| Sulskis Gets 1,000th Point in Guins' Big Win over Red Flash |
| Sunday, November 28 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Senior Vytas Sulskis eclipsed the 1,000-career point plateau with a 22-point effort while freshman Kendrick Perry scored a career-high 19 points as the Youngstown State men's basketball team picked up its fourth straight home win beating Saint Francis (Pa.) 91-63 at the Beeghly Center on Saturday night. Devonte Maymon also scored in double figures with 15 as the Guins scored a season-high 91 points. YSU was 10-of-20 from 3-point range, 21-of-28 from the free-throw line and 30-of-58 from the field (51.7 percent). The Red Flash (2-4) kept trying to get back in the game throughout the second half, but each time the Guins (4-1) kept them at bay. Saint Francis pulled within 47-37 at the 15:52 mark, but the Guins answered by scoring eight straight points, including six consecutive by Sulskis following a Maymon basket. The Red Flash cut the deficit to 60-48 with 10:35 remaining before the Guins scored six straight to push the lead back out to 18. After a quick SFU basket, YSU scored the next 10 points to put the game out reach. In only 25 minutes of action, Sulskis was 7-of-10 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. Sulskis has now scored more than 20 points in three straight contests. Perry was 6-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc. The Penguins began the game scoring 17 of the first 19 points. YSU took a 6-0 lead on two Kendrick Perry 3-pointers before the Red Flash picked up its first basket of the game. The Guins proceeded to score the next 11 points building a 17-2 lead on Tre Brewer layup at the 13:37 mark. The closest the Red Flash could get in the first half was 10 on two occasions – 19-9 and 21-11. Leading 30-18, YSU went on an 8-0 run to build its biggest lead of the game. Perry drained a 3-pointer and two free throws while Dan Boudler's putback with 3:08 left before halftime gave the Penguins a 20-point advantage. The Red Flash outscored the Guins 7-2 to get within 40-25 at the break. YSU had 10 assists on 14 first-half baskets en route to shooting 40 percent. The Guins were 8-of-9 from the free-throw line and made four 3-pointers to none by Saint Francis. SFU shot 34.5 percent making 10-of-29 shots. The Penguins forced the Red Flash into 13 turnovers that led to 16 Guins points. Perry had 13 while Sulskis had 11 for the Guins in the first 20 minutes. Sulskis also had seven rebounds in the opening half. After starting the campaign with four of their first five games at home, the Guins now head out on the road to play six of their next seven away from the friendly confines of the Beeghly Center. YSU opens league play with a tilt at Milwaukee on Thursday night. Tipoff is set for 8 |
| Double-Header Tomorrow Night at Beeghly |
| Tuesday, November 23 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Men's Basketball Returns to Beeghly Center to Host Toledo Wednesday Night Tipoff Notes • This is the 10th meeting between Youngstown State and Toledo in a series that dates back to 1942. The Guins and Rockets, however, have not played since the 2003-04 season. Toledo owns an impressive 8-1 advantage in the all-time series, and won the last meeting, 78-74, on Nov. 26, 2003. The last time these two teams played in the Beeghly Center, the Guins came away with a 69-61 victory on Nov. 30, 2002. • Youngstown State Head Coach Jerry Slocum is one of 17 active coaches with more than 600 career victories. He currently ranks sixth among active Division I coaches with 631 career wins. • The Guins open the season with four of their first five games at home marking the first time since the1979-80 that has occurred. • With two straight wins over Samford (11/12) and Buffalo (11/16), the Guins started a season 2-0 for the first time since 2004-05. The Guins are looking for their best start after four games since beginning the 2000-01 season with 4-0 record. • The Guins made a season-high 10 3-pointers against Akron and also tied the school mark with 33 3-point attempts. It tied the record set against Samford on Nov. 12, 2010. The last time the Guins made 10 3-pointers was against Loyola on Feb. 4, 2010, when they lost 92-85 in overtime. • Senior Vytas Sulskis continues to move up the Youngstown State all-time 3-point chart. With a 3-pointer against Akron on Nov. 20, Sulskis ranks sixth all-time with 128 career 3-pointers and needs seven more to