| Guins Make 11 3-Pointers, Shoot 50 Percent in 88-47 Win Over Geneva |
| Wednesday, November 25 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown -- The Youngstown State men's basketball team shot 50.8 percent and made 11 3-pointers to defeat Geneva 88-47 on Tuesday evening at the Beeghly Center. DeAndre Mays scored a game-high 18 points in 22 minutes and was 4-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc. Three other Penguins scored in double figures, and nine different YSU players scored at least six points. YSU, playing in its final home game until Dec. 22, improves to 3-2. Geneva falls to 1-3. The Penguins will now play five straight road contests, beginning with Saturday's game at Pittsburgh. DeAndre Mays scored a game-high 18 points in 22 minutes and hit four of YSU's 11 3-pointers against Geneva. Ashen Ward added 11 points, seven rebounds and three of YSU's 13 steals. The Penguins outscored Geneva 28-2 off turnovers and 40-16 in the paint. T.J. Bevilacqua had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead Geneva. Geneva led for the majority of the first five minutes before Youngstown State started to find its shooting stroke against the Golden Tornadoes' 2-3 zone. The Golden Tornadoes took a 7-4 on Bevilacqua's lay-up at the 16:35 mark, but YSU held them to two field goals over the next 9:30 to surge ahead 23-11. YSU scored seven straight points to start the run, and Mays scored nine points during the stretch and hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions. His two free throws with 7:21 remaining gave YSU its 12-point, 23-11 lead. Mays hit his third 3-pointer of the half to give YSU a 37-21 lead with 1:32 remaining, and the Guins held the same 16-point margin at halftime, 39-23. Bevilacqua scored the first five points of the second half to get Geneva within 11, but YSU scored the next seven points to take its largest lead thus far at 47-28. The Penguins eclipsed the 20-point margin on Vance Cooksey's 3-pointer in the corner with 15:54 remaining. Bevilacqua scored 11 points in the first 4:33 of the second half, which accounted for all but two of Geneva's points for nearly the first 10 minutes. His trey with 15:27 on the clock made the score 52-35, but YSU scored the next 12 points to go up by 29. Geneva then scored five straight, and YSU answered by running off 17 straight points over the next six minutes to take an 81-40 lead. The Penguins went 6-for-13 from behind the 3-point line in the first half while Geneva was 1-for-7. YSU also held a 16-2 edge in points off turnovers. Youngstown State will play Pittsburgh at the Petersen Events Center on Saturday at noon. The game will be televised live on ESPN Regional and FSN Pittsburgh. |
| Youngstown State tops St. Peter’s 68-56 |
| Saturday, November 21 2009 |
| Courtesy of: AP Wire |
| JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP)—Kelvin Bright scored 20 points to lead Youngstown State to a 68-56 win over St. Peter’s on Saturday. Bright was 6-for-10 from the field for the Penguins (2-2). Sirlester Martin chipped in with 11 points. Two free throws by Bright with 8:04 left in the second half gave the Penguins a 46-36 lead. A 3-pointer by Bright with 4:48 left capped a 7-0 run for Youngstown State, which made the score 55-38 and gave them their largest lead of the game. The Penguins shot 44.9 percent from the field (22-for-49) and outrebounded St. Peter’s 38-34. Youngstown State got to the free-throw line 31 times, while the Peacocks made only 18 trips to the charity stripe. St. Peter’s (1-2) was led by Wesley Jenkins, who finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. |
| Second-Half Run Leads Kent State Past Men's Basketball, 70-61 |
| Thursday, November 19 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown -- Youngstown State went eight-and-half minutes without a field goal in the second half, and Kent State turned a 40-40 game into an insurmountable 13-point lead in a 70-61 win on Wednesday at the Beeghly Center. YSU had tied the score for the third time in the second half when it missed eight consecutive shots from the floor as Kent State built a 53-40 lead with 7:40 remaining. The Penguins steadily worked the margin down to six with just over a minute left, but Kent State hit seven of its final eight free throws to seal the victory. Junior Vytas Sulskis led the Penguins with 15 points in a 70-61 loss to Kent State on Wednesday evening. Tyree Evans scored a game-high 18 points for Kent State, and Justin Greene scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half. Sirlester Martin and Vytas Sulskis had 15 points apiece for YSU, and DeAndre Mays added 14. Martin was 6-for-8 from the floor and had seven rebounds. Kent State improves to 3-1 with the victory while YSU dropped to 1-2. A Sulskis 3-pointer on YSU's second possession of the second half put the Penguins with three at 30-27, and the Golden Flashes pushed the lead to five three different times in the first four minutes of the period. After a two free throws by Rodriquez Sherman made the score 36-31, YSU scored five straight points to tie the contest at 36 on a Sulskis lay-up with 14:31 remaining on the clock. The score was tied twice more, at 38 and 40, before the dry spell hit. Once Mays' jumper at the 11:15 mark made the score 40-40, YSU went without a field goal until Mays hit a driving bucket off the glass with 2:51 left. Sherman hit a 3-pointer that sparked a 13-point run over the next 3:25 that put the Golden Flashes up 53-40 at the 7:40 mark. Three Sulskis free throws got the Penguins within 10 with just under six minutes remaining, and YSU did not get within six until there was 1:03 remaining. Kent State scored the game's first eight points and led 17-10 with 10:02 remaining on a Mike McKee free throw. The Penguins answered by scoring eight straight points over the next two minutes as a DeAndre Mays break-away lay-up gave the Guins an 18-17 lead, their first of the game. Kent State answered with an 11-2 run to go up 28-20 with 3:46 left on two of Evans' 10 points in the half. A Kelvin Bright free throw at the 1:25 mark capped a mini 4-0 run for YSU and Anthony Simpson hit lay-up with just over a minute left to push the lead to 30-24 at the break. Youngstown State will play at Saint Peter's (N.J.) on Saturday at 2 p.m. |
| Xavier beats Youngstown State 83-57 |
| Saturday, November 14 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP)—Jordan Crawford scored 14 points to lead five Xavier players in double-figure scoring in an 83-57 win over Youngstown State in the season opener for both teams on Friday night. Jason Love and Mark Lyons scored 12 points apiece, Brad Redford 11 and Terrell Holloway 10 for the Musketeers. Love led the team with eight rebounds and Holloway went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Xavier jumped out to a 24-8 lead to start the game, sparked by a pair of 3-pointers from Redford and five points from Crawford. The Musketeers led 48-24 at halftime, and pushed their lead to 31 points with 6:15 remaining on a Lyons layup. Xavier shot 51.1 percent (23-for-45) from the field in the game compared to just a 32.8 mark (21-for-64) for the Penguins. Vytas Sulskis led the Penguins with 12 points. |
| Xavier Topples Men's Basketball, 83-57 |
| Saturday, November 14 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Cincinnati, Ohio -- Junior Vytas Sulskis led the Penguins with 12 points and senior Sirlester Martin added 11 but Xavier shot an impressive 58.3 percent in the first half en route to an 83-57 win over the Youngstown State men's basketball team on Friday evening at the Cintas Center. The Penguins fall to 0-1 overall while the Musketeers improve to 1-0. Xavier scored the first eight points of the game and extended its lead to 16, 24-8, midway through the first half. and never looked back. The Penguins struggled from the field, shooting just 25 percent in the first half, but improved to 39.4 percent in the second half and scored 33 points after halftime. For the game, the Penguins shot 32.8 percent from the field and committed just 10 turnovers. The Musketeers placed five players in double figures led by Jordan Crawford's 14 points. The Penguins host Hiram, Sunday, Nov. 15, in the 2009-10 home opener at 4:05 p,m. at the Beeghly Center |
| Basketball Opens 2009-10 Campaign Tonight at Xavier |
