EVANSVILLE, Indiana – The Wright State women's basketball team's late comeback fell short 65-63, after taking the game to one point in the final minutes at Evansville Sunday afternoon. The Raiders will play again on Tuesday, November 12, at 7 p.m., hosting Indiana State for the 2024-25 home opener.
Wright State (0-2) shot 34.3 percent from the floor and 27.8 percent for three. The Raiders were led by
Claire Henson and
Macie Taylor's career high 14 points each. Two other Raiders saw double-figure points as
Makiya Miller and
Amaya Staton both tallied 11 points.
Ellie Magestro-Kennedy added five points for the Raiders, while
Chloe Chard Peloquin and
Rylee Sagester each added four.
Staton accounted for a fourth of Wright State's rebounds, recording eight on the day, followed by Henson with seven. Taylor and
Olivia Brown both added three rebounds, and Chard Peloquin, Magestro-Kennedy, and Sagester two each. Henson led the team with three assists, followed by Taylor with two. Brown, Henson, and Miller combined for six of the eight Raider steals, adding two each. The Raiders ended the day with two blocks, one each from Chard Peloquin and Henson.
The Raiders bested Evansville (1-1) in second chance points 13-10, highlighted early by Miller snagging her own rebound and sinking a layup while drawing an and-one foul with under four minutes left in the first period.
Wright State held an initial 16-9 lead with just over three minutes left in the first quarter, but a 10-point run allowed Evansville to take the advantage, and maintain it through the next three quarters.
Miller and Staton led the team at the half, combining for over half of the Raider's 29 points with eight each. The Raiders shot 33.3 percent in the first period, going 6-of-18 from the floor, with one three by Miller. Taylor added the second Raider three in the second quarter, as the Raiders shot 42.9 overall for the period and 37.5 percent for the half. Wright State's defense held the Aces scoreless behind the arc, missing four three-point attempts in the first 20 minutes.
Henson tallied all 14 of her points in the second half, with seven in each quarter, going two-for-two beyond the arc. The Raiders outscored Evansville 34-29 in the second half, shooting 31.4 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent for three. Wright State held the Aces to just two shots from the floor in the in the final period.
The late-game Raider rally began as the Purple Aces held a 10-point advantage with under five minutes left on the day. Henson initially lowered the lead with a three-point jumper, followed by a layup in the paint by Taylor, taking the game to five, 64-59. Henson took the game to one with just over a minute left, making a three-point play with a layup and drawing an and-one foul, then 40 seconds later drawing a foul while in the bonus for two shots at the line. But the nine-point rally came up short as Evansville gained possession with 17 seconds left, drawing a foul for two shots on the line, ending the day 65-63.
Evansville ended the day going 21-of-58 from the floor, led by Maggie Hartwig's double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds. Two more Purple Aces saw double-figures with Camryn Runner scoring 17 points and Kylee Norkus 12. Runner accounted for both of Evansville's blocks, and three of their eight steals.