tie Doug Underwood (2001-04) for fifth place with 135. Sulskis' season-high for 3-pointers made was 46 in 2007-08. • Junior Devonte Maymon has scored in double figures in each game this season - 15 against Samford (11/12), 13 against Buffalo (11/16) and 14 against Akron (11/20). • With its 91-84 overtime loss to Akron, Youngstown State has now lost nine straight games that have gone into extra periods. • Junior Ashen Ward notched back-to-back career-scoring highs when he posted 14 points against Akron (11/20). He scored a then-career-best 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting against Buffalo on Nov. 16. • Freshman Kendrick Perry scored a career-high 11 points with a career-high five assists against Akron (11/20). • Freshman Sheldon Brogdon scored a career-high nine points on 3-of-5 shooting against Akron (11/20). • Six players made their Youngstown State debuts against Samford on Nov. 12. They include juniors DuShawn Brooks and Devonte Maymon, sophomores Blake Allen and Eargle and freshmen Sheldon Brogdon and Kendrick Perry. • Sulskis has scored 962 career points and needs 38 more to become the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. • The Penguins have a made-over roster with 12 newcomers, including seven freshmen, and just three letterwinners returning from last year's squad. A Win Will • Improve YSU to 3-1 overall. • Mark the program's first win over Toledo since 2002. • Mark the program's second win over Toledo in the all-time series. • Mark the best start after four games since the 2000-01 season when the Guins began a season 4-0. • Mark YSU's third home victory of the season. • Mark Head Coach Jerry Slocum's 632nd career victory and his 52nd at Youngstown State. • YSU's 986th victory in the program's history. -------------------------------------------------------- Women's Hoops Starts Thanksgiving Week vs. Bucknell Tickets and Promotions Wednesday night will be YSU Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night presented by Medical Mutual of Ohio. Tickets are available for purchase on YSUsports.com, by phone at (330) 941-1YSU, at the main YSU Athletics Ticket Office in Stambaugh Stadium throughout the week. Fans wishing to purchase tickets the evening of the game can do so at the Beeghly Center ticket office. For more information, visit the Basketball Tickets page. The All-Time Series Youngstown State owns a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series and has won the last three meetings against Bucknell. The Bison won the first meeting on Jan. 16, 1989. YSU won its first game in the series at home on Jan. 18, 1990, against the Bison. The last game between the teams came on Jan. 4, 1992, which YSU won 71-45 at Beeghly Center. Scouting Bucknell Bucknell has lost its last two games after winning its opener 53-48 against Rider. The 53 points in that game are most the Bison have scored this season. Bucknell has lost its last two to Fordham (64-42) and Buffalo (72-53). Bucknell is shooting 34 percent from the field and has attempted just 14 3-pointers. Freshman Shelby Romine has led the Bison in each of the first three games and is averaging a team-best 15.7 points. She accounts for almost 32 percent of the team's scoring. Joyce Novacek is averaging a team-best eight rebounds. Bucknell was 7-21 last season. Last Time vs. Bucknell Youngstown State forced Bucknell into 34 turnovers and posted 17 steals to defeat the Bison 71-45 on Jan. 4, 1992 at Beeghly Center. The Guins outshot the Bison .388 to .295 and got a game-high 17 points from Donna Wertz. Donna Djorovic added 15 points and a game-high three steals. Dianne Rappach had seven assists. Kelly Dee had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Kristen Ellison had 13 points for Bucknell. YSU led 17-5 after 10 minutes, and Bucknell got no closer than three after it was 6-4. The win was YSU's 19th straight at home. Last Game: L, 61-73 vs. IPFW YSU turned in a gutsy performance to overcome a 16-point second-half deficit and tie the game late, but it dropped a 73-61 decision to IPFW on Saturday afternoon at the Beeghly Center. Brandi Brown scored a career-high 29 points, 23 of which came in the second half, and grabbed nine rebounds. Stephanie Rosado led four Mastodons reaching double figures with 22 points. She added a game-high 12 rebounds. Trailing 45-29 with 15 minutes left, the Guins clawed their way back by outscoring the Mastodons 26-10 over the next 10 minutes to tie the