| Friday, November 13 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown – The Youngstown State men's basketball team begins its 80th season of basketball competition against Sweet 16 participant Xavier on Friday evening at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on 570 WKBN AM and Fox Sports Ohio. Junior Vytas Sulskis enters the 2009-10 season needing 421 more points to reach 1,000 for his career. Opening Notes • Youngstown State and Xavier are meeting for just the fourth time in history and the first time in 60 years. Xavier owns a 3-0 advantage in the all-time series. • The Penguins return 10 letterwinners and four starters from last season’s 11-19 team. • Youngstown State returns 87.6 percent of its scoring, 84.3 percent of its rebounding and 99.4 percent of its 3-point scoring. • The Penguins top four scorers return from last season - senior Kelvin Bright (11.4 ppg), senior DeAndre Mays (10.7 ppg), junior Vytas Sulskis (10.3 ppg) and senior Sirlester Martin (9.6 ppg) - and their top rebounder - Martin (7.3 rpg). Martin also ranked second in the Horizon League in rebounds per game. • Youngstown State Head Coach Jerry Slocum is one of 16 active coaches with more than 600 career victories. He currently ranks seventh among active Division I coaches with 621 career wins. • The Penguins were predicted to finish seventh in the Horizon League in the league’s preseason poll, but picked to finish fifth by Basketball Times. • Senior DeAndre Mays was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team last season after averaging 10.7 points and 3.5 assists per game. He also ranked tied for fifth in the league in assists per game. • Junior Vytas Sulskis has scored 579 career points and needs 421 more to become the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. A Win Will • Improve YSU to 1-0 overall. • Mark YSU’s first win over Xavier. • Mark YSU’s first win in the Cintas Center. • Be YSU’s first season-opening win since a 74-50 victory over Central Michigan on Nov. 8, 2006. • Mark the Penguins’ first season-opening win on an opponent’s court since a 64-63 win at Saint Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 18, 2000. • Mark Head Coach Jerry Slocum’s 622nd career victory and his 42nd at Youngstown State. • YSU’s 976th victory in the program’s history. Scouting Xavier Xavier, the defending Atlantic-10 champion, returns eight letterwinners and two starters from last season’s 27-8 squad that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Senior Jason Love is the Musketeers top returning scorer with 6.7 points per game. Junior guard Dante’ Jackson is the other returning starter and averaged 6.6 points per game last season. Sophomore Jordan Crawford, a transfer from Indiana, is eligible this season. YSU-Xavier Connection Youngstown State and Xavier are connected through the Musketeers sophomore center Kenny Frease. Frease’s mother, Margaret (Porter), played women’s basketball at Youngstown State from 1981-85. Slocum In Select Company Youngstown State Head Coach Jerry Slocum is in some pretty elite company. Slocum, who has 621 career wins, is one of eight active Division I head coaches with more than 600 career victories and ranks seventh among that group. Mays Named to All-Newcomer Team Senior DeAndre Mays became the third Youngstown State player in four years to be named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team. Mays, a native of Dallas, Texas, is averaged 10.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. His 3.5 assists per game ranked tied for fifth in the Horizon League while 10.7 points per game ranked 20th. He also averaged 11.4 points per game against Horizon League opponents. The other two Penguins named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team under Head Coach Jerry Slocum were Vytas Sulskis (2007-08) and Keston Roberts (2005-06). Sulskis Closing In on 1,000 Junior Vytas Sulskis is inching his way toward becoming the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. Sulskis, who has scored 579 points in his first two campaigns, needs 421 more to reach 1,000. Martin Cleaned the Glass Last season, senior Sirlester Martin was a dominant force on the boards. The 6-foot-7 forward lead the Penguins and ranked second in the league with 7.3 rebounds per game. He posted four double-doubles and recorded 10-or-more rebounds six times. A Bright Idea Senior Kelvin Bright turned in a solid first season with the Penguins last year. The Silver Spring, Md., native lead the Guins and ranked 16th in the Horizon League with 11.4 points per game. He scored in double figures a team-best 17 times, including a career-high 27 against Butler on Dec. 6, 2008. He was also named the Horizon League Player of the Week on Jan. 12, 2009, after averaging 45 points in two games against UIC (23 points) and Loyola (22) on Jan. 8 and Jan. 10, respectively. Blocker’s Back Youngstown State senior Dallas Blocker is back in the lineup after battling cancer at the end of last season and this past summer. Blocker, who averaged 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, was diagnosed with cancer on Feb. 12 and missed the Penguins’ last seven