FRIDAY’S GAME
Who: CSU Bakersfield at Wright State
What: Men Against Breast Cancer Classic
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Nutter Center
TV/Radio: ESPN3, 106.5-FM
Grant Benzinger has thrown himself wholeheartedly into playing the power-forward position for Wright State this season, but the 6-foot-3 junior couldn’t be faulted if he shuddered a bit when he took the floor against Toledo last week.
The Rockets started a 6-10 center and 6-9 forward and brought a 6-11 player off the bench. That meant Benzinger was dwarfed inside during the 82-78 defeat.
“It didn’t work out too well, but I’ve just got to compete and trust the coaches and trust they know what’s best,” he said.
The switch from wing to the 4-spot has its advantages, though. As challenging as it is for him to tangle with taller foes, front-court players don’t exactly relish having to keep up with him when he becomes a shooting threat on offense.
“We not only have to guard them, but they have to guard us, too. Putting a ‘big’ on a smaller guy is tough on them,” he said.
Benzinger proved that while producing his best game of the season, tallying the first double-double of his career with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes in a 109-54 win Monday over Ohio Dominican.
The Cincinnati Moeller product has been a deceptively good rebounder. His previous career high was nine, and he had 14 in an exhibition against Cedarville this season.
More importantly, he looked to be back in form from long range. He was 3-for-5 on 3-pointers after starting the season 2-for-12.
He shot 40.8 percent from the arc last season and 43.1 as a freshman. He acknowledged being concerned about his slow start.
“It bothered me. I had to keep trusting in it and putting in extra time, not just at practice, but on my own,” he said.
All Wright State players have 24-hour access to the practice facility on campus, and Benzinger has been going there each night to hoist extra shots.
He also changed his pregame routine, firing away from specific spots on the floor.
“I have lot of confidence, and it showed,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep doing it.”
The Raiders have been starting 6-8 Steven Davis with 6-5 Mark Alstork, 6-4 Justin Mitchell, 6-1 Mike La Tulip and Benzinger.
Davis is listed as a forward, but he can be found at the 3-point line almost as often as the perimeter players.
Only Mitchell, who is 1-for-2 on 3-pointers through four games, wouldn’t be considered a consistent long-distance scorer.
“It’s been one of our MO’s to try to at least have four guys on the floor who can shoot the basketball. The way we start, we do,” first-year coach Scott Nagy said. “We have four extremely good shooters, and Justin is probably one of the best drivers we have, and he’s physical and a great athlete.”
But that style means someone has to take on a power forward defensively, and the rugged Benzinger is best suited for that.
“If I was someone like Grant, I’d want to play the 4 because you’re going to get shots. It’s easier for him to get shots at the 4,” Nagy said. “The part where he’s taking one for the team is that he’s going to have to guard big guys like he did the other night against Toledo when they go big. But most people aren’t that big, quite frankly, and they don’t play that way.
“We’re a little bit smaller at that spot. But Grant’s a tough kid. He’s one of our best offensive rebounders. He’s really been chasing the ball hard. We’ve been real pleased with the way he’s been playing.”
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