game at 55-55 with 4:41 to go. Brown scored 16 of the Guins' 26 points over that span. IPFW, however, scored the next nine points and outscored the Penguins 18-6 over the rest of the game. Notes from IPFW Game * Brandi Brown scored a career-high 29 points. Her previous career high was 24 against Akron last year. She nearly matched that in the second half with 23 points. * Brown scored in double figures for the 22nd time in her 33-game career. She also led YSU in scoring for the 18th time. She scored at least 20 points for the second time in three games. * Maryum Jenkins set a new career high with five steals. She also scored a season high eight points. * Although YSU had 17 turnovers, 11 of them came in the first 11:09 of the contest. * The Penguins outscored the Mastodons 25-14 off turnovers and 12-2 in fast-break points. * Jenkins matched a career high by grabbing six rebounds. Brown Scores Career High vs. IPFW Sophomore Brandi Brown flexed her offensive muscles by scoring a career high 29 points in Saturday's loss to IPFW. She scored 23 of those points in the second half, going 8-for-13 from the field and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe. Brown fueled YSU's comeback as she scored 16 out of 26 points during the Penguins' 26-10 run that tied the game. She was 11-for-19 from the field for the game. The last Penguin to score more than 29 points was Heather Karner on Nov. 10, 2006. She scored 34 points against Cincinnati. Brown Leads Horizon League in Scoring Through the first two weeks of the season, YSU sophomore Brandi Brown leads the Horizon League in scoring with 20.3 points per game. She has scored 61 points in three games. Two players have scored 63 points, but they both have played four contests. Loyola's Ellen Ayoub ranks second with 17.7 points per game, and three players are averaging 16.7 points. Brown's 29 points against IPFW are the second-highest total by a league player this season. Milwaukee freshman Courtney Lindfors scored 35 points at Chicago State on Nov. 16. Looking For Scoring From Everyone Youngstown State will be looking for everyone in its line-up to contribute in the scoring column. YSU has had just three players in each of the first three games score more than five points. Against IPFW, Brandi Brown scored 29 points while Maryum Jenkins and Macey Nortey had eight apiece. Monica Touvelle added five. Those four players combined to score 40 points and shoot 19-for-32 (59.4 percent). The other five players who appeared in the game shot 3-for-35 (8.6 percent). Guins Score 32 Points in Paint Youngstown State scored 32 of its 61 points in the paint against IPFW on Saturday. The Penguins surpassed that only once last season when they scored 34 points in the paint at Akron on Dec. 5. In fact, they scored at least 30 points in the paint only twice. Up Next Youngstown State remains home for another doubleheader on tap for Saturday. The Penguins will play host to Ohio at 4:35 p.m. before the YSU men's team plays Saint Francis (Pa.). Ohio is 1-1 on the season, beating Memphis 62-45 and losing to Louisville 84-47. |
| Men's Basketball Falls to Akron in Overtime, 91-84 |
| Tuesday, November 23 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Akron, Ohio -- Akron's Brett McClanahan hit a fade-away 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime and the Zips (2-1) went on to knock off the Youngstown State men's basketball team (2-1), 91-84, on Saturday evening at the James A. Rhodes Arena. Four Penguins scored in double figures led by senior Vytas Sulskis with 20 points. Juniors Devonte Maymon and Ashen Ward each scored 14 points - a career-high for Ward - and freshman Kendrick Perry recorded a career-high 11 points. Sulskis also led the Guins with seven rebounds and five assists. Senior Dan Boudler added a season-high nine points and grabbed five rebounds and freshman Sheldon Brogdon added a career-high nine points. After Maymon gave the Penguins a 77-74 lead with a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in regulation, Zeke Marshall grabbed two offensive rebounds off missed 3-point attempts by Daryl Roberts and Steve McNees. Marshall rebounded McNees' attempt and kicked out to McClanahan for the game-tying shot at the buzzer. In the overtime period, Ward put the Guins ahead by three, 82-79, with a triple at the 3:10 mark but that would be the last field goal the Guins would convert. The Zips, though, scored the next eight points to take