From the beginning second-year coach Clint Sargent and his gamers, six of whom had been again from final 12 months’s 15-18 disappointment, mentioned that’s the important thing to their 23-11 turnaround, which has earned them a spot because the No. 14 seed right here.
“Last year, we had a great group of dudes, but we didn’t have this level of connectivity,” mentioned 6-2 sophomore Solomon Callaghan, the Raiders’ fourth main scorer (9.9). “That all translates.
“I feel like we embody that when we play. I feel like that’s the biggest difference going from 15-18 to the NCAA Tournament.”
His coach concurs.
“We’re very connected, very real,” mentioned Sargent, who was an assistant on Scott Nagy’s employees the final time Wright State made it to the Big Dance in 2022. “They’ve been absolutely from day one in the summer very honest and open with what they struggled with coming off 15-18 and how hard that was.
“I could tell from day one I had a group of young men that wanted to be real. From there you have a chance to be very good on the basketball floor.”
Now how does that translate once they tackle 29-5 third seeded Virginia?
“It’s going to come down to still playing our game,” mentioned Michael Cooper, the group’s main scorer, (13.4). “Make them play at our pace instead of settling for what they want to do.
“You can’t be scared to go down there, but we have to be smart. They’re really good at crashing the offensive glass. We have to block them out and limit them to one shot per possession.”
At the identical time Sargent desires them to savor this second — to a level.
“There’s a fine line between absolutely enjoying every part of this, because you want them to, but then also understanding our responsibility to put our best foot forward and to perform and compete,” he emphasised. “You think about the amount of miles we’ve traveled, the diving, all the things.
“Just to wake up and have another day. When you’re rooted in humility and gratitude, it gives you your best chance to be present. When you can have that be your lead foot, all the performance all the pressure of it starts to fade away, and that’s what we’re hoping for.”
Still, for the reason that Horizon League champs realized their destiny Sunday it’s been a thrill experience. “It’s a super surreal moment,” admitted Callaghan. “One you’ve been waiting for your entire career.
“It was initially just extreme excitement. After that, you got to lock in and game plan.”
But it’s much more particular for one Raider.
“I haven’t been on winning teams,” mentioned Sr. ahead Michael Imariagbe, their third main scorer (11.8) who’s capturing a blistering 58.9% from the sector. “This is the first year I’ve been on a winning team with this new group of guys.
“When I decided to stay, I didn’t know what was going to happen this year, but it’s been fun.”
For the enjoyable to proceed into Sunday towards both Tennessee or a attainable rematch with upstart Miami — who knocked them off 83-76 again in December — the Raiders know it should take a supreme effort. At the identical time Virginia, which is aware of what it’s wish to lose to a decrease seed—having change into the primary No. 1 seed to fall to a No. 16 when UMBC surprised them in 2018 is taking nothing as a right.
“We have a lot of challenges,” mentioned Riley Odom, who took over for Tony Bennett, who bounced again from that indignation to win all of it the next 12 months. “They’re extremely well-coached and they know how they need to play on offense and defense in order to be successful.
“They put pressure on you at the rim, whether by the drive or the post-up. They’re a really good passing team and cutting team and they defend really, really well. When you have that balance on both sides of the ball, you have a chance to advance in this tournament.
“They have our full attention.”
With that, let the insanity start.
