Women’s Basketball closes regular-season road schedule

Friday, February 18

Moon Township, PA

7:00 PM

Wright State University

Robert Morris

Photo by: Joseph Craven

Women’s Basketball closes regular-season road schedule

2/16/2022 2:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes Watch on ESPN+ (Friday)Follow Live Stats (Friday)Watch on ESPN+ (Sunday)Follow Live Stats (Sunday)

DAYTON — The Wright State women's basketball team concludes its regular-season road schedule this weekend at Robert Morris and Youngstown State. WSU will face the Colonials on Friday, February 18 at 7 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. meeting at YSU on Sunday, February 20. Both games will televise on ESPN+.

THE SLATE
Feb. 18 at Robert Morris | Watch | Live Stats | Game Notes
Feb. 20 at Youngstown St. | Watch | Live Stats | Game Notes

LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders are coming off a thrilling 69-63 victory over UIC (2/12/22), reaching season-high marks in turnovers forced (30), free throw makes (20), and steals (15) en route to its second Horizon League win of the season. Wright State led for the entirety of the game, highlighted by a 9-0 run to open the home contest. As a team, the WSU bested the Flames with a 39-percent (21-of-54) shooting percentage and 37% (7-of-19) clip from 3-point range.

SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
RMU has won four of its last six games, including a 68-54 victory over Cleveland State. Robert Morris is 11-12 overall and 9-9 against conference opponents on the season. The Colonials have been at their best on the defensive end, leading the conference in turnover margin (2.14) and turnovers forced (18.23). Esther Castedo had enjoyed an all-around year by averaging 11.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 21 starts.

INSIDE THE WSU-RMU SERIES
The Raiders trail 5-3 to RMU in the all-time series. The teams met four times last season, spitting the series 2-2. Last year, Channing Chappell recorded a career and season-high 22 points on the road against Robert Morris (1/23/21) as the Florida native finished the contest shooting a perfect 100%, shooting 7-of-7 from the field, 6-of-6 from 3-point range, and 2-of-2 from the line.

SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
YSU sits atop the League standings at 21-4 overall and 15-3 in HL play. The Penguins lead the conference in several categories, including assists (359), 3-point field goals per game (8.8), and rebounds (896). Lilly Ritz has earned Horizon League Player of the Week three times, as the senior forward is averaging 17.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

INSIDE THE WSU-YSU SERIES
Wright State leads the series 39-26. The Raiders have held the upper hand as of late, winning 11 of the last 13 meetings. The two programs were set to face off in early January, but YSU won by forfeit due to COVID-19 implications within WSU's program. A season ago, Destyne Jackson averaged 13.5 points on 50% shooting in two games against the Penguins. She had a previous career-high of 16 points in the series opener.

MAKING HISTORY
Wright State scored 19 points off UIC's 30 turnovers, including 15 by way of steal. WSU had not reached either feat in its last 162 games, which also came against the Flames on January 20, 2017.

PURE DOMINANCE
Jada Wright stuffed the stat sheet by averaging 9.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 2.3 steals over three games last week. Wright opened the week with a career-high six blocks at Cleveland State (2/7/22), in addition to 12 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals. The six blocks were tied for the most by a Horizon League individual this season and were one shy of matching the school record. In WSU's win over UIC, Wright led the Raiders with career-best marks in rebounds (15) and steals (4) to go along with seven points and four blocks. The Chicago native added eight points, eight rebounds, and one block versus IUPUI (2/10/22).

RIM PROTECTOR
Wright ranks 20th nationally and second in the Horizon League in blocks per game (2.3). The Chicago native has totaled multiple blocks in 10 games, including a career-high six stuffs at Cleveland State. She is the lone player in the HL with four-plus blocks in five or more games. Wright has increased her average to 2.6 blocks per game in conference-only games.

IN A GROOVE
Wright has averaged close to a double-double in her last 11 games with 8.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks. The junior college transfer has reached double figures in rebounding six times and in scoring four times in the span. One of Wright's best showings came against Lake Erie (12/15) when she tallied 14 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks. She posted a double-double against Detroit Mercy (1/15) with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. Wright notched her third double-double of the season at CSU with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and six blocks. The Raiders are 2-1 when Wright records a double-double.

CENTURY CLUB
Jada Roberson reached 100 career steals in Wright State's loss to Milwaukee on January 29. The junior guard is averaging a conference-best 2.60 steals per game, ranking 39th in the country. She has recorded multiple steals 13 times, including nine of her last 12 games. Roberson tallied a career-high five steals in WSU's conference opener against the Panthers (11/18).