an 87-82 advantage with 56 seconds left. Maymon made two free throws with 40 seconds left to cut the lead back to three, 87-84, and after an offensive rebound from a missed 3-pointer by Sulskis, the Guins were called for travelling. Marshall made four straight free throws to seal the victory for the Zips. The Penguins, who made a season-high 10 3-pointers, shot just 33 percent from the field in the first half but regrouped to shoot 51.7 percent after halftime. For the second time in three games this season, the Penguins tied a school single-game record with 33 3-point attempts. YSU also took 33 3-pointers against Samford on Nov. 12. In the first half, the Zips led by eight points three different times and as late as 6:20 remaining when they held a 27-19 advantage. A layup by Boudler and a 3-pointer and dunk by Perry brought the Guins to within one, 27-26 at the 3:46 mark. Brogdon's 3-pointer with 42 seconds left gave the Penguins a 34-33 lead but Nikola Cvetinovic converted a free throw with nine seconds to go to tie the game at 34-34 at the intermission. The Penguins return home to host Toledo, Wednesday, Nov. 24, at 7:35 p.m. at the Beeghly Center. |
| Penguins and Lady Pens Play Today |
| Saturday, November 20 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Men's Basketball Takes First Road Test at Akron The Youngstown State men's basketball team plays its first road contest of the season when it travels up I-76 to take on Mid-American Conference member and in-state rival Akron, Saturday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at the James A. Rhodes Arena. Tipoff Notes • This is 85th meeting between Youngstown State and Akron dating back to 1937. The Zips own a 54-30 advantage in the all-time series and have won the last four meetings and 18 of the last 19 contests. The last time the Guins defeated Akron was 69-53 win on Dec. 10, 1994. The last time YSU won at Akron a 65-62 victory on Feb. 1, 1986. • Youngstown State Head Coach Jerry Slocum is one of 17 active coaches with more than 600 career victories. He currently ranks sixth among active Division I coaches with 631 career wins. • The Guins open the season with four of their first five games at home marking the first time since the1979-80 that has occurred. • With two straight wins over Samford (11/12) and Buffalo (11/16), the Guins have started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2004-05. The Guins are looking to start 3-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season in which they began 4-0. • Senior Vytas Sulskis continues to move up the Youngstown State all-time 3-point chart. With a 3-pointer against Buffalo on Nov. 16, Sulskis moved into sole possession of sixth all-time with 127 career 3-pointers surpassing Ryan Patton, who made 126 from 1998-2002. Sulskis' season-high for 3-pointers made was 46 in 2007-08. • Sophomore forward Damian Eargle posted a career-high 14 rebounds in the 64-53 win over Buffalo on Nov. 16. • Junior Ashen Ward scored a career-best 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting against Buffalo on Nov. 16. • Junior Tre Brewer and freshman Josh Chojnacki made their Division I debuts against Buffalo on Nov. 16. • Six players made their Youngstown State debuts against Samford on Nov. 12. They include juniors DuShawn Brooks and Devonte Maymon, sophomores Blake Allen and Eargle and freshmen Sheldon Brogdon and Kendrick Perry. • Sulskis has scored 942 career points and needs 58 more to become the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. • Brooks turned in an impressive debut scoring a team-high 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the floor with six rebounds and two steals. • Newcomer Devonte Maymon made the most of his first Division I game scoring 15 points and dishing out four assists. • The Penguins have a made-over roster with 12 newcomers, including seven freshmen, and just three letterwinners returning from last year's squad. A Win Will • Improve YSU to 3-0 overall. • Mark the program's first win over Akron since 1994. • Mark the program's 31st win over Akron in the all-time series. • Mark the first time since the 2000-01 season the Guins began a season 3-0. In 2000-01, the Guins started the season 4-0. • Mark YSU's first road victory of the season. • Mark Head Coach Jerry Slocum's 632nd career victory and his 52nd at Youngstown State. • YSU's 986th victory in the program's history. The Akron Series This is 85th meeting between