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Youngstown State University and Butler came into a basketball game with nearly identical records.  They played nearly an identical first half on the stat sheets, and consequently, this game went right down to the wire.  When the dust cleared and the threes finally finished flying, Butler came away with a 65-63 win.  Mandy McDivitt hit a big three with 2.3 seconds left to provide the difference in the game that could have really gone either way.

“Give her [McDivitt] credit”, exclaimed Boldon after the game.  “She made, in my opinion, a very tough shot.  From a purist perspective, it is a nice moment that she will remember for the rest of her life.  From my perspective, it stinks.”

In the first half, YSU opened the lead to as big as eight, but the Bulldogs erased the deficit and took a halftime lead of 29-27.  Heidi Schlegel had nine points to lead the Lady Penguins scoring attack.  Brandi Brown had eight on 3-4 shooting and a pair of free throws.  Butler got ten first half points out of Devin Brierly and nine more out of Mandy McDivitt.  Statistically, the first half stats showed that the records of these two teams wasn’t the only thing they had in common.  Butler chucked up 17 threes, while the Penguins attempted 15.  Neither team attempted more than four first half free throws and both seemed reliant on the long ball.

In the second half, Butler changed up the defensive scheme and they were using a full-court press to slow YSU down.  It worked as the Penguins scrambled to cross mid-court and had about half of the normal time on the shot clock to run their half court offense.  Butler opened the second half with an 11-3 run and by the time the second half was below ten minutes, the Bulldogs held a 50-43 lead.    Brierly and McDivitt were getting their threes to fall to increase the lead over that period of time.

Macey Nortey connected on a three with 9:20 to go in the game to make it 50-46.  Sarah Hamm hit a bucket for Butler with just over two minutes to go in the game that stretched the lead to 58-55, but the next trip up the floor, the Lady Penguins tied the game at 58 on a three from Monica Touvelle.  Hamm regained the lead fo Butler with another layup to make it 60-58.

Kenya Middlebrooks, aka ‘Miss Clutch’ lately, drilled a three with just over a minute to go in the game to give YSU their first lead since the first half, but it was short-lived as Butler was able to work the post for another easy deuce to regain a 62-61 lead.  With 28 seconds left in the game and the Penguins trailing by just one, Brown drove to the hoop and was fouled.  The Horizon League Preseason Player of The Year promptly swished two charity tosses to give her team the 63-62 lead.  Butler failed to score and with nine seconds left in the game, Schlegel was fouled.  Schlegel missed the front end of the one-and-one.  Butler rebounded and McDivitt hit a big three to give the Bulldogs a a two-point lead with 2.3 seconds remaining.

YSU inbounded to half court where Brown caught the ball and quickly dished it to Nortey on the right between the circles.  Nortey, with pressure in her face, could not get the ball to an open Middlebrooks in the right corner with enough time to get a shot off and Butler survived the last-ditch effort.

The Penguins got 23 points from Brown, who again provided the majority of the spark for the Penguins offense.  Schlegel (above) finished the game with 13 markers. Kenya Middlebrooks had a balanced effort for the Penguins as she scored 7 points, had 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

Butler got good production out of tgeir senior guard, Brierly, who finished the contest with 22 points.  McDivitt played big off of the Bulldog bench, contributing 18 points.

“We wanted to take Hamm out of the game”, said Boldon.  “We were successful in doing so but we were not able to stop everything else, they beat us in other ways.  You pick and choose your battles and it this loss is still a part of the process.”

The Lady Penguins hit the road for a pair of games, heading to UIC and Loyola.  They return home to face Milwaukee on February 16.

The Youngstown State swimming and diving team finished up their home season on Friday against UIC at Beeghly Natatorium. Freshman Ashley Dow broke two pool records and junior Casey Hill continued her dominance in the diving events.

The Penguins honored their seniors Nishani Cicilson, Audy Grubbs, Kirstin Walker and Katie Wolf prior to the meet (above).

On the night, YSU won six events in a 166-133 dual loss to the Flames.  Dow ecplished two pool records to earn first place in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke clocking a times of 58.61 seconds and 2:06.65 respectively.

Hill finished in first in the one- and three-meter dive with scores of 260.84 and 262.35. With those wins, she earned her 17 and 18 diving wins of the season.

Sophomore Megan Ciampa earned first in the 500- and 1000-yard freestyle with times of 5:20.25 and 10:49.71, respectively. Grubbs finished in second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:22.00.