HEATING UP AT THE RIGHT TIME
Over Roberson's last 15 games, she has averaged a team-best 14.3 points on 40.3% shooting (87-of-216) to go along with 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 steals. In the span, the Muskegon, Mich., native has achieved single-game career highs in points (20 at Dayton), assists (7 vs. Lake Erie), and blocks (2 at Dayton). On the season, Roberson leads the Raiders in the offensive rebounds per game (2.9), assists per game (2.6), and steals per game (2.6).

NOT BAD FOR A GUARD
Roberson ranks second on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game. The rebounding average ranks 11th in the conference and second among HL guards. Her 2.9 offensive rebounds per game sit fourth in the Horizon League.

JACKSON STEPPING UP
Jackson scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting in WSU's 82-79 loss to NKU on January 22. She averages a team-leading 13.9 points per game, good for the ninth-best mark among conference players. The Lexington, Ky., native has scored in double figures in 16 games, including nine of her last 10. Last season, Jackson averaged 4.3 points per game with only three double-digit scoring games. She is also shooting 35.2% through 18 games, an increase from her 30% shooting mark during the 2020-21 season.

CONFIDENCE BUILDING
Jackson has strengthened her long-range shooting as the season has gone on, as she leads WSU in 3-point makes (32) and 3-point attempts (104). She also ranks seventh in the Horizon League in 3-point field goals per game (1.78). Jackson has netted a season-high three 3-pointers on five occasions, most recently against Milwaukee on January 29.

JUCO TO D1
Makira Webster, a transfer out of Wabash Valley Community College, has appeared in 17 games with two starts for WSU. Last time out against UIC, she reached season-high marks in points (8), assists (3), 3-pointers (2), steals (4), and minutes (32). To date, the nearby Sidney, Ohio native ranks fourth on the team in 3-point shooting (31%).

SHOOTERS SHOOT
Chappell leads the Raiders in 3-point shooting (34.3%) and ranks 15th in the conference in 3-point field goals per game (1.3). The second-year guard has made one or more threes in 11 of her last 15 games, dating back to November 20 at Green Bay.

BENCH SUPPORT
KK White has averaged a bench-leading 6.4 points per game for the Raiders. She is also pulling down 3.` rebounds per contest. In WSU's 91-60 win over Lake Erie, she totaled 20 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and one block.

BALL DISTRIBUTION
WSU recorded a season-best 20 assists against Detroit Mercy, its most since the 2019-20 season against Youngstown State (1/4/20). Six different Raiders recorded three or more assists in the win.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
The Raiders have committed 261 turnovers this season, the 10th-lowest amount of 348 Division I programs. WSU also ranks second in the HL in turnovers per game (14.5). Against IUPUI (2/10), WSU had a season-low nine turnovers.

WIN NO. 1
Wright State rolled past Division II Lake Erie 91-60 in front of over 2,700 fans on Education Day inside the Nutter Center. The win marked head coach Kari Hoffman's first victory at the helm of the Raiders. WSU raced out to a 33-10 lead after the first quarter and extended its edge to 52-21 by halftime. In the third quarter, the Raiders grew their advantage to 71-33 to put the game entirely out of reach, coasting to a 91-60 finish.

BACK IN A BIG WAY
Despite a three-week absence from play, a trio of Raiders achieved career-high marks in multiple categories against Lake Erie. White led the way with a career-best 20 points and 13 rebounds to go along with two steals and one block. Wright posted her first double-double at WSU with 14 points and 15 rebounds – both career-highs. Meanwhile, Roberson finished with career-best marks in points (19) and assists (7). Jackson added a career-high 18 points.

HOT FROM DEEP
Wright State went 14-of-25 (.560) from deep versus Lake Erie, as four different Raiders made three or more 3-pointers. Chappell converted on a game-leading four 3-pointers, followed by Jackson, White, and Roberson knocking down three apiece. The last time WSU made 14 or more threes in a game transpired during the 2018-19 season against Kentucky State (12/13/18). The Raiders last shot above 56-percent from 3-point range in 2017 at Belmont (12/18/17), going 9-for-12 from deep.

TOUGH LUCK
Wright State opened the 2021-22 campaign with five games in a 15-day span but has been limited to 13 games since November 25. The Raiders have dealt with eight cancellations on the season, including four by way of forfeit.

UP NEXT
After YSU, the Raiders will close their regular season inside the Nutter Center against Detroit on Thursday, February 24, and Oakland on Saturday, February 26.