| St. Francis beats Youngstown St. 66-65 |
| Sunday, November 30 2008 |
| Courtesy of: AP |
| YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP)—Cale Nelson hit a jumper and two free throws in the last minute for St. Francis, Pa., to ensure a 66-65 win over Youngstown State Saturday night. St. Francis (2-4) built a 12-point lead by halftime and led in single digits throughout the second half. Marquis Ford’s layup with 2:42 left put the Red Flash ahead 62-56. DeAndre Mays made a 3-pointer on Youngstown State’s next possession, but Nelson followed with his jumper about a minute later. Vytas Sulskis made two 3-pointers in the final minute for the Penguins (1-4), but Nelson’s two free throws were enough to keep St. Francis in front. Mislav Jukic scored 15 points, Grant Suprenant had 14, Ford added 12 and Devin Sweetney 11 for St. Francis. Nelson added nine points and five assists. Sulskis scored 22 points and Sirlester Martin had 11 points and nine rebounds for Youngstown State. |
| Last-Second Basket Lifts Robert Morris Past Youngstown State, 74-72 |
| Wednesday, November 26 2008 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Moon Township, Pa. -- Sophomore Vytas Sulskis tied a career high with four three-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points but the Youngstown State men's basketball team (1-3) allowed a 23-point second-half lead to evaporate and dropped a 74-72 loss to Robert Morris (2-3) at the Sewell Center on Tuesday evening. Robert Morris' Baketo Francisco jumper with 2.7 seconds remaining broke a 72-72 tie and gave the Colonials the victory. The Penguins held a 23-point lead, 57-34, at the 16:07 mark after Kelvin Bright, who scored a career-high 17 points, made a layup. Over the next five minutes, the Colonials used a 17-2 run to cut the YSU lead down to eight, 61-53, at the 1:02 mark. A layup by Sirlester Martin, who scored 13 points, extended the YSU lead back to 10, 63-53, but Robert Morris used an 11-2 run to bring the deficit to one, 65-64, at the 6:02 mark after a Jeremey Chappell three-pointer. A jumper by Francisco at the 3:03 mark knotted the game at 67-67 and Chappell gave the Colonials their first lead of the game, 70-67, with a trey with 2:20 left. Trailing 72-69, Sulskis drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 72-72 with 38 seconds remaining. Chappell missed a go-ahead three-point attempt but Francisco grabbed the rebound and put-back. The first half belonged all to the Penguins, shooting 59.3 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the three-point arc. The Penguins led by two, 6-4, at the 16:29 mark but went on a 14-4 run to extend their lead to 12, 20-8, with 12:16 to go Three-pointers by Bright and freshman Ashen Ward and a jumper by Dallas Blocker keyed the Penguins run. The Penguins led by as many as 16 points, 31-15, with 8:34 to go in the half and went into the lockerroom with a 15-point advantage, 45-30, at halftime. The Penguins return home to host Saint Francis (Pa.), Saturday, Nov. 29. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center. |
| Six Score in Double Figures as Penguins Down Allegheny, 96-59 |
| Sunday, November 23 2008 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown -- Junior DeAndre May led six players scoring in double figures with a career-high 19 points to give the Youngstown State men's basketball team (1-2) an impressive 96-59 victory over Allegheny (1-2), Saturday evening at the Beeghly Center. Sophomore Vytas Sulskis scored 13 points, while senior Jack Liles and junior Kelvin Bright added 12 points. Liles also recorded his first double-double of the season with 13 rebounds. Freshman Ashen Ward posted a career-high 11 points with three three-pointers and sophomore Vance Cooksey added 10 points. It is the first time since Nov. 19, 2006 against Slippery Rock that six Penguins scored in double figures. After shooting just 37.2 percent from the floor in the first half, the Penguins shot 60 percent, converting 24-of-30 field goal attempts after halftime. The Penguins also made 10 three-point field goals for the first-time since Feb. 20, 2008, when they made 11 against Green Bay. In the first half, YSU led 20-15 with 8:52 remaining, then used a 17-4 run over the next six minutes to extend its lead to 18 points. Allegheny's Craig DeVinney hit a jumper as time expired to cut the Penguins lead to 14 points, 39-25 at the intermission. With 18:34 left in the second half, YSU maintained its 14-point advantage 41-27, then used a 17-4 run over the next five-minutes to balloon its lead to 58-31 with 13:41 to go. Allegheny would not get any closer than a 25-point deficit. Youngstown State will return to action on Tuesday, Nov 25 when they visit Robert Morris. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. |
