Wright State, Hofstra, LIU Secure NCAA Bids in Conference Finals

In Indianapolis, top-seeded Wright State rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to defeat third-seeded Detroit Mercy 66-63 in the Horizon League championship game on Tuesday night, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history and the first appearance since 2022.

TJ Burch led the Raiders with 19 points, including 16 in the second half, as Wright State improved to 23-11. Kellen Pickett added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Michael Imariagbe contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. Reserve Logan Woods proved decisive late, hitting two 3-pointers in the final 2:11 to turn a tied score into a six-point lead that Detroit Mercy could not overcome. The Raiders' defense clamped down in the closing stretch, limiting the Titans to just three made field goals over the last 9:51.

For Detroit Mercy, which finished 17-15, the loss denied the program its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012. Orlando Lovejoy scored a game-high 26 points, and TJ Nadeau added 21, including a personal 10-0 run early in the second half that helped build a double-digit advantage. The Titans had advanced to the title game with a 70-64 semifinal victory...