For the first time in over ten years, the Youngstown State University men’s basketball program is undefeated after their first three games of 2011.  Kendrick Perry, Ashen Ward, and Damian Eargle helped the Penguins overcome a sluggish first half to defeat UC-Riverside, 53-49, in overtime on Friday night.  The overtime win was YSU’s first since 2001.  They had been 0-11 in overtime games before this victory.

“This was not our best shooting night, but it was a very strong defensive effort”, said Coach Jerry Slocum after the win.  “That is as good as a defensive team that we faced tonight as any team in our conference.  It is nice to be 3-0 and we go on the road for six of our next eight games.  This is a fun group, I am very proud of them.”

In the first half, the Penguins could not get much to fall.  As a team, YSU shot only 25% from the floor, 25% from 3-point land, and 43% from the free throw line.  Fortunately for the Penguins, UC-Riverside struggled just as badly in the first half.  When the buzzard sounded to end the half, YSU held a 21-19 lead.  Ward knocked down eight points and DuShawn Brooks (below) had seven boards for the home team at the break.  The Highlanders did not score the last 2:59 of the opening half, and  Phil Martin paced UC-Riverside with seven points at the break.

Brooks, a senior, was a hero despite a 1-15 shooting performance.  He blocked a shot forcing a change of possession, he had 14 rebounds, he hustled until the whistle was blown, and most importantly, never got rattled by his off-night on offense.

“I am as proud of DuShawn tonight as I have ever been.  He had a big block for us, and even though he was not hitting his shots, he kept his head in the game and stepped up to battle through it”, said Slocum of Brooks’ efforts.

“It was a win.  It could be ugly, pretty, it doesn’t matter, it’s a win”, claimed Brooks.  “I am motivated to win and I am a senior now, so I am not worried if my shots are not falling, eventually they will.”

In the second half, the Penguins went on an 8-0 run.  Trailing 27-24, YSU reeled off the eight uncontested points to take a 32-24 lead with 16:41 left in the game.  Credit the scoring chances to a vicious full-court press that Coach Jerry Slocum unveiled.  Ward started to get going and the Penguins were clicking, for awhile.

With 6:14 left in the game, Martin grabbed a rebound of a partially blocked shot and slammed it back through making it 37-37.  Following a Perry free throw, Eargle blocked a shot, but the Penguins could not convert.  The refs seemed to have more control over the game than either team as they made some pretty iffy calls – both ways.

With the score tied at 40 and 2:01 left in the game, Eargle hit a big pair of free throws to put YSU ahead by two.  Martin hit a prayer jumper with the shot clock on one second to tie the game at 42 apiece.  UC-Riverside brought the ball up and tried to get the ball down low, but Eargle blocked the attempted shot and the Penguins regained possession on a shot clock violation with six seconds left.  The Penguins got the ball back in a tie game with six seconds left.  Brooks inbounded to Perry who could not get through traffic or get a quality shot off forcing overtime.

In the extra session with the teams tied at 46, Martin got a shot off in a crowded lane and was fouled with 1:52 left in the game.  He converted the ‘and-one’ to give Riverside a three-point lead.  With 41.8 seconds left and the ‘Guins down three, Eargle was fouled on a rebound.  The foul was on Kevin Bradshaw, his fifth.  Eargle was sent to the line where he hit a pair of charity tosses to cut the deficit to one.  Perry penetrated and was fouled to go to the line, where he hit a pair to give YSU a one-point lead at 50-49 with 20 seconds left in the game.  Riverside drove, missed a shot, Brooks grabbed a rebound, and was fouled with 1.4 seconds left.  To add to the ending, the UC-Riverside bench got whistled for a technical foul.  After Brooks missed the first free throw, Jim Woolridge, the UC coach got tossed.  His exit looked like something out of a WWE script.  Pouty face, yelling at the refs, playing the crowd…

Nonetheless, YSU hit some free throws off of all of the free advertising sponsored by Woolridge to cement the victory.

Ward was the top scorer for the Penguins, finishing with 15 points.  Eargle blocked 8 shots and chipped in with 11 points.  Martin had 16 for the Highlanders taking their top-scoring honors.

YSU is just five games away from school victory #1,000.