DAYTON – The Wright State men's basketball team will prepare for its 2025-26 regular season with an exhibition contest against Ohio on Monday, October 20 at UD Arena as part of CareSource Invitational-Dayton Supporting Mental Health, raising awareness and funds for resources that empower children and teens to thrive.
 
Tipoff for Wright State and Ohio is expected to be just after 8 p.m. as game two of a doubleheader following Ashland and Northern Kentucky, scheduled for a 6 p.m. start. Tickets for the CareSource Invitational-Dayton are $20 and are valid for both games. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster, where Raider fans can indicate their support for Wright State during the ticket purchasing process and Wright State will receive 100% of the sale. Additional information or questions regarding purchasing tickets can be directed to the Wright State Ticket Office. For ticket sales without a school selected, as well as day of event walk up purchases, 100% of ticket revenue will be donated to Jay's Light.
 
"We are very thankful for the many people who worked behind the scenes to bring this night together," Wright State head coach Clint Sargent said. "Life can be heavy and conversations around mental health matter for all of us. We are happy to do our part in any way possible."
 
The exhibition will be the first time Wright State and Ohio have met since Match 2014, when the Raiders fell by two at Ohio in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). Wright State last played at UD Arena in its First Four victory over Bryant in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
 
The doubleheader is part of a broader initiative sponsored by CareSource, a nonprofit managed care organization, to reduce the stigma around mental health nationwide. Proceeds from the event will benefit Jay's Light, a nonprofit founded in memory of University of Dayton Coach Anthony Grant's daughter, Jayda, who died in 2022 as a result of mental illness. Jay's Light works to raise awareness and provide resources for mental health struggles among youth and young adults.
 
CareSource's support of collegiate basketball games focusing on mental health began in 2023 when the University of Dayton hosted Ohio State in a sold-out charity benefit game. That event and surrounding activities raised approximately $500,000 to support adolescent and young adult mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
 
"When we saw the energy and impact of the inaugural game in Dayton, we knew this was a powerful platform to raise awareness about mental health," said Scott Markovich, executive vice president of markets and products at CareSource. "Now in our third year, we've seen how this event continues to grow and inspire, reinforcing that wellness is core to our mission. We are honored to support our communities by expanding access to resources and support through these games."
 
Wright State returns six players from a season ago while adding seven newcomers (four transfers, three freshmen). Logan Woods started 25 games in 2024-25 while shooting 48 percent overall, while Michael Imariagbe (18 starts, 64 percent shooting) and Solomon Callaghan (11 starts, 41 percent shooting) also had double-digit starts and shot over 40 percent from the floor and Andrea Holden connected at a 65 percent shooting clip with five starts. Transfers Sam Alamutu, TJ Burch, Bryan Etumnu and Dominic Pangonis join the Raiders with collegiate experience, along with redshirt freshmen Alex Bruskotter and Ayden Davis and true freshmen Michael Cooper, PJ Douglas and Kellen Pickett.