Sophomores Laura Paz and Kim Kurtz took first and second in the 200-yard butterfly with times of 2:12.75 and 2:24.02, respectively.  In the 50-yard free, Cicilson was less than a second away from first, earning second place with a time of 25.03 seconds. She also took fourth in the 100 fly.  Junior Sam Roberts finished in second the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke with times of 1:08.48 and 2:26.72.

The Penguins finished in second place in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:51.18. The squad was comprised of Dow, sophomore  Angela Diorio, sophomore Laura Paz and Cicilson. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the team of Paz, Grubbs, junior Soriah Davis and Walker finished in second with a time of 1:41.70.  Diorio finished in second in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:17.06.  Walker and Grubbs captured second and third place in the 200-yard free with times of 1:58.00 and 1:58.98, respectively. Walker also took third in the 100 free (54.66).

In the 1000 free, sophomores Brittany Vigar and Kim Kurtz took third and fourth with times of 11:06.09 and 11:25.03, respectively. Paz earned third place in the 100 fly.

YSU will host its annual Diving Invitational on Sunday at 11 a.m. The next full-team action will be at the Horizon League Championships on Feb. 22 in Brown Deer, Wis.

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.

Foundation of the Mahoning Valley is presenting “The Game of Hope Charity Basketball Classic” on Saturday, February 4 at 4:30 p.m. at YSU’s Beeghly Center, proudly sponsored by Chesapeake Energy. The game, which raises money for chronically/terminally ill children so that they may have the experience generally afforded other healthy children, is open to the public with tickets $6 each.

This year, Jim Davis (Austintown Township Trustee & Board of Trustee-Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley) and Stan Boney (WYTV Evening News Anchor) will match coaching strategy as honorary head coaches for their respective teams. As in past years, both teams are comprised of local celebrities, dignitaries and media members from the area with the game set to be taped and broadcast on various cable outlets throughout Northeast Ohio on Sunday, Feb. 26.  Check  the official website for channel listings.

Those comprising “Team Boney” include Frank J. Lellio Jr, (Owner, Rossi Brothers & Lellio Funeral Home), Joe Schiavoni (State Senate-33rd district of Ohio), John Gocala Jr,. (Boardman Police Department), Ken Johnson (GM-V & M Star), Mary DeGenaro (Judge-Seventh District Court of Appeals), Nick Graham (Assistant Prosecutor-City of Warren), Pete Esparra (HM Partners-2012 Nominate A Player Honoree), Ray Housteau (The Amazing Race, Season 7), Stacie Cepin (Teacher/Basketball Coach-Austintown Local Schools), Timmy Bowser (YSU Student) & Tom Seifert (Minutemen Press).

Dr. Cynthia Anderson, President of Youngstown State University will Assist Team Boney, while Frank Frattaroli, director of marketing for the area Belleria Pizza chain will serve as Team Owner.

Team Davis consists of Amy Nilsson (Teacher-Howland Local Schools), Andrew Scarmack (Teacher-Austintown Local Schools), Bob Wolleben (CEO-Trumbull Memorial Hospital), Chris Jaskiewicz (COO-Evets Oil and Gas Construction), Deana Shade-Housteau (The Amazing Race, Season 7), Dorothy Bowers-Collins (Director-Eastern Gateway Community College), George Dimos (Owner-TanFastic Tanning Salon), Jeff Ryznar (VP-Phizzle, Inc), Matt Morrone (Assistant Athletic Director-YSU Athletics), and Shawn Jordan (Sports Reporter-My Valley Sports).

Assisting Team Davis as Assistant coach will be Dr. Laura Meeks, President of Eastern Gateway Community College with Rey Esparra, Director of Client Advocacy for GBS Computers serving as team owner.

Bob Hannon, CEO of the United Way of Youngstown/Mahoning Valley once again call the play-by-play with Chad Krispinsky, Sports Anchor, My Valley Sports and Lauran Lindvig (WFMJ Anchor) adding color commentary, while Chrissy Patrick from MIX 98.9 Morning Show will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the 4^rd straight year.

Pastor Michael Harrison from United Baptist Church in Youngstown, Ohio and Sarah Turner-National Recording Artist will preside over pre-game ceremonies.  In addition, the Hope Foundation will honor our Charter Class of Hall of Fame inductees – two highly recognizable names from YSU that are equated success in their respective sports. The charter class includes the late Dom Rosselli, former YSU men’s basketball and baseball coach and Ed DiGregorio, former YSU women’s basketball coach.

