ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (Interstat) — A dominant first-half performance and a career-high scoring effort from Kellen Pickett propelled Wright State to an 83-75 victory over Green Bay in a Horizon League men’s basketball game Sunday at the Resch Center.

The Raiders, who led by as many as 17 points in the opening period, withstood a fierce second-half rally from the Phoenix to secure the win before a crowd of 2,194. Wright State improved to 15-8 overall, while Green Bay fell to 12-11.

The most critical phase of the game was its outset, where Wright State established a commanding lead that Green Bay spent the rest of the afternoon trying to overcome. The Raiders opened the game on a 10-0 run, fueled by two quick baskets from Pickett and stifling defense that forced three Phoenix turnovers in the first three minutes. Green Bay did not score its first field goal until a Justin Allen jump shot with 15:10 remaining in the half, by which time they already trailed 10-3.

Wright State’s defensive pressure and efficient offense continued to build the advantage. The Raiders extended their lead to 17 points at 28-11 following a Solomon Callaghan 3-pointer with 9:47 left in the half. Green Bay, plagued by nine first-half turnovers and 38.5% shooting, could not mount a sustained counter. The Phoenix closed the gap slightly but entered halftime trailing 38-28.

Pickett, a 6-foot-9 forward from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the engine for Wright State, finishing with 21 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes. He set the tone early, winning the opening tip and scoring the game’s first two baskets. His interior presence was pivotal as the Raiders outscored Green Bay 34-30 in the paint.

Green Bay emerged from the break with renewed energy, spearheaded by CJ O’Hara and Marcus Hall. The Phoenix opened the second half on a 14-6 run, cutting the deficit to 44-42 on a Maruan Cicic layup with 17:47 to play. The Resch Center crowd roared to life as the home team threatened to erase the large deficit.

Every time Green Bay inched closer, however, Wright State had an answer. After the Phoenix pulled within two, the Raiders responded with a 7-0 spurt, capped by a Dominic Pangonis 3-pointer, to push the lead back to nine. The pattern repeated throughout the half. When a Preston Ruedinger jumper made it 71-68 with 1:35 remaining, Wright State closed the game by making 12 of 14 free throws in the final 1:04 to seal the victory.

O’Hara led Green Bay with 21 points. Hall added 18 points and five rebounds, while Ruedinger filled the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists. The Phoenix shot a blistering 62.1% in the second half but could not overcome their early mistakes, as Wright State converted nine Green Bay turnovers into 11 points.

Complementing Pickett for the Raiders was Callaghan with 15 points, all in the second half, including several key late free throws. Pangonis added 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks, and TJ Burch contributed 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Wright State’s precision at the foul line was a decisive factor, as they made 25 of 28 attempts.

The game was a contrast in styles. Wright State leveraged its defense and discipline, committing only four turnovers and capitalizing at the charity stripe. Green Bay, despite a more efficient shooting performance from the field overall, was undone by its early sloppiness and inability to get consistent stops in the final minutes.

Wright State, which entered as a 4.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, covered the spread. The total points scored, 158, went over the pregame over/under line of 144.5. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for the Raiders, who defeated Green Bay 86-58 on Dec. 7.

Wright State next travels to face Robert Morris on Wednesday. Green Bay will look to rebound on the road at Northern Kentucky, also on Wednesday.