Sargent, who has earned an A+ for keeping his composure during a trying first season, didn’t hold back with Brown after the Raiders fell to 14-17 overall and 8-12 in the league — losing to a team it had beaten 13 straight times.
“There’s no excuse for it. This type of response for our team is not good enough. This crap just isn’t good enough,” he said.
“This type of effort and heart and chemistry, it’s not good enough. I don’t care what game it is. I know we’re going to see them again, and I just don’t care. I’m sick of this.”
The Raiders, who host IU Indy (10-21, 6-14) in a first-round tourney game at 8 p.m. Tuesday, gave up a season-high 17 offensive rebounds and were outboarded, 38-29 — and that was with the Jaguars missing their leading rebounder in DeSean Goode (6.0 per game).
“Their starting center did not play, and they outrebounded us by nine, including 13 second-chance points (off offensive rebounds) in the first half when I thought we could have extended our lead,” said Sargent, whose team had a 44-37 edge at the break.
“We only shot six free throws (making four). The physicality piece of the game — the play-hard stats — did not go in our favor. And that’s what kept them in it and then gave them life.”
Forward Michael Imariagbe supplied the Raiders with a solid effort, posting season highs in points with 18 and rebounds with 11. But he needed more help.
Against Cleveland State, they were out-rebounded, 29-19, giving up 11 on the offensive end.
But they’ve been outrebounding foes by about two per game this season.
“That’s not who we’ve been,” Sargent said of the last two efforts. “We’ve been a very good defensive rebounding team.
“I think offensive rebounding can be a good indicator of some personal effort. Defensive rebounding is a discipline. It’s everybody doing their job. It’s collaborative. … To give up 17 offensive rebounds really speaks to what went wrong for us.”
The Raiders have given up at least 86 points in nine games this season and have lost all nine.
They also finished 1-9 in league road games, though they’ll have a chance to improve on that if they get by IU Indy on Tuesday. The winner plays at No. 1 seed Robert Morris at 7 p.m. Thursday.
“Defense and rebounding — that’s how you win on the road,” Sargent said. “Offense — you just can’t lean on it. You can’t rely on it.
“It’s defense and rebounding and getting to the free-throw line. If you can lean on all those things, that means a lot of good things are happening for your team.”
TOURNEY BRACKET: Joining Robert Morris (15-5) with first-round byes are second-seeded Cleveland State (14-6), No. 3 Milwaukee (14-6) and No. 4 Youngstown State (13-7).
No. 5 Purdue Fort Wayne (12-8) will play at YSU in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
In the other first-round games, sixth-seeded Oakland (11-9) hosts No. 11 Green Bay (2-18), and No. 7 Northern Kentucky (11-9) hosts 10th-seeded Detroit Mercy (4-16).
TUESDAY’S GAME
Horizon League Tournament
IU Indy at Wright State, 8 p.m., ESPN+, 101.5, 1410
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