Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Wright State fell behind early and never caught Northern Kentucky on Tuesday night.
The Norse topped the Raiders 77-66 in the Horizon League tournament final to claim the championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The teams shared the regular season title and split their two regular season meetings, but the rubber match was all NKU at Little Caesar’s Arena.
Jalen Tate scored 17 points to lead five Norse double-figure scorers.
Bill Wampler led Wright State with 16 points while Mark Hughes and Cole Gentry added 15 apiece.
The Raiders trailed by a many as 18 in the first half, but Loudon Love’s free throw cut Wright State’s deficit to nine points to open the second half.
NKU stretched it back out to 15 in short order via a pair of 3-point plays by Horizon League Player of the Year Drew McDonald, who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
The first 3-point play was of the old-fashioned variety, and the second came via a shot from behind the arc on a fast break.
The lead reached 16 at the 15:49 mark when Tyler Sharpe connected from 3-point range on the wing.
Hughes made a 3 and Gentry stole the ball and went for a fast-break layup to bring the Raiders within 11, but Dantez Walton splashed a pair of 3s to halt Wright State’s momentum.