Other activities planned include performance by the Cheer Time Athletics Dance Teams; $5 for $50 half-court shot and visits from members of the 910^th Airlift Reserve Stations, Ronald McDonald, and mascots for all in attendance to enjoy. The event will also have its own concession stand during the event with part of the proceeds earmarked for the Game of Hope.

The event is proudly sponsored by television stations WKBN 27 First News & FOX Youngstown; WYTV & MyYTV; radio stations 95.9 KISS, 93.3 “THE WOLF” and News Radio 570 WKBN; UAW Locals 1112 & 1714; Refresh Dental, NEOEA (North Eastern Ohio Education Association); Time Warner Cable and the Lamar Advertising Company.

** Photos Courtesy of Ron Stevens

Sophomore Kendrick Perry scored a career-high 30 points and led the Youngstown State men’s basketball team to a 73-65 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday evening at U.S. Cellular Arena.  Perry, who connected on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor and made four 3-pointers, is the first player to score 30 points since DeAndre Mays scored 30 in 2010 and the first sophomore to score at least 30 points since Mike Alcorn posted 35 points in 1992.

Senior DuShawn Brooks and junior Damian Eargle each scored 14 points while senior Ashen Ward grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.  With the win, the Guins improve to 12-9 overall and 7-4 in the Horizon Leauge and move into sole possession of third place in the league standings.

The 12 wins are the most since the 14 victories in 2006-07 and the seven league victories match a team high since joining the league in 2001-02. The Penguins won seven league games in 2006-07 and in 2008-09.

The Panthers led by one, 24-23, with five minutes left in the first half, but a 3-pointer by Nate Perry, a triple by Ward, and another 3-pointer by Nate Perry sparked a 9-0 run and put the Guins up, 32-24, with 2:53 to go.  Kendrick Perry, who scored 16 of his 30 points in the second half, canned three straight free throws to put the Guins up nine, 35-26, before a Paris Gulley tip-in with one second left cut the Penguins lead to 35-27 at the half.

YSU began the second half on an 8-2 run to built its lead to 13 points, 43-30, after a layup by Fletcher Larson with 17:12 to go.  After the Panthers cut the deficit to nine, Brooks, who scored 11 points in the second half, started an 13-5 run with a 3-pointer and ended it with a layup to give the Guins an 18-point lead, 61-43, with 6:48 remaining.  Milwaukee whittled the lead down to six, 67-61, with 1:55 to go, but two free throws by Perry, a dunk and two free throws by Eargle sealed the game for the Penguins.

YSU will continue their three-game road trip against UIC, Thursday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m. in Chicago, Ill.

The role players have arguably been responsible for the dramatic turnaround for this years Youngstown State Lady Penguins basketball team.  Everyone knew that Brandi Brown was good, and Coach Bob Boldon said at the beginning of the year that others will have to step up as teams sharpen their focus on shutting down Brown.  Kenya Middlebrooks, a senior, has done exactly that.  Middlebrooks now holds the record for three-pointers made in a game with eight treys and finished with 30 points against Detroit, not too shabby for a ‘role player’.

Paneech: Let’s start out by talking about this season.  Has it been as big a success as you and your fellow Lady Penguins would have hoped for?

Middlebrooks: I think that season has been a successful one because we have a little more experience.  This is the coaches second year and we were able to adapt to what he wants from us and pass that along to the incoming players.

Paneech: You played under Cindy Martin.  It was not a productive period in YSU basketball history.  Enter Coach Boldon, new assistants, and a new system.  How hard is it to buy in with a changing of the guard?

Middlebrooks: It’s very difficult because you went two years putting all of your trust into a coach and a system.  Our record did not reflect what we wanted to accomplish. With Coach Boldon, I kind of took on a different role and had to learn to shoot threes because that is what his system incorporates.  It was difficult to learn, but it is nice to see results.

Paneech: You mentioned three-pointers.  You have that big square net device that rebounds the ball and you shoot sometimes 100 of those threes toward that thing before or after any given practice.  Do you ever see that apparatus in your mind during a game?