Youngstown State and Akron dating back to 1937. The Zips own a 54-30 advantage in the all-time series and have won the last four meetings and 18 of the last 19 contests. The last time the Guins defeated Akron was 69-53 win on Dec. 10, 1994. The last time YSU won at Akron was a 65-62 victory on Feb. 1, 1986. Scouting Akron Akron is currently 1-1 after dropping a hard-fought game to Dayton, 76-68, on Nov. 16. Brett McClanahan leads three players averaging in double figures with 15 points per game. Zeke Marshall and DArryl Roberts are also in double figures with 11.5 and 10 points per game, respectively. Last Time Against Akron In the last meeting against Akron, the Zips defeated the Guins, 67-53, at the Beeghly Center. DeAndre Mays scored a team-high 18 points while Kelvin Bright was the only other Penguin to reach double digits in scoring with 11 points. The Guins shot just 32.7 percent from the field and missed 12 free throws that night. YSU-Akron Connections Not only are the campuses of Youngstown State and Akron separated by approximately 50 miles, there are also a couple of athletics department connections between the two schools. Former YSU men's head basketball coach Dan Peters is Akron's Director of Basketball Operations and former YSU women's basketball player Christie (Zetts) McFadden is the Coordinator of the Learning Center in the Zips' Athletics Department. Christie's husband, Rick, is an assistant basketball coach for the Zips. Up Next The Penguins return home to entertain Toledo, Wednesday, Nov. 24, at 7:35 p.m. at the Beeghly Center. Toledo will be the third straight team from the Mid-American Conference to face the Guins in 2010. Last Time Out The Guins won for the second straight time knocking off Mid-American Conference member Buffalo, 64-53, at the Beeghly Center. It marks the first time since 2004 that the Guins began a season 2-0. Junior Ashen Ward scored a career-high 13 points, including 11 in the second half, while junior Devonte Maymon also chipped in 13 points. Sophomore Damian Eargle and junior Tre Brewer grabbed 14 and 10 rebounds, respectively, while senior Vytas Sulskis added 10 points. Eargle also swatted three shots in the win. Ward Goes For Career High After going scoreless in the season opener, junior Ashen Ward stepped up and played the best game of his career against Buffalo (11/16), scoring a career-high 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Ward scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and also put the game away with a five straight points ( a jumper and a 3-pointer) to extend YSU's lead from five to nine with just two minutes left. Mr. Eargle's Neighborhood Sophomore Damian Eargle has spent a lot of time on the glass and around the rim. Eargle set a career high with 14 rebounds against Buffalo (11/16), including nine on the defensive end. He is averaging a team-best 10.5 rebounds per game, but he is also leading the team with six blocked shots in two games. Tre Brew's Debut Junior Tre Brewer turned in an impressive debut for the Penguins against Buffalo. With some teammates in early foul trouble, Brewer stepped in and scored six points and grabbed 10 rebounds in his first Division I game against the Bulls. Maymon Off to Solid Start Junior Devonte Maymon has started his Division I career on the right foot. Maymon, who leads the team in scoring at 14 points per game, has scored in double figures in each game so far. He scored a career-best 15 points in the opener against Samford (11/12) and added 13 points against Buffalo (11/16). Maymon and junior DuShawn Brooks lead the team with four 3-pointers made apiece, but Maymon is shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc. Glass Cleaners Against Buffalo on Nov. 16, the Guins won the rebounding battle with decisive 46-33 edge. Sophomore Damian Eargle and junior Tre Brewer hauled downn 14 and 10 boards, respectively. It marks the first time two YSU players grabbed at least 10 rebounds in a game since Dallas Blocker (11) and Eddie D'Haiti (10) accomplished the feat against Hiram on Nov. 15, 2009. Slocum Notches 50th Win at YSU With the 64-61 win over Samford on Nov. 12, Head Coach Jerry Slocum earned his 50th win at Youngstown State. It was also his 630th career victory. Slocum has now won at least 50 games at four different schools in his 36 years of coaching. He won 199 at Nyack, 202 at Geneva and 179 at Gannon. Great Debuts Junior-college transfers DuShawn Brooks and Devonte