Wright State Raiders

2005 Season Summary

The Wright State Raiders finished the 2004-05 season with a record of 15-15 straight up and 17-9-1 against the college basketball pointspreads in a classic example of how a mid major team from conferences such as the Horizon can often sneak under the radar as value-added bargains that are getting better odds than what is actually warranted.

Stumbled out of the gate

Wright State opened the 2005-06 season with an unlined 80-86 loss at Belmont. In their first appearance on the board at Toledo as 8-point dogs, the Raiders failed 53-64. Their problems continued with a 50-71 loss to Ball State as 3.5-chalks in their home opener as the Raiders stumbled out of the gate with a record of 0-3 straight up and 0-2 against the spread.

Consistent cash

So far Wright State had lulled the college basketball gambling masses to sleep with no tipoff as to their potential or ability to deliver profits. Their slow start coupled with their status as an anonymous mid major would actually serve to enhance their board value.

Wright State began to right the ship with a 46-54 loss at Miami-Ohio as an 11.5-point road dog for their first cover of the season. That was followed by a 69-58 win over Detroit as 1-point chalks. The profits briefly halted with a 42-62 loss at Northern Illinois as 7.5-point dogs. That was followed by a pair of unlined home wins over Belmont and Texas Pan-American.

Wright State resumed its cranking out of consistent cash in their next lined game, which was a 72-65 win over Northeastern in a home pick’em affair.

After a 58-55 loss at Cleveland State as 2-point chalks, the Raiders got back on track with a 77-63 win over Loyola Chicago as a 1-point chalk as Horizon League action kicked into high gear. That was followed by an 88-47 unlined home win over Kenyon College.

Back on the board at Youngstown State, Wright State scored a 64-40 blowout win as a 3-point dog as the Raiders got the cash for the sixth time in their last eight lined games.

Brief dip

In their next game at Wisconsin Green Bay, the Raiders scored a 44-57 loss as 1-point dogs to halt the string of profitable games. After a 54-61 loss at Wisconsin Milwaukee as 13.5-point bargain dogs, the Raiders scored a 57-62 home loss to Illinois-Chicago as 5-point chalks for a brief dip in which they lost two out of three to the sportsbooks.

Back on track

The losing wouldn’t last for long, however, as Wright State would continue to be one of the quietest values on the board starting with a 62-70 loss at Butler as 12-point dogs. That was followed by an 81-67 home win over Youngstown State as 6.5-point chalks. A third straight payoff occurred in a revenge home win over Wisconsin Milwaukee 59-54 as 5-point dogs and that was followed by a 59-49 win and cover over Wisconsin Green Bay as 8-point chalks.

The Raiders had made it four straight payoffs before the string was halted with a push at Detroit in a 66-70 loss as 4-point dogs. That was followed by another payoff, however, as Wright State got the cash in an 86-83 win over Butler in overtime as 3-point dogs.

Down and up

From that point on Wright State would follow and down and up pattern for the rest of the season starting with a 56-63 home loss to Cleveland State as 9.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 70-51 win at Bowling Green as 3-point dogs, which was the start of a three game road trip to finish the regular season.

Next was a 63-76 loss at Loyola-Chicago as 4.5-point dogs, which was fallowed by a 66-69 overtime loss at Illinois Chicago as 4-point dogs for a final payoff. In the Horizon League tournament, the Raiders lost to Illinois Chicago 64-77 as 3-point dogs to complete an otherwise profitable season with a loss.