Wright State men's basketball beats Air Force 102-71 - Wright State University Athletics

Monday, November 2

Dayton, OH

7 PM

Wright State University

1-0,0-0Horizon

102

Air Force

0-1,0-0Mountain West

Team	1	2	F
Air Force	31	40	71
Wright St.	60	42	102

Pangonis scores 30 as Wright State opens season with 102-71 win over Air Force

Photo by: Joseph Craven

11/3/2026 10:00:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball, Giving, MBB Tickets

Box Score

Raiders score 60 first-half points and never trail; Holden posts a 20-point double-double

DAYTON, Ohio — Dominic Pangonis scored 30 points, 27 of them in the first half, as the Wright State men's basketball team opened the season with a 102-71 victory over Air Force on Monday night in front of 10,500 at the Nutter Center.

The Raiders (1-0) never trailed against Air Force (0-1). Wright State hosts Florida Atlantic Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Nutter Center. Fans can follow the action on the Wright State Radio Network – 101.5 FM 'The Fridge' and WING 1410 AM – with Chris Collins and Jim Brown on the call.

Pangonis hit a 3-pointer for the game's first points at 19:25, and Wright State built a 13-2 lead by the 16:00 mark, with Pangonis scoring nine of the 13. Air Force used an 8-0 run to get within 31-17 at 8:19, but Pangonis answered with 3-pointers at 7:56 and 7:29. The Raiders then closed the half on a 14-3 run over the final 3:46, capped by a Pangonis fast-break layup with one second left, to take a 60-31 lead into the break.

Kellen Pickett's three-point play at 19:29 of the second half stretched the lead to 63-31, Wright State's largest margin at 32 points. Air Force got no closer than 24 the rest of the way.

Pangonis made 9-of-10 shots from the field, 6-of-7 from 3-point range and 6-of-7 at the line in 32 minutes, and all six of his 3-pointers came in the first half. He added four assists and a team-high three steals.

Junior wing Andrea Holden posted a double-double with 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, five of them offensive, on 7-of-10 shooting. Freshman forward Noah Lewis scored 13 points off the bench on 6-of-7 shooting with seven rebounds and a game-high six blocks. Pickett added 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks, and Chadlyn Traylor handed out a game-high seven assists.

Wright State shot 59% (38-of-64) from the field, 43% (10-of-23) from 3-point range and 76% (16-of-21) at the line, including 65% (22-of-34) from the field and 9-of-13 from deep in the first half. Air Force shot 32% (22-of-68), 27% (7-of-26) from 3 and 63% (20-of-32) at the line. The Raiders won the battle on the glass 42-36 and finished with 21 assists on 38 made baskets, 12 blocks to Air Force's one, a 52-26 edge in the paint and a 19-5 edge in fast-break points. Air Force grabbed 23 offensive rebounds and held a 24-19 edge in second-chance points.

Kam Sanders and Grant Best each scored 17 points for Air Force. AJ Patterson added 12 off the bench, and Caleb Walker had 11 points and eight rebounds.

Don't watch the next one on your phone.
The reigning Horizon League champions are back at the Nutter Center Friday, Nov. 6, against Florida Atlantic. Tip is at 7:30 p.m.

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Rising Raiders
Rising Raiders provides free admission to Wright State home events, excluding men's basketball, for students currently enrolled in 12th grade or younger, making it easier for families across the Dayton region to experience Raider Athletics together. It's our way of opening the doors to the next generation and giving young fans the opportunity to discover Wright State, build memories, and become Raiders themselves.