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Raiders face challenge with Butler road game

Preview: Wright State vs. Butler

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By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer 12:52 AM Thursday, February 2, 2012

FAIRBORN — Even as a coach, Wright State’s Billy Donlon can tell there are aspects of Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse that could benefit a visiting team.

“Their floor has some bounce to it,” Donlon said. “You have some bounce, have some pop, as opposed to a really hard floor when you land and you can feel it.”

But Wright State’s recent visits to the Indianapolis building ended with thuds. Entering tonight’s road matchup against Butler, WSU has lost eight straight at Hinkle by an average of 13.8 points.

Many of those games have come during Butler’s sometimes-dominating run through the Horizon League that has included winning or sharing five straight regular-season titles and advancing to two consecutive NCAA tournament championship games.

But for the time being, Butler has fallen to the middle of the pack.

On a 3-4 stretch in the past seven games, the Bulldogs (12-11) are tied with Wright State (11-12) and Detroit (12-11) for fifth place in the league at 6-5. They are returning home after four straight road games to an environment that averages a league-best 6,941 in home attendance (2,814 per game better that second-best Wisconsin-Milwaukee).

“But actually,” said WSU sophomore Cole Darling, “it’s harder to play with less (in attendance). It really is.”

Some opposing arenas are just difficult to visit. From his playing days at North Carolina-Wilmington, Donlon remembers the discomfort of playing at William & Mary, not because of the crowd, but the stifling heat.

WSU junior Julius Mays, who transferred to WSU from North Carolina State, faced some of the country’s most notable college arenas in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but he said his high school experience prepared him.

“A lot of people ask me what it was like playing at Duke, but to me it felt like nothing because I come from Indiana high school basketball, and the crowd being loud to me is nothing,” Mays said. “Everybody (was) telling me that Cameron Indoor was the loudest gym they’ve ever been in. I walked in, and it wasn’t as loud as I thought it was.”

Today’s game

Who: Wright State (11-12, 6-5) at Butler (12-11, 6-5)

When: 7 p.m.

Radio: WBZI-FM (100.3), Info 1660 AM

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