MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — In a Horizon League men’s basketball rematch decided by a dominant first half, the Wright State Raiders withstood a furious second-half rally from the Milwaukee Panthers to secure a 76-69 victory on Friday night at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The Raiders, who also defeated Milwaukee 76-70 on Jan. 1, swept the season series and improved to 14-8 overall. The Panthers fell to 9-14.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the opening 20 minutes, where Wright State built an insurmountable lead. The Raiders came out with stifling defensive energy, forcing eight Milwaukee turnovers in the first half and converting them into easy transition opportunities. Offensively, they were efficient and balanced, shooting 48.5 percent from the floor before halftime.

Guard TJ Burch set the tone early for Wright State. The Dallas native scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the first half, including a steal and driving layup on the game’s first possession. His activity disrupted Milwaukee’s offensive flow and helped fuel a 17-4 run that gave the Raiders a commanding 30-12 lead with just over eight minutes remaining in the period.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, struggled mightily against Wright State’s pressure. The Panthers shot just 32 percent in the first half and managed only two assists against their eight turnovers. Standout guard Amar Augillard of Zion, Illinois, shouldered the scoring load with 10 first-half points, but received little consistent support as the Panthers went into the break trailing 36-26.

The second half presented a stark contrast. Milwaukee emerged from the locker room with renewed purpose, spearheaded by Augillard and point guard Isaiah Dorceus. Augillard finished with a game-high 19 points, while Dorceus orchestrated the comeback attempt, dishing out seven of his game-high seven assists after halftime.

The Panthers chipped away at the deficit throughout the half, using a 12-4 run to close to within 52-46 with 9:58 remaining. Milwaukee’s defensive intensity increased, led by the rim protection of Milwaukee native Sekou Konneh, who blocked four shots. Konneh also provided a late offensive spark, scoring all nine of his points in the second half, including a dunk and a 3-pointer in the final 90 seconds that twice cut the lead to seven.

However, every time Milwaukee threatened, Wright State had an answer. Following Konneh’s 3-pointer that made it 74-67 with 1:38 left, the Raiders effectively managed the clock and sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Alongside Burch’s 18 points, Wright State received significant contributions from forward Dominic Pangonis of Toronto, who scored 16 points, and guard Michael Cooper of Jeffersonville, Indiana, who added 13 points off the bench. Solomon Callaghan of Wadsworth, Ohio, chipped in 12 points, including four crucial free throws in the final minute.

For Milwaukee, Aaron Franklin of Kansas City, Missouri, joined Augillard in double figures with 13 points. The Panthers’ second-half surge saw them outscore Wright State 43-40 and shoot 51.6 percent from the field after the break, but the early hole proved too deep to escape.

The game, played before a crowd of 3,174, saw Wright State outperform its pregame projection as a slight 1.5-point favorite. The combined score of 145 points fell under the over/under line of 150.5.

Wright State looks to continue its momentum on the road at Green Bay on Sunday. Milwaukee will aim to regroup at home against Cleveland State, also on Sunday.