Middlebrooks: (laughs) No, we don’t visualize it during a game.  We have a couple of different things that we use including that particular piece of equipment.  We also use a machine that will measure the arc of our shots to make sure we are getting the right amount of height on a shot.  I never really thought about arc a couple of years ago, it was more ‘shoot if you are open’, now we concentrate on threes because we are more reliant on them.

Paneech: How “in-tune” is this staff with the players? I know if I ask Coach Boldon why Brandi sneezed in the second half, he would give me an accurate and honest answer.

Middlebrooks: We are very in-tune.  This second year has been much easier.  We have gotten to know all of them a bit better during the offseason.  During the season, we work very hard with them on different drills.  I would say that we know them pretty good and they know us just as well.

Paneech: In high school, were you the best player on your team?  Also, do you think when people get to the college level that they can’t all be the best player on a team anymore?

Middlebrooks: I played my high school ball in Toledo and was a pretty decent player. It wasn’t really that difficult of a transition because when players get to the college level, I don’t feel that they come with a big ego.  You adapt to a role and the coaches tell you what contribution they expect from you.  I didn’t even know about this place when I was a senior in high school.  My head coach knew Bernard Scott and sent him a tape.  I came to see the campus and was offered a scholarship, who was I not to take it? (laughs)

Paneech: This team has been labeled by the Horizon League as a lemon.  Brandi Brown gets named Horizon League Preseason Player of The Year, and your team gets picked to finish last.  Winning games, the role players have been the difference, agree?

Middlebrooks: Brandi is always a key factor because we always get things going through her.  I don’t think it is an issue though, when our shots fall, we are winning games.  When they don’t fall, we have to get back in the gym and continue working on our shots.

Paneech: Who is your best friend on this team and why?

Middlebrooks: I call her ‘babe’, and she is Macey Nortey.  We have grown up together since freshman year in the dorms.  We have been through a lot as far as different coaching staffs and players coming after us and leaving before us.  She is my best friend, and I can tell her anything, I love her.

Paneech: What are your reflections of Youngstown State University?

Middlebrooks: I really love it here.  People say a lot of bad things about this area, but the campus is great, small enough that I can get to class pretty quickly and the weather is the same as Toledo.  There are a lot of different cultures here though and I have really enjoyed my time here.  My grades are in the A-B range, I will be graduating in May.  Then I will try to find a job in social work in the Youngstown area or Toledo.

Paneech: In the past, you had the famous obstruction on your face, the glasses.  Now that Heidi Schlegel and Kelsea Fickiesen are around with their face shields, has the pressure been removed?

Middlebrooks: I have worn the goggles since my freshman year of high school.  I have had plenty of time to adjust and everything is the same, I am used to them.  My last coach wanted me to wear contacts so bad, but I like to be a little different on the court and having the goggles on makes me different.

Paneech: It is a hard balance for today’s student athlete to keep the grades up and to keep the performance level up, a very demanding pair of requirements.  What is a typical day like?

Middlebrooks: Well, I wake up, go to class then go to practice and then get to back to class.  I then go to either the library or the lab in Cushwa to study.  I get done at about nine, then I head to the dorm and continue to do more work.  I am usually up until 11.  I call home everyday and I like to cook a lot.

Paneech: Yeah?  What do you like to cook?

Middlebrooks: Oh man… anything.  Beef stew, steaks, chicken, pork chops — just a whole bunch of fattening foods.  I like to cook greens and cornbread.

Paneech: What are you watching on television?

Middlebrooks: I have shows that I watch weekly or daily.  I watch Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy.  I like Jersey Shore, any real-world show.  I used to watch American Idol, but now I only watch when they have the auditions at the beginning.

Paneech: Interesting, Desperate Housewives.  So if you were to equate the characters on that show to people on your team and coaches you who would play what roles?

Middlebrooks: Susan Delfino (Teri Hatcher) would be Heidi Schlegel.  Liz Hornberger would probably be Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross).  Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) is a tough one, I would say Tierra Jones could fit that role.  Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) would definitely be Brandi.  If you watch Brandi, she loves clothes, nails, all that stuff, just like Mrs. Solice.  Coach Boldon would probably fit the role of a Tom Scavo because he has kids and his life revolves around them and he loves them very much.  Coach Schrader loves to gossip, she is great, but she could be Mrs McClusky.

One Word Answers With Kenya Middlebrooks

Favorite Color: Purple.

Favorite Breakfast Food: Hot Pizza.

Fast Food Order: Smoky Bones – Smoked Wings, Ribs, Fries, and Cornbread.

