Cleveland State, Wright State pick up WBI wins, Butler concludes season with WNIT loss

WBI Bracket

WNIT Bracket

INDIANAPOLIS--Top-Seeded Cleveland State and Wright State picked up wins in the opening round of the WBI on Wednesday as the Vikings downed IPFW, 73-62, and the Raiders knocked off Buffalo, 82-79.

Senior Shawnita Garland, the Horizon League Co-Defensive Player of the Year, led the Vikings with a game-high 27 points and a season-high tying six assists and five rebounds to help CSU to its first postseason win.

Cleveland State advances to the quarterfinals of the WBI and will play fifth-seeded Chicago State, a 73-64 winner over fourth-seeded Eastern Illinois tonight. The game will be played on Saturday, March 19, in the Wolstein Center at a time to be determined.

The Vikings improved to 21-11 overall with the win, while the Mastadons concluded their season at 20-11.

Junior Molly Fox led the Raiders with a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds, while seniors LaShawna Thomas and TaMyra Davis contributed 18 and 14, respectively.

Junior Maria Bennett knocked down four three-pointers, setting a single-season record 88 threes in the process.

The win improved Wright State's record to 20-12, giving the Raiders the most wins they have had in a season since moving up to Division I for the 1987-88 season.

Wright State will also advance to the quarterfinals and will play the winner of Thursday’s game between Manhattan (22-9) and Sacred Heart (18-12) at 2pm ET in the Nutter Center.

Also on Wednesday, Butler concluded its successful season with a 68-48 loss to Wisconsin in the first round of the WNIT, finishing the season at 20-14.

Butler was led by senior Brittany Bowen, who scored 14 points before fouling out late in the game. Seniors Azjah Bass and Chloe Hamilton added 12 and 11 points, respectively.