games. After two surgeries and chemotherapy, Blocker was given a clean bill of health on Sept. 11. Tough Scheduling Youngstown State has put together pretty rugged schedule for itself iin 2009-10. The Penguins are taking on five teams that made the 2009 NCAA Tournament, three opponents that finished in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll and seven teams that won at least 20 games last season. Sulskis Closed Out Strong Junior Vytas Sulskis finished the 2008-09 campaign on a high note. Over the last 10 games of the season, Sulskis averaged 12.7 points per game and scoring in double figures in eight of those contests. Saturday In the Parks Junior Tom Parks took full advantage of his opportunity for more playing time. The Cheyenne, Wyo., native averaged 7.5 points per game over the last 14 games of the year scoring a total of 105 points. In his first 11 appearances, he scored a total of 12 points. Parks also shot 40.3 percent from behind the 3-point line, including 45.7 percent against Horizon League opponents. Cooksey is Charitable Over the course of his 59-game career, Vance Cooksey has been the Penguins’ best free-throw shooter. Last season, he led the team with a .760 free-throw percentage (38-of-50). During his freshman campaign, Cooksey owned an impressive free-throw percentage of .797 (55-of-69). His current career free-throw percentage is .782 and ranks tied for ninth all-time. Mays Comin’ To Play Over the last seven games of last season, senior DeAndre Mays was impressive. Mays averaged 11 points, 3.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game game. Against Green Bay on Feb. 12, Mays lit up the Phoenix for a game-high 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field. He also made 10-of-14 shots from the free-throw line. The Dallas, Texas, native poured in 15 points in the 70-68 win over Milwaukee on Feb. 14. He scored 13 points against Saint Peter’s on Feb. 21. Just a Walk in the Park Junior Tom Parks became the Penguins’ top 3-point threat in the second half of last season. Parks, who made just three 3-pointers in his first 11 games, made 28 treys over the last 14 games. Twice he made five 3-pointers in a game - both times against UIC on Feb. 7 and March 3. Sulskis Climbin’ 3-Point Chart Junior Vytas Sulskis is quickly moving his way up the YSU all-time 3-pointers made list. With 39 3-pointers last season and 46 during his freshman campaign, Sulskis has a total of 87 career 3-pointers made, which is tied for 10th all-time. Guins Ink Kendrick Perry During Early Signing Period Youngstown State signed Kendrick Perry, a 6-foot point guard, to a National Letter-of-Intent during the early signing period. Perry, who hails from Orlando, Fla., was a preseason first-team all-conference and all-district selection. Over the summer, he led his AAU team to a third-place finish at the national tournament. |
| Men's Basketball Signs Florida Standout Point Guard |
| Wednesday, November 11 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown – Youngstown State men’s basketball Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced Wednesday (Nov. 11) that Kendrick Perry has a National Letter-of-Intent to join Penguins basketball family for the 2010-11 season. Perry, a 6-foot point guard from Orlando, Fla., and Edgewater High School, was named preseason first-team all-conference and preseason first-team all-district. Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced the signing of Kendrick Perry to a National Letter-of-Intent. Slocum said that Perry fits in well with the Penguins and their system. “We are excited about Kendrick joining our program,” Slocum said. “He comes from a strong high school program and an outstanding national AAU team. “Kendrick fills a need for us at the point guard position and fits into our style of play. Last summer, Perry led his AAU team to third-place finish at the national tournament and averaged seven points and four assists per game as a sophomore. Perry stated that selecting Youngstown State was an easy choice. “Youngstown State felt like a home away from home,” Perry said. “The coaching staff and players all treated me well, and I felt that YSU was a great fit for me and my playing style.” Perry, who carries a 4.1 grade-point average, intends to study psychology or criminal justice at Youngstown State. |
| Experienced Penguins Seek Brighter, Higher Heights in 2009-10 |
