Wright State has 'quiet rivalry' with Green Bay

Wright State guard N'Gai Evans hustles the ball down the court trailed by Wisconsin-Green Bay's Randy Berry Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Nutter Center. Evans had 18 points in the Raiders' 67-54 Horizon League victory.

Jan Underwood/Staff photographer Wright State guard N'Gai Evans hustles the ball down the court trailed by Wisconsin-Green Bay's Randy Berry Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Nutter Center. Evans had 18 points in the Raiders' 67-54 Horizon League victory.

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer Updated 11:59 PM Saturday, February 13, 2010

FAIRBORN — The last time they played, on Jan. 14, Green Bay beat Wright State by making two free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining to win by two.

Before Saturday night, Feb. 13, four of the previous five games between the teams were decided by four points or less. Last season at the Nutter Center, the Raiders won by a point.

“It’s kind of like a quiet rivalry nobody talks about,” WSU senior Todd Brown said. “But every time we play each other, it’s a real physical game. After the game, you know you’re going to be tired.

“It’s bone on bone. Everybody’s trying to defend real tough. The coaches are competitive, their coach, our coach. It’s like a silent rivalry for us.”

It was headed that way again until the Raiders broke away in the final seven minutes to win 67-54 on Saturday.

First dunk

N’Gai Evans’ fast-break dunk off a turnover with 8:29 left to give WSU a 50-43 lead brought the crowd to its feet. Evans, a 6-foot-1 junior, said it was his first one in a game.

“I was pretty hyped up,” Evans said.

Brown also had a dunk, but his most spectacular shot came with 2:30 to play on a short, off-balance left baseline shot to give WSU a 61-52 lead.

Close call

Green Bay nearly pulled one of those less-than-a-second left baskets again, this one at the end of the first half, but the 70-foot Troy Cotton shot off an intercepted pass with 0.2 seconds left was quickly waved off when the referees checked the television monitor and saw there clearly was not enough time to make the basket.

Still, at first the basket was recorded on the scoreboard.

Second opens up

Cleveland State’s 70-59 loss to Butler earlier in the day not only kept the Bulldogs on a path to become the first team under the Horizon League banner to complete an undefeated league season (Butler is 16-0 with two games to go), but dropped CSU a half game behind WSU and into third place.

Green Bay is 9-6 in league play and hosts CSU Tuesday. Wright State’s final league game is at CSU on Feb. 27.

Promotions night

WSU had several promotions going for the game, including an alumni night, “White Out,” pre-game old athletic clothing sale and 179 scholar-athletes honored at halftime, including basketball seniors Cory Cooperwood, John David Gardner, Ronnie Thomas and junior Cooper Land.

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

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