Balanced scoring leads Raiders past Vikings

Five score in double figures as WSU prevails in Horizon League opener.

Staff photo by Teesha McClam Wright State’s Cory Cooperwood grabs the rebound in front of Jared Cunningham on Thursday, Dec. 3.

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer Updated 1:10 AM Friday, December 4, 2009

FAIRBORN — Cooper Land and Troy Tabler picked a good time to sharpen their 3-point eyes Thursday, Dec. 3, against Cleveland State.

Land fired in three 3-pointers and Tabler’s one was big as Wright State defeated the Vikings 73-64 at the Nutter Center in a game that closed to a reasonable score only in the final minute of play and only after WSU was certain of victory.

Land finished with 14 points, one of five Raiders to hit double figures. He was joined by Cory Cooperwood with 13 and 10 each from Tabler, Scott Grote and Vaughn Duggins.

Land, a 6-foot-8 junior from Texas, had been averaging 7.6 points and had only one previous game this season where he scored in double figures. That was the opener against Washington, when he scored 12.

By halftime against the Vikings, Land had eight points, six of them on two 3-point shots that helped the Raiders move to a 36-28 halftime lead.

Wright State’s other 3-point basket of the first half was by Tabler, who was 7-of-13 from the 3-point line after opening the season by missing all five of his 3-point shots at Washington.

The victory moved WSU to 4-2 and 1-0 in Horizon League play, while CSU is 3-5 and 0-1.

Even though WSU held an 8-point halftime lead, the game was close until the Raiders scored the first four points of the second half, two on a Land rebound basket and two on Tabler free throws.

Eventually, the Raiders opened an 18-point lead, 64-46, with just under four minutes to play. Todd Brown, WSU’s leading scorer this season, was held to 8, but it didn’t matter.

Cleveland State’s two Dunbar High School grads, junior guard Norris Cole and sophomore center Aaron Pogue, also played a big part in the game.

Cole led the Vikings with 18 points, and while Pogue scored only 4, he also had 5 rebounds.

With Cooperwood leading the way with nine and Brown pulling down seven, the Raiders out-rebounded the Vikings even though they had out-rebounded only one previous opponent.

Wright State can go 2-0 in league play by beating visiting Youngstown State on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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