FAIRBORN, Ohio (Interstat) — TJ Burch scored 24 points and dished seven assists to lead Wright State to a 93-83 victory over Youngstown State in a Horizon League men’s basketball game Thursday night at the Ervin J. Nutter Center. The Raiders improved to 12-7 overall by outscoring the Penguins 51-40 in the second half to pull away from a 42-43 halftime deficit. Dominic Pangonis added 17 points for Wright State, and Kellen Pickett scored 18. Bryson Dawkins led Youngstown State with 19 points. Vladimer Salaridze scored 17 for the Penguins, who fell to 9-9. A crowd of 4,724 watched as Wright State avenged a one-point loss to Youngstown State from Dec. 3.

FAIRBORN, Ohio (Interstat) — In a high-octane Horizon League clash defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive second-half surge, Wright State outlasted Youngstown State 93-83 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at the Ervin J. Nutter Center. A crowd of 4,724 saw the Raiders, led by a stellar performance from guard TJ Burch, improve to 12-7 overall. The Penguins, despite a valiant effort and prolific three-point shooting, fell to an even 9-9. The contest was a rematch of a Dec. 3 meeting won by Youngstown State 69-68, and the intensity carried over. The first half was a tightly contested affair, featuring 11 lead changes and five ties. Youngstown State leaned on its perimeter game, sinking 8 of 18 from beyond the arc before halftime, while Wright State countered by attacking the paint and the free-throw line. The Penguins took a narrow 43-42 lead into the break. The most important part of the game unfolded early in the second half. After Youngstown State’s Jason Nelson hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 46-46 with 18 minutes remaining, Wright State seized control with a 14-2 run over the next four minutes. The spurt was fueled by defensive pressure that generated turnovers and transition opportunities. Solomon Callaghan capped the run with a three-pointer, giving the Raiders a 60-48 advantage with 13:49 to play, their largest lead of the game to that point. Youngstown State, which entered the game as a 6.5-point underdog according to sportsbooks, refused to fold. The Penguins chipped away, closing to within 73-70 on a Vladimer Salaridze jumper with 7:01 left. But Wright State answered immediately and emphatically. Burch found Dominic Pangonis for a layup, and after a defensive stop, Burch converted a steal into a fast-break layup of his own, pushing the lead back to 77-70 and forcing a Youngstown State timeout. The Penguins would get no closer than five points the rest of the way as Wright State closed the game at the free-throw line, making 24 of 28 attempts overall. Burch, a junior from Dallas, was the catalyst for the Raiders, scoring 24 points and dishing out seven assists in 34 minutes. He added a block and two steals, consistently making plays in critical moments. Pangonis, from Toronto, contributed 17 points, while Kellen Pickett of Fort Wayne, Indiana, added 18 points and was a force inside. Youngstown State was led by Bryson Dawkins with 19 points. Salaridze, from Tbilisi, Georgia, tallied 17 points and four assists, and 7-foot center Imanuel Zorgvol of Paramaribo, Suriname, provided a strong interior presence with 11 points and four blocks off the bench. Statistically, the game was a study in contrasting styles. Youngstown State shot 44% from the field but were blistering from deep, making 14 of 32 three-point attempts (44%). However, they managed only four assists against 10 turnovers, struggling at times to generate clean looks within the flow of the offense. Wright State was more balanced and efficient, shooting 53% from the floor. Though they attempted only nine three-pointers, making five, they dominated points in the paint and capitalized on their trips to the line. The Raiders also shared the ball more effectively, recording 10 assists, and their defense produced 10 steals. The victory extended Wright State’s winning streak to four games. Youngstown State, which has lost three of its last four, will look to rebound quickly on the road at Cleveland State on Saturday. Wright State’s next contest is at home against Cleveland State on Jan. 21. The total score of 176 points far exceeded the pregame over/under line of 142, reflecting the offensive prowess both teams displayed. National Statistical’s ELO system had given Wright State a 69.7% probability to win, a forecast the Raiders fulfilled with their strong second-half execution.

FAIRBORN, Ohio (Interstat) — A pivotal Horizon League matchup awaits Thursday as the surging Wright State Raiders host the Youngstown State Penguins at the Ervin J. Nutter Center. Wright State (11-7, 5-2 Horizon) enters on a season-best six-game winning streak, including a decisive 94-84 road victory at Oakland last Sunday. The Raiders’ offense has found its rhythm, averaging 84.2 points during the streak. Guard Solomon Callaghan has been instrumental, erupting for a career-high 27 points in the Oakland win and averaging 17.2 points over the last five contests. Youngstown State (9-8, 3-4) seeks consistency after a 99-61 rout of Bryant & Stratton last Friday snapped a three-game skid. The Penguins’ recent league losses, however, have been narrow, with two defeats by a combined four points. Forward Bryson Dawkins is a key barometer; in Youngstown State’s last three wins, he averaged 18.7 points and 7.0 rebounds, including a 21-point, 8-rebound performance last week. This game is a quick rematch of a Dec. 3 thriller, which Youngstown State won 69-68 on its home floor. The Penguins have won the last two meetings overall. The Raiders will look to leverage home court advantage, where they are 6-2 this season, and continue their climb up the conference standings. The Penguins aim to replicate their defensive intensity from the first matchup and steal a critical road win to reach .500 in league play. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST Thursday. Wright State’s next game is at home against Cleveland State on Jan. 21. Youngstown State travels to face Cleveland State on Jan. 17.