Battle inspires key WSU win

Junior scores career-best 23 points in bounce-back victory.

Wright State forward Armond Battle moves past Valparaiso forward Ryan Broekhoff to score in the second half of the Raiders' 73-55 win Sunday.

E.L. Hubbard/contributed photo Wright State forward Armond Battle moves past Valparaiso forward Ryan Broekhoff to score in the second half of the Raiders' 73-55 win Sunday.

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By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer 9:57 PM Sunday, January 8, 2012

FAIRBORN — Before the game, Wright State basketball coach Billy Donlon shared a quiet moment with junior forward Armond Battle.

His message: Keep pushing.

“I told him, ‘Hey, you’re making really good plays, just stick to that,’ ” Donlon said. “He’s been a terrific defender all year. When he adds offense, he becomes a really good player.”

Battle did that Sunday, scoring a career-high 23 points and adding six rebounds and four steals to lead the Raiders to a 73-55 victory against Valparaiso in front of 3,736 at the Nutter Center. As junior guard Julius Mays scored 21 points — the fifth time in six games he has reached 20 points — and freshman guard Reggie Arceneaux added 11, Battle bettered his previous career best by 10 points while shooting (7-of-11), driving and connecting on free throws (8-of-12).

“He was the difference in the game,” said Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew.

It was a game the Raiders needed. After losing to Butler 63-62 on Friday, WSU ran away from the Horizon League’s top scoring team to again reach .500 at 9-9 and fourth place in the league at 4-2 (behind a three-way tie for first).

WSU trailed Valparaiso (10-7, 3-2) 33-31 at halftime before outscoring the Crusaders 42-22 in the second half. The Raiders shot 60.9 percent in the final 20 minutes while turning a 37-all tie with 15:36 left into a decisive win.

With 13:23 left, already at 16 points, Battle crumbled to the floor when he bumped his already tender right knee into another player. He returned shortly after and scored seven more points while reaching double figures in points for just the fifth time in his two-year WSU career.

“We’re a team, so everybody knows everyone is a strong unit,” Battle said. “It’s good to hear my teammates want me to perform the way I can.”

Mays joked he almost took it a step beyond pep talks to shake Battle from his 5.8-point scoring average and 25 points in the previous five games combined.

“Finally shooting the ball and stopped thinking about it,” Mays said of Battle. “I’ve been ready to punch him in the head the past few games, because he keeps passing up open looks.”

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