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Wright State Raiders

11/06/06
by Joe Dlugosz

The Wright State Raiders were a team of streaks last season, three times winning three or more games in a row and three times losing three or more games in a row.  Unfortunately for WSU, they ended their season on a losing streak, dropping four of their last five Horizon League games to finish seventh and then bowing out in the first round of the conference tournament.  Off-court troubles for head coach Paul Biancardi plagued the Raiders all season and had to take a toll.  Biancardi is now out and Brad Brownell steps in to try and revive the Raiders.  Brownell has had much success in the past and inherits a team that has some solid talent if not depth and size.

Brownell comes to Wright State after leading UNC-Wilmington to a four year record of 83-40.  Perhaps even more appealing to WSU fans, Brownell had a 9-2 mark in conference tournament play.

Leading the way for the Raiders are a pair of seniors.  DaShaun Wood, the 5’11” point guard, is the heart of the Raiders attack.  Wood was named to the Horizon League first team and all-defensive team a season ago and notched pre-season first team honors this year.  Wood was fourth in the league in scoring at nearly 18 points a game and added 4.7 assists per game, good for fourth in the league.  The gritty competitor even notched better than four rebounds a contest.  Wood’s shooting percentage took a bit of a tumble last season as he tried to do a little bit too much at times.  He should climb back up and hit better than the 27% from three-point range that he did last season.

Fellow senior, 6’6” forward Drew Burleson is worthy of an all-league mention but failed to land on the pre-season squads.  He may not be overlooked at the end of the season, though.  Burleson averaged better than 12 points and five rebounds a game last season and is the club’s the top returning three-point shooter.  With his size and skill, he can move people around in the paint or step outside and hit a jump shot.

Jordan Pleimann established himself last season as one of the better post players in the league.  Pleimann averaged better than ten points a game, shooting 57% from the floor.  The 6’8” senior also snagged 6.7 rebounds a game, seventh in the Horizon League.  

Junior Scottie Wilson saw about 13 minutes of action per contest last season.  With depth concerns in the frontcourt at the forefront of potential problems for the Raiders, Wilson will need to step up and become more of a force.  When given the opportunity last season Wilson responded positively.  In games in which he played 25 or more minutes Wilson averaged better than seven points and five rebounds, more than double his season averages.  Freshman wing Todd Brown could find himself seeing some minutes up front as well.  The 6’5” 190-pounder is an athletic player that is said to have a decent looking shot.

Returning alongside Wood in the backcourt are senior Tyrone Scott and sophomore Will Graham.  Scott averaged nearly seven points a game and hit the second most three-pointers on the Raiders.  Graham saw action in all 28 games for the Raiders last season, starting 18 contests.  Though he never lit up the stat sheet, Graham gained valuable experience and should improve upon his numbers this season.

Freshman guard Vaughn Duggins came over with coach Brownell from UNC-Wilmington.  The 6’3” 180-pounder was considered by some recruiting sources among the top ten players in the state of Indiana, a list that included Ohio State freshmen Greg Oden and Mike Conley.  The athletic Duggins has been called a smart player with a good shot and should see plenty of time this season.  Fellow freshman Eric Stevenson is the Raiders point guard of the future.

The Raiders faded down the stretch last season, perhaps partly because of the heavy minutes incurred by lack of depth.  Those issues aren’t exactly resolved this season and there are other concerns in the frontcourt where the depth drops after Burleson and Pleimann.  Talent-wise, the Raiders can trot out a starting five that can compete with anyone in the Horizon League but games will be won and lost this season for the Raiders when those guys are getting rest or facing foul trouble.  

The Raiders have enough horses to finish in the top half of the league and, with a few breaks, even crack the upper third but lack of height and depth will be issues.  However, with Brownell at the helm, it may be just a matter of time before the Raiders are annually cracking the top three of the conference. 

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