The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Raiders squander 17-point lead in loss

WSU can’t maintain fast start as UW-Green Bay pulls out 57-56 win.

Mesoraco's slam sends Reds over Braves
Updated 19 min. ago
Raiders fall in tourney opener
5/25/12
Rough 1st inning sets up Tipp exit
5/25/12
Local Scoreboard for May 25
5/24/12
Ohio State AD says 12 violations minor
5/24/12
> More sports headlines

By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer Updated 10:57 PM Saturday, January 14, 2012

GREEN BAY, Wis. — After scoring the fourth-fewest points in the program’s history on Thursday night, the Wright State basketball team welcomed a fast start on Saturday.

In less than 8 minutes of game time, the Raiders flew to a 14-point lead. Things looked promising for a rebound from Thursday’s drubbing against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

It didn’t last. Leading by 17 with 13:03 left, Wright State saw UW-Green Bay pick up the offensive pace and get two free throws with 3 seconds left to beat the Raiders 57-56 in front of 3,449 at the Resch Center.

It was a collapse in the final 13 minutes that included Green Bay outscoring WSU 28-10 as the Raiders went 2-of-12 and gave away six turnovers in the stretch.

“We started committing not-so-smart turnovers, exactly what they wanted,” said WSU guard Julius Mays, who led the team with 15 points despite playing with a left Achilles tendon injury. “They used it to their advantage.”

The loss, the second straight on the two-game trip to Wisconsin, dropped WSU to 9-11 and 4-4 in the Horizon League. It appeared WSU could shake the taste of a 58-38 loss to Milwaukee on Thursday when the Raiders took a 22-8 lead with 12:05 left in the first half.

After WSU went up 46-29, Green Bay (7-10, 3-4) went on a 20-3 scoring run, completed with a layup by Phoenix guard Keifer Sykes (game-high 16 points) to tie it 49-all with 4:22 left.

The lead changed three times, including Mays’ three-point play with 12.8 seconds left that put WSU up 56-55. But Sykes was fouled on a drive with 3 seconds left, made both free throws and watched as Mays missed a running 3-pointer from half court as time expired.

“They were relentless in trying to win,” WSU coach Billy Donlon said of the Phoenix.

Green Bay coach Brian Wardle, whose team ended a four-game losing streak, also put it simply.

“That,” he said, “was a roller-coaster ride.”