DAYTON – Cheered on by over 5000 fans from local elementary and middle schools, the Wright State women's basketball team added their first win of the 2024-25 season on Friday, defeating Tennessee State 77-65.
The Raiders will be back on the road for on Thursday, November 21, taking on Bellarmine. The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff and will stream on ESPN+ and have live stats provided. WSU will return home to take on Ohio on Sunday, November 24 at 2 p.m.
Leading Wright State (1-3) was junior guard
Claire Henson, recording a career high 22 points, adding 9 rebounds. Joining in the dual-figures was
Amaya Staton, putting up her first double-double as a Raider, the eighth in her career, with 12 points and a team leading 13 rebounds.
Macie Taylor also saw double-digit stats, ending the day with 12 points while leading the team with four steals, a career high.
Wright State ended the day shooting 49 percent overall from the floor and 36.4 percent for three. Henson led the team in field goals, going 6-of-11, a career high, closely followed by Taylor's five field goals made.
Ellie Magestro-Kennedy,
Rylee Sagester, and Taylor each sunk two from outside the arc, while
Olivia Brown and Henson added a three each.
The Raiders went 21-of-27 on the line, highlighted by
Chloe Chard Peloquin's perfect four-of-four and Henson's nine free throws made, both career highs. Joining them on the line was Staton, going six-of-seven on the day.
Wright State opened the day holding a 21-18 lead after the first quarter, their best start this season. Led by Sagester's two threes, the Raiders shot 47.1 percent overall from the floor, going 45.5 for triple. The momentum continued, as the Raiders shot 50 percent in the second quarter, raising the lead to nine at the half. The largest lead of the half came with six minutes left, as Staton sunk a driving layup, drawing a foul to make it a three-point play, 31-20. Henson accounted for over half over the Raider's nine rebounds in the second period, grabbing five, all on defense.
TSU came back from the half strong, holding the Raiders to their lowest shooting quarter, sinking only four field goals but shooting 44 percent overall. WSU saw their most shots at the line in the third, going 8-of-11 on free throws. Though the Raiders held a 15-point advantage with under two and a half minutes in the quarter, the Tigers had an 8-2 run to end the half, matching the Raider's 17 points in the period.
Wright State shot 54.5 percent overall in the fourth, shooting 88.9 percent on the line, all from Henson. Henson had an eventful fourth quarter, going three-for-three from the floor and eight-of-nine on the line, accounting for two-thirds of the Raiders 21 points. Staton reached her double-double in the final quarter, recording five rebounds.
Tennessee State (2-2) ended the day shooting 37.7 percent overall from the floor, making only one of 14 three-point attempts, and going 12-of-16 on the line. The Tigers were led by Sanaa' St. Andre with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Joining in the double-figure scoring were Lyric Cole and Saniah Parker, eaching recording 13 points.