| Vasquez leads Maryland over Youngstown State |
| Wednesday, November 19 2008 |
| Courtesy of: DAVID GINSBURG, AP Sports Writer |
| COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP)—Greivis Vasquez matched his career high with 28 points, and Maryland used a strong defensive performance to cruise past Youngstown State 73-49 Tuesday night. The Terrapins (2-0) allowed one basket in the final eight minutes before halftime, turning a one-point lead into a 37-18 cushion. Vasquez scored 12 points during that span. Vasquez went 10-for-17 from the floor and 7-for-7 at the foul line. He also led Maryland with eight rebounds and four assists. The junior guard is 48 points short of 1,000 for his career. It was the 399th career victory at Maryland for coach Gary Williams, compared to 215 losses in 20 seasons at his alma mater. Jack Liles had 12 points and eight rebounds for Youngstown State (0-2), which was coming off a home loss to Buffalo. |
| Martin's Double-Double Not Enough in 70-62 Loss to Buffalo |
| Sunday, November 16 2008 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown -- Junior Sirlester Martin posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and led three other Penguins scoring in double figures but the Youngstown State men's basketball team (0-1) dropped a 70-62 decision to Buffalo (1-0) in the 2008-09 season opener Saturday evening at the Beeghly Center. Junior Kelvin Bright scored 11 points while senior Jack Liles and sophomore Vytas Sulskis added 10 points. Liles also led the team with four blocks while Martin added three. Buffalo's Rodney Pierce scored a game-high 21 points while Greg Gamble scored 19 and Calvin Betts recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Bulls, who led by six, 30-24, at the intermission, extended its lead to eight points, 32-24, after a jumper by Pierce to start the second half. The Penguins, who shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half, came charging back scoring 19 of the next 30 points to knot the game at 43-43 capped by a three-pointer and a free throw by Sulskis with 13:09 remaining. Buffalo, though, scored the next six points to regain a 49-43 advantage at the 12:08 mark. Layups by Sulskis and Bright and a dunk by Bright tied the game, 49-49, for the fourth time with 10:03 left. Trailing by three, 53-50, with 7:27 left, Martin and Liles each made a jumper to give the Guins a 54-53 lead at the 5:34 mark. Buffalo, however, would score the next nine points to regain an eight-point edge, 62-54 with 3:25 left and would never trail again. In the first half, the Guins shot just 22.9 percent from the field and 10 percent from the three-point arc. YSU trailed by seven, 14-7, midway through the first half but scored eight straight points to take a 15-14 advantage at the 9:36 mark. After six lead changes over the next seven minutes, the Guins owned a 24-22 lead late in the first half, but the Bulls scored the last eight points of the half to take a 30-24 lead in the lockerroom at the intermission. For the game, the Guins shot 35.4 percent from the field and 60.9 percent from the free-throw line. Buffalo won the rebounding battle, 51-39. Youngstown State visits ACC-member Maryland, Tuesday, Nov. 18. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. at the Comcast Center. |
| Men's Basketball Signs All-State Recruit Lamar McKnight |
| Thursday, November 13 2008 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced Wednesday that Lamar McKnight, a Division IV Third-Team All-Ohio selection, has signed a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period to join the Youngstown State men’s basketball program. McKnight, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward from Bedford St. Peter Chanel High School, averaged a double-double as a junior with 17 points and 10 rebounds per game while leading Chanel to the Division IV Ohio state Final Four. McKnight also posted three blocks per game and shot more than 50 percent from the field. Slocum said McKnight is a well-rounded player who will fit into the Penguins’ system. “We are very excited to sign another Cleveland-area player who we feel is one of the best