Raiders, you did al(W)right

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Wright State Raiders forward Michael Imariagbe (33) drives to the basket against Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso (33) during the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images No. 14 Wright State fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to No.

3 Virginia, 82-73, after a spirited upset effort that put the nation on notice. The young Raiders turned the Cavaliers over, made tough shots, and competed on the glass all afternoon to stay in the game from end-to-end, showing poise well beyond their years, despite the result. “There are certain things as a coach that I will learn from which I will be thankful for in time, but these guys, in terms of their effort, we told them early, nobody cares that you’re freshmen.

You have no excuses not to step onto the stage with great expectation for yourself, and we always encourage them to make choices,” Wright State head coach Clint Sargent said. “Don’t give in to the emotion of the game; you just continue to make choices. That’s part of being a man.

Make choices, and I thought they did that really throughout all the ebbs and flows of the game. ” Wright State freshman guard Michael Cooper and sophomore guards TJ Burch and Solomon Callaghan combined for 46 points, hitting timely buckets for a majority of the game to give Wright State a chance. Equally as important, led by Burch with five, the trio accounted for seven steals, in a team defensive effort which resulted in 14 Virginia turnovers.