The Wright State men's basketball team is now one game shy of the ultimate goal of the NCAA Tournament as they defeated Milwaukee 59-53 in the semifinals of the Little Caesars Horizon League Championship Monday night in Detroit.  The Raiders will meet the eight seed Cleveland State which defeated Oakland in the first semifinal game 44-43.

Loudon Love notched a double-double in the first half and finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds as fellow freshman Jaylon Hall came off the bench for 12 points.  Senior Grant Benzinger grabbed 10 boards with eight points.

The Raiders also set a new Wright State division I record with 24 wins as WSU took the lead for good late in the first half

GAME SUMMARY

First Half Highlights

• The Raiders went to the locker room up 27-25.
• Milwaukee jumped out early and held the lead for almost 13 minutes of the first half.
• Loudon Love had his 13th double-double after 20 minutes with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
• Ernsthausen and Benzinger each had six points.
• WSU outrebounded the Panthers 24-17 and shot 34% from the field to 30% for UWM.

Second Half Highlights

• Love scored eight points and just one rebound but made two important free throws with 1:26 remaining.
• Hall led the way with nine points in the second period.
• Wright State shot 32% in the second half with just two threes.
• Milwaukee shot 33%, also hitting just two threes.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Milwaukee outscored the Raiders in the paint 24-20 but the Raider bench came out strong 12-0.
• The Panthers' largest lead was six midway through the first half as the Raiders led by eight at 12:07 to go.
• WSU outrebounded the Panthers 42-40.
• There were low turnover numbers with WSU posting 10 and Milwaukee just eight.
• The Raiders were good from the line at 85% (17-20).
• There were just two lead changes and three ties.

NEXT UP

• The Raiders will play Cleveland State Tuesday at 7 pm on ESPN for the championship.
• Wright State has advanced to two NCAA Tournaments--1993 and 2007.
• The Vikings and the Raiders split during the regular season.