The Youngstown State women’s basketball team used a tenacious defensive effort and a dominant performance on the offensive glass en route to a 75-59 win over Bryant on Sunday afternoon at the Beeghly Center.

The Penguins, who improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1999, forced 29 turnovers that led to 34 points and collected 15 steals.  YSU shot just 36.6 percent from the field but were aided by an impressive 20 offensive rebounds.

Not long ago, shooting that low of a percentage equalled automatic defeat for the Lady Penguins.  Credit coach Bob Boldon and his staff for working hard on rebounding to create second chances.

Senior Brandi Brown (above) led the Penguins with 26 points and 19 rebounds while freshman Shar’Rae Davis scored a career-high 23 points with five steals and four assists.

The Penguins used a 14-0 run late in the second half to extend a 49-47 lead at the 9:01 mark into an insurmountable 63-47 advantage with 5:29 left.  During the spurt, Brown and Davis combined for 12 of the 14 points.

Bryant would never cut the lead to under 12 the rest of the way and the Guins lead by as many as 18, 75-57, after Davis’ three-point play with 31 seconds left.

Bryant, who shot 52.2 percent from the field, falls to 0-4 and was led by Danielle Douglas and Naana Ankoma-Mensa, who had 14 points each.

The Penguins visit Miami (Ohio), Sunday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m.