Favorite Drink: Blue Gatorade.

Worst Class Here: Psychology.

Best Class Here: Human Behavior I & II.

Worst Habit: Biting My Nails.

NBA Player: Dwayne Wade.

Dream Destination: Jamaica.

One Bad Thing In The World Worth Changing: Homelessness.

Biggest Phobia: Snakes.

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team will visit Ohio Valley Conference member Austin Peay in the 2012 Sears BracketBusters announced on Monday evening.

The Penguins (11-9, 6-4 Horizon) and Governors (9-14, 6-4 OVC) have met 14 times while the Guins were members of the OVC, but have not faced each other since 1988.  Youngstown State owns an 8-6 advantage in the all-time series but the Governors have won the last four meetings.  YSU has not won in Clarksville, Tenn., since a 62-57 victory on Feb. 16, 1984.

The Penguins own a 4-4 record in BracketBusters games and are 1-0 against the Ohio Valley Conference, defeating Eastern Kentucky, 66-61, on Feb. 17, 2007.

Dates and times for the game will be announced at a later date, but the location is set, as well as the matchup.

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team (11-9, 6-4 Horizon League) embarks on its longest trek of the season – a seven-day, three-game road trip – when it visits Milwaukee, Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (EDT) and will be broadcast on 570 WKBN-AM.

This is the 31st meeting between Youngstown State and Milwaukee in an all-time series that dates back to 1972. Milwaukee leads the series 24-6. The Guins snapped a four-game losing streak to the Panthers with a 68-66 win on Jan. 20 at the Beeghly Center. The last time the Penguins won in Milwaukee was a 68-65 win on Dec. 10, 2006. The last time YSU swept the season series against Milwaukee was during the 2006-07 season.

After Milwaukee, the Penguins travel to UIC for a Thursday night game.  The road trip ends on Sunday with a game at Loyola which tips off at 2 p.m.

If the Penguins are to have any shot at winning the Horizon League, they need to win at least two out of these three games as Butler and Valparaiso loom next week for a pair of big home games.

In front of the fourth largest crowd in the history of the Beeghly Center (6,311), Youngstown State couldn’t get synchronized and fell to Cleveland State, 67-47.  The Vikings played great defense and the Penguins, as Coach Jerry Slocum said at the post-game press conference, ‘self-imploded’.  The Penguins struggled mightily from behind the arc in this one, going 4-24.

“We got beat in every facet of this game tonight”, said Slocum.  “I don’t think we handled the moment very well.  We played outside of our basketball IQ and they didn’t play any different than they did the first time.”

In the first half, things were tight with Cleveland State holding a 15-12 lead with eight minutes played.  The Vikings would close out the half with a 26-7 run to establish a commanding 41-19 lead at the half.  Cleveland State applied full-court pressure almost the entire first half, which didn’t seem to bother YSU as much as the Penguins struggling to run their normal half-court sets in half the time.

Only five Penguins, the starters, (Damian Eargle, Ashen Ward, DuShawn Brooks, Kendrick Perry and Blake Allen) scored in the first half.  The Penguins were a dismal 2-14 from behind the arc.  Conversely, Cleveland State was hot, nailing 6-8 long balls.  Trevon Harmon and Anton Grady had nine and eight points respectively for the Vikings in the first half.

In the second half, Cleveland State kept their foot on the gas pedal.  With 11:28 to go in the contest, the Vikings were firmly in control of the game with a 56-35 lead.  The tremendous half-court defense of the Vikings was forcing YSU into taking a lot of shots they normally would not.  The game would also evolve into a very physical battle with plenty of hard fouls, pushing, and shoving.

YSU sliced the CSU lead to 17 when Kendrick Perry hit a ten-footer to make it a 58-41 game with 7:17 remaining. The Vikings were able to weather the storm and recover before Slocum emptied the YSU bench with about three minutes to play.

“Our big wins did not make our year”, remarked Slocum.  “Last week when we beat Milwaukee, I told you that it would not make our year.  This loss will not break our year.  Give them credit, they are a very good team, but our play tonight didn’t help our chances.”

Cleveland State (18-4, 8-2) got 10 points from Harmon, 8 each from Pogue and Charlie Lee, and Anton Grady had a big night scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 boards.  The Vikings clamped a stronger grip on first place in the Horizon League with the win.  Furthermore, the Vikings nullified YSU’s win earlier this season at Cleveland State.

