to schedule on the road. When we beat North Carolina State, that’s what we did.
“We go in there and play right before Christmas, and their guys come to the gym with their bags packed. Their minds are already someplace else.”
The Raiders are 6-1 under Nagy in their last game before Christmas — all of them on the road. And distraction for the home teams certainly has been a factor.
They stunned NC State, 84-70, in 2021.
They knocked off Georgia Tech, 85-81, in 2017.
They also beat quality teams in Murray State and Toledo, along with Detroit Mercy and Miami.
The only loss was a near upset at Mississippi State in 2018. The Raiders fell, 67-63.
“That’s what I’m going to battle with our team in this situation — to make sure our heads are here, that we continue to move in the right direction and don’t take a step backwards,” Nagy said.
He had similar success during his previous run at South Dakota State, stunning No. 16 New Mexico in the Pit, 70-65, in 2012.
They also shocked Washington in Seattle, 92-73, in 2011.
The Muskies, who are 4-7, went 1-24 last season and were picked last in the 10-team Ohio Conference preseason poll. They haven’t had a winning record since going 14-13 in 2016-17.
But even though they wouldn’t appear to pose much of a threat, that hasn’t kept Nagy from fretting.
“When we scheduled it, I said, ‘I might not even show up to that game because I may be out of my mind trying to get our guys to have the right mindset,’” he said.
The Raiders are coming off a much-needed 92-82 home win over Miami, and they recognize they’re in no position to be complacent.
“We’ve still got to feel that hunger,” fifth-year player Tanner Holden said. “We’re 5-6 now, and that’s definitely not good enough. We have to keep reaching for that next level defensively, offensively, and as a team. That’ll be our biggest fight — and then we can enjoy Christmas.”
The Raiders took at least a slight step forward defensively against Miami — though the RedHawks became the seventh foe in 11 games to top 80 points.
After Western Kentucky blew by them for 24 layups and dunks last week, Nagy pulled the defense in tighter to guard the interior. And the Raiders cut that number down to 14 against the RedHawks.
“We’re trying to convince our guys that what we’ve got to stop doing is giving up the stuff around the basket. We’ve got to become more physical in there and not let people shoot layups, even if we’ve got to take a foul,” Nagy said.
The focus on protecting the lane, though, means concessions elsewhere.
The RedHawks started 8 of 12 from 3 and took a 52-43 lead with 18:22 left in the game.
But they cooled off, finishing 11 of 25, and several of those misses turned into transition baskets the other way.
In the first 5:20 of the second half, the Raiders scored 22 points.
“They’re a great 3-point shooting team, and they made a great percentage. But they also missed 14, and it’s an opportunity for us to run when they miss because they’re long rebounds, and they’re out of position,” Nagy said.
“That’s a chance for us to go.”
FRIDAY’S GAME
Muskingum at Wright State, 1 p.m., ESPN+, 101.5, 1410
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