in the city,” Slocum said. “What is intriguing about Lamar is he has a great inside game and also has the ability to make shots from the perimeter. He comes from a great high school program and is a player who can play multiple positions in our system.” McKnight added that Youngstown State was the perfect fit both academically and athletically. “I chose to go to Youngstown State because it worked to my advantage in both basketball and graphic design,” McKnight said. “I fit in well with the players and really like the coaches, and Youngstown State also has a great art program. Plus, it is close enough to home that my family will be able to see me play.” A three-time All-North Coast League First-Team selection, McKnight scored a game-high 31 points in a regional final victory over then-No. 2 ranked Malvern and posted 23 points and 14 rebounds in a state-semifinal loss to Sugarcreek Garaway. McKnight intends to major in graphic design at Youngstown State. Student-athletes have until Nov. 19 to sign a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period. Youngstown State opens the 2008-09 campaign against Buffalo, Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center. |
| YSU Adds Basketball Recruits |
| Thursday, November 13 2008 |
| Courtesy of: JOHN VARGO Tribune Chronicle |
| Lamar McKnight made his decision in mid-September, making a verbal commitment to Youngstown State University. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the YSU men's basketball team on Wednesday. McKnight, who is entering his senior year at Bedford St. Peter Chanel, led the Firebirds to the Division IV state semifinals in March. He scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Chanel's loss to Worthington Christian in that game. He averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and shot more than 50 percent from the floor last season. McKnight put in a game-high 31 points in the Division IV regional final against second-ranked and previously unbeaten Malvern at Canton Fieldhouse. McKnight can play anywhere from the point guard to center, something he has done at Chanel, which is coached by Niles resident Bernie Tarr. "He's a guy that can shoot inside and out. I think he's one of the best kids in Cleveland and one of the top kids in the state," YSU coach Jerry Slocum said during Wednesday's weekly news conference. "He's a player that has shot the ball well from the perimeter and has played with his back to the basket. He has a very solid game. I'm very excited to get him." YSU women's coach Cindy Martin was excited to sign Casey Jackson and Kaitlin Rohrs. Jackson is a 5-7 guard from Hebron, Ky., while Rohrs is a 6-1 forward from Liberty Center. Jackson averaged a team-high 15.5 points, averaged four rebounds and had 73 steals last season, while Rohrs scored 292 points, grabbed 171 rebounds and shot 61.1 percent as a junior. "Both those young ladies are 3-point shooters," Martin said. "They both can put it on the floor. It's very rare to find a 6-1 post player that can bang like Tiara (Scott) can. But, she can step out and put it on the floor, kind of like Kelsey Gurganus can right now. It's very exciting to pick up two really good players in the early signing period." As for McKnight, he's excited he'll major in graphic design at YSU. "I chose to go to Youngstown State because it worked to my advantage in both basketball and graphic design," McKnight said in a news release. He's a player who will enrich the program, Slocum said. "This is a quality player like Eddie D'Haiti and Ashen Ward. Lamar is a special player and I think his best basketball is ahead of him," said Slocum, whose team has one scholarship remaining for the 2009-10 season. McKnight will play in one of the nation's premier mid-major leagues - the Horizon League. Teams like Butler and Milwaukee, with their postseason accolades, have vaulted the Horizon League to national prominence in recent years. YSU has used its league membership to its advantage. "The Horizon League is getting to be a marketable name out there. That has clearly helped us," said Slocum, whose team opens the season Saturday when YSU hosts Buffalo. Tipoff is at 7:05 p.m. Student athletes have until Nov. 19 to ink a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period. The late signing period is in mid April. As for the women, they have six remaining scholarships for the 09-10 season. "We're hoping to have another one here soon," Martin said. jvargo@tribtoday.com |