“We came in with a chip on our shoulder”, said the Vikings Jeremy Montgomery.  “We knew we had to stay focused on defense and keep the pressure on to shake things up.  Our full-court pressure forced them into quicker sets and that is what we drew up for this game.”

YSU, suffering one of their poorest shooting efforts of the season, got 11 points from  Allen, and ten each from Perry and Eargle.  Eargle also recorded five blocks in the contest.  The Penguins slipped to 11-9, and 6-4 in the Horizon League.

Youngstown State hits the road to face Loyola, UIC, and Milwaukee.

An integral part of any athletic program turning around for the better depends on consistency.  Granted, the Youngstown State Lady Penguins have taken steps in the right direction all season.  Second-year coach, Bob Boldon and staff have initiated a strong offense where the three-point shot has been a source of good things.  Wright State needed overtime to claim a 71-66 win after the Penguins roared back late to tie things up, once down 15.

“I thought we gave a good effort”, said Coach Boldon.  “That was a good team sitting all alone in second place.  The energy was real good and I was happy our kids had a chance to play in that kind of atmosphere.”

In the first half, the Penguins struggled in the latter portion with their shooting.  Seemed like every shot hoisted was clanging and the Guins had trouble even getting shots off a couple of times turning the ball over on shot clock violations.  Brandi Brown was the leading scorer for YSU at the break, that comes as no surprise.  What does jump out was that as her teams leading scorer she only had four points and no one was tied with her.  Kim Demmings paced Wright State with five points and the Raiders were ahead 26-22 at the break.

In the second half, the Penguins showed signs of life on threes by Monica Touvelle and Kenya Middlebrooks to cut into a lead that grew to twelve after the break.  With 11:57 left to go in the game, the Raiders were comfortably ahead, 47-36.  Molly Fox started to establish inside dominance after being hit with an offensive foul and three traveling calls in the first half.  Fox completed a traditional three-point play to lengthen the margin to twelve points at 48-36.

Middlebrooks, shaking off a sluggish first half that consisted of going 0-4 from the floor and five turnovers,  collected her second three-pointer of the second half to make it 51-39.  Kelsea Fickiesen snared a rebound on offense and and was fouled making the putback, completing a three-point play that made it 51-41 with 8:45 to play.  Fickiesen would hit another three that made it a 53-47 game after a good defensive effort.  Demmings responded with a 15-foot jumper to give Wright State back a 55-47 lead with 6:45 remaining.

Heidi Schlegel did her best to keep the Penguins alive converting a three-point play with 2:27 to go that made it 57-54 in favor of Wright State.  Brown got a rebound with 27 seconds left but the Penguins could not convert trailing 59-57.  The Raiders inbounded and Demmings was fouled immediately.  Macey Nortey started a drive at the opposing baseline and in 7.9 of the 8.3 seconds that remained, got to the other end and hit a layup to tie the game and force overtime.

“We would have thrown up the white flag in the past”, commented Nortey.  “We don’t do that anymore.  We learn something each game, win or lose, and if we guard the way we know how, we can compete.”

In the overtime, Demmings took over hitting two quick baskets to put Wright State ahead, 63-59.  With 3:339 left in the extra session, Middlebrooks was fouled and hit a pair of charity tosses to make it 63-61.  Nortey again went the length of the court on a fastbreak to tie the game.  Demmings, however, responded with a three to untie the game.  Fox was whistled for fouling Brown with 1:39 left, sending her to the line, where she hit both free throws to tie the game at 66 apiece.  Not to be outdone, Demmings converted another old-fashioned three-point play to give the Raiders a 69-66 lead with 38.5 seconds remaining.

Brown (above) finished the game with 11 points and 8 rebounds for YSU (9-11, 3-6).  Melissa Thompson followed up a career-effort with another decent start for Boldon, finishing with 8 points.  Schlegel came to life late to finish with 10.  Middlebrooks ended up with 10 points and did well to put aside her shaky first half, showing good composure to mentally regroup at halftime and produce in the second half.  The Penguins went 12-46 from three-point land, second all-time in attempts.

Wright State got 14 points and 10 rebounds from Fox and 25 big points from Demmings.  The Raiders improved to 14-7 overall and 7-2 in the Horizon League.

Next up for the Lady Penguins is a February 2 game against Valparaiso at the Beeghly Center.  Tipoff is set for 7:05.