| Saturday, November 7 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown -- On the heels of an exciting 2008-09 campaign and with four starters and 10 letterwinners returning from the squad that finished sixth in the Horizon League, the energy surrounding the Youngstown State men’s basketball team and the anticipation of the upcoming basketball season are at levels not seen in the Beeghly Center in many years. And for good reason. The 2009-10 edition of the Penguins boasts a roster loaded with upperclassman and depth with five seniors and four juniors. Head Coach Jerry Slocum is hoping the overall team experience leads to a quick start for the Penguins. Senior guard DeAndre Mays was named to the Horizon League's All-Newcomer Team in 2008-09. "We are very excited," Slocum said. "It has been a whole different fall than last year with eight new guys. Now with everyone returning this year, we are so much farther ahead. "I hope that translates into more success in the early part of our season." In contrast to the past two years when the Guins had to replace their top two scorers in each season, the Penguins return 87.6 percent of their scoring, 84.3 percent of their rebounding and 99.4 percent of their 3-point scoring. The Penguins also welcome back their top four scorers – senior Kelvin Bright (11.4 ppg), senior DeAndre Mays (10.7 ppg), junior Vytas Sulskis (10.3 ppg) and senior Sirlester Martin (9.6 ppg) - and their top rebounder - Martin (7.3 rpg) - from a year ago. "I think the strength of our overall program is our depth throughout," Slocum said. "From position to position we have some depth. "The strength of our team is two-fold. One we have everybody back and two is our experience." Slocum also emphasizes that players that make the correct play can make big impacts. "Every team needs what I call ‘fill in the blank kind of guys’," Slocum said. "Guys who are going to go out and work hard and do the little things can make all the difference in a close game." Backcourt Versatile, explosive, dynamic and athletic are the words that come to mind when describing the Penguins’ backcourt. Returning six letterwinners in the backcourt and the infusion of an all-state freshman to this group gives the Penguins a tremendous amount of balance and depth at the position. Point Guard Running the offense and taking care of the ball will be charge to senior DeAndre Mays and junior Vance Cooksey, who combined for 154 assists last season. Mays turned in a breakout campaign in 2008-09 averaging 10.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while being named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team. The Dallas, Texas, native led the Penguins in scoring against Horizon League opponents and ranked fifth in the circuit in overall assists per game. Mays also ranked seventh in the Horizon League with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.4. "I think DeAndre Mays has a chance to be one of the best points guards in the Horizon League," Slocum said. Cooskey, a two-year letterwinner, led the Penguins with a .760 free-throw percentage, but more importantly, boasted a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio last season. Cooksey also owns the ability to score. He posted a career-high 24 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor against Kent State. He also poured in a dozen points in an 80-70 win over UIC. Incoming freshman Sheldon Brogdon was named Division I third-team all-state in 2008 after averaging 21 points, three assists and three rebounds per game. As a senior, the Warren Harding High School product averaged 18.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, two assists and two steals per game. Shooting Guard A position that will carry the brunt of the scoring challenge is at the shooting or off-guard slot. Fortunately, the Guins may have the most depth at this spot. Leading the Penguins is their top scorer from last season Kelvin Bright, who averaged 11.4 points per game. The native of Silver Spring, Md., scored in double figures 17 times including four 20-point plus performances. Ashen Ward, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, provided some long-range highlights last season, connecting on 38.2 percent of his 3-point attempts, and will be looked to do more of the same. Mays, who is expected to be one of the Guins’ top scorers, has the ability to slide into the shooting guard role and made at least one 3-pointer in the final eight games of the season. For the year, Mays made 36.7 percent of his 3-pointers and buried 12 of his last 25 attempts or 48 percent over the