Brandi Brown scored 20 points and gathered 10 rebounds to record her eighth double-double of the season (the 35th of her career) and scored in double digits for the 47th time in 51 games.  Statistically speaking, it almost sounds like Brown could be the Horizon League Player of The Year.  Youngstown State jumped on the back of a familiar horse in Brown, to get by Valparaiso, 64-58.

When told after the game it was her 35th double-double, Brown could only say, “Wow, I did not know I had that many.”

“This was different pressure tonight because we are usually not expected to win.  We know we have to play hard regardless of whether we are a favorite to win or an underdog”, said Brown.

Brown tallied six first half points to lead the Penguins to a one-point advantage at the midway buzzer, 21-20.  The Penguins were their own worst enemy in the half, despite having a lead.  Shooting 1-12 from three-point range and 39.1% from the field, YSU did not convert any Valparaiso turnovers into points.  The Crusaders got eight first half points from Laura Richards.  Valpo struggled as badly as YSU in the opening stanza shooting only 32%.

In the second half, YSU opened a ten point lead, 38-28, with 12:09 remaining in the game.  Monica Touvelle hit a three from the corner to supply the margin.  Valpo (5-16, 1-9) closed in a bit going on a 5-0 run to make it 38-33, but Kelsea Fickiesen went on her own little 5-0 run to push the lead back to a comfortable ten points.

Tabitha Gerardot did her best to keep her Crusaders in the game.  Gerardot scored 10 points over a five minute span that found Valparaiso trailing only 54-52 with 3:16 left in the game.  Kenya Middlbrooks hit the dagger free throws to make it 60-55 with 13 seconds to go to secure the lead and the game for Youngstown State (10-11, 5-6).  She went back to the line with a 60-58 lead and promptly drilled another pair for insurance.

It was not an easy game on the eyes.  Both teams struggled at points, Youngstown State was just able piece together more in streaks and runs at a time than Valparaiso.

For the Penguins, Brown paved the way with 20 points.  Touvelle, who finished with 11 points, and Fickiesen, who contributed 9 markers, did a good job scoring in the clutch when it seemed the Penguins were in peril.

“I was a little frustrated tonight”, said Coach Boldon.  “It is hard to play good after the great atmosphere we had here Saturday night with two teams playing great basketball to go into a weeknight game where at times, we played okay.  Success is something we are still learning here.  There is not a whole lot of winning on the resumes of our players.”

Gerardot was sensational in the second half scoring all of her 15 points.  She also gathered 9 rebounds for the Crusaders. Valpo only used six players the entire game. Ashley Timmerman contributed 14 points for Valpo.

The Penguins return to action at home on Saturday afternoon when they will square off against Butler.  The game will be followed by The Game of Hope that Tony Spano has been working his butt off coordinating.