last eight games. Frontcourt In the frontcourt, the Penguins must address the loss of forward Jack Liles, who lettered four times and was a steady force on the low block. Liles averaged eight points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season. Although the Guins must replace a player who appeared in 118 career games, there is an abundance of talent at the forward and center positions. Small Forward The Penguins have a multitude of options at the small forward slot ranging from long-distance shooters to slashers and risers. Leading this cast is junior Vytas Sulskis, who ranked third on the team in scoring with 10.3 points per game last season. Sulskis, a 2008 CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-American, finished the 2008-09 campaign strong averaging 12.7 points per game over the last 10 contests. He also scored in double figures 14 times, including four games with at least 20 points, and led the Penguins with 39 3-pointers made. Another sharp-shooter for the Guins is junior Tom Parks, who led the team and ranked seventh in the Horizon League with a 40.3 3-point percentage. Against league opponents, Parks connected on 45.7 percent of his 3-point attempts, which ranked third in the circuit. Parks also closed out last season on a strong note averaging 8.4 points per game and shooting 50 percent over the last 11 games. "The one thing about Tom Parks is that he always plays hard," Slocum said. Joining Sulskis and Parks is high-flying Lamar McKnight, a two-time Division IV third-team all-state selection. Last season, the 6-foot-5 forward averaged 16 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. "Lamar is a great athlete that can play between the three and four," Slocum said. "He can really play above the rim." Power Forward/Center On the low block, the Penguins have a quintet that mixes versatility, strength, scoring and rebounding ability and solid defensive skills. Leading the frontcourt is senior Sirlester Martin who was second in the Horizon League with 7.3 rebounds per game while averaging 9.6 points per contest. The Memphis, Tenn., native recorded four double-doubles and posted 10-plus rebounding games six times. Martin also scored in double figures 15 times, including a career-high 20 points in a 70-68 win over Milwaukee at the Beeghly Center. "Sirlester and Zack (Rebillot) played valuable minutes for us and really came on strong," Slocum said. "One was playing about 23 minutes a game and the other was at 17 minutes a game." Seniors Dallas Blocker and Rebillot both gained experience while giving the Penguins quality minutes in the post. Blocker, who missed the last seven games due to illness, averaged 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and shot an impressive 54.5 percent from the field. Rebillot, who started seven times, was a defensive presence in the paint. He averaged 2.4 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game. Of his 61 rebounds, 39 came on the defensive glass. Sophomore Dan Boudler also made the most of his scoring opportunities shooting 57.1 percent from the floor. Redshirt freshman Eddie D’Haiti has a tremendous upside, and with a year of learning the system under his belt, the Orlando, Fla., native is poised to start his collegiate career. D’Haiti was ranked as one of the top 40 seniors in Florida by FloridaHoops.com and earned Honorable Mention Class 6A all-state honors. "We have three guys at the five in Dallas, Eddie and Dan who can contribute quality minutes," Slocum said. "Eddie had a great fall and may be on of the best passing big men I’ve ever coached." |
| Men's Basketball Picked Fifth in Horizon League By Basketball Times |
| Wednesday, November 4 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Pinehurst, N.C. -- The Youngstown State men's basketball team has been predicted to finish fifth in the Horizon League according to a poll in the November issue of Basketball Times, the publication announced. The Penguins, who finished tied for sixth last season and return 10 letterwinners and four starters, were picked to finish seventh in the Horizon League's preseason poll. Regular-season defending champion Butler was picked as the preseason favorite followed by Wright State, Milwaukee and Green Bay, respectively. Cleveland State earned the sixth spot while UIC, Valparaiso, Loyola and Detroit rounded out the bottom four spots. The Penguins open the season at Sweet 16 participant Xavier, Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Ohio. |