Maymon each turned in outstanding Division I debuts for the Guins. Brooks scored a team-high 20 points while Maymon scored 15 points. Brooks, who shot 8-of-18 from the floor, scored 16 of his 20 in the second half and connected on 6-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Maymon, who dished out four assists scored 13 of his 15 points after halftime. Rockin' Beeghly Center This season, the Guins will play 16 home games in the friendly confines of the Beeghly Center. The 16 dates are the most regular-season home games since the 1991-92 season when the Penguins competed as an independent. Sulskis' 1,000-Point Countdown With 942 career points, senior Vytas Sulskis is just 58 points shy of becoming the 32nd player in YSU history to record 1,000 career points. The last player to reach 1,000 career points was John Barber in 2008. Brand Spankin' New The Penguins will have plenty of fresh faces on the floor this season. With just three returning letterwinners, the Penguins have 12 new players suiting up in 2010-11. Sophomore Damian Eargle and redshirt freshman Sheldon Brogdon were both part of the team last season but did not play. Eargle was required to sit out to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements, and Brogdon was recovering from a knee injury. The Guins also have six true freshmen - Shawn Amiker, Jr., Josh Chojnacki, Fletcher Larson, Kendrick Perry, Nate Perry and Mike Podolsky - and four junior college transfers Blake Allen (So.), Tre Brewer, DuShawn Brooks and Devonte Maymon. Tough Schedule The Penguins have never been shy about scheduling tough opponents and 2010-11 is no different. This season, the Guins will play nine 20-win teams and six programs that made the 2010 postseason. Big Name Opponents Over the last five seasons, the Penguins have made it a habit to schedule teams from BCS conferences. This season, the Guins visit NC State from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Since 2006-07, the Guins have faced teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (Maryland and NC State), Big East (Pittsburgh and Notre Dame), Big Ten (Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State) and Pac-10 (UCLA). Not Your Vytas, Our Vytas Not only is senior Vytas Sulskis approaching the career 1,000-point plateau, he will be moving up the YSU career 3-point chart as well. Sulskis ranks sixth with 127 career 3-pointers made and needs just nine more to move in to fifth place past Doug Underwood (2001-04). Sulskis is averaging 42 3-pointers made each season. If he maintains that average, he will finish with 168 career 3-pointers and rank second all-time. 18 League Games The 18 conference games will tie a school record. This is the fourth straight season YSU will play 18 conference games. As members of the Mid-Continent Conference, YSU played 18 games three times (1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96). Eargle Eligible After sitting out the 2009-10 season to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements, sophomore Damian Eargle is now eligible. Eargle transferred from Greensboro, where he averaged 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and was named to the Southern Conference All-Newcomer Team. Eargle lead the SoCon with 57 blocked shots. Open League Play on the Road For the second straight season, the Guins begin the month of December by opening Horizon League play on the road with a trek through Wisconsin. The Guins visit Milwaukee on Thursday, Dec. 2, and Green Bay, Saturday, Dec. 4. Sulskis Steppin' Up Senior Vytas Sulskis was one of the Penguins' "go-to" guys last season. Over the last nine games, Sulskis scored in double figures eight times and averaged 15 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 guard shot 44.1 percent (41-of-93) from the field and 78.7 percent (37-of-47) from the free-throw line. Sulskis also picked up his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Wright State on Feb. 25, 2010. He had two double-doubles in the last six contests of the year after not recording one in his first 84 career games. Last to Score 30 With 30 points against Loyola on Jan. 9, 2010, DeAndre Mays set a career-high and became the first player to score at least 30 points since Keston Roberts scored 31 against Detroit on Feb. 27, 2007. Mays' performance is the 10th time under Jerry Slocum a player has scored at least 30 points in a game. YSU had just 10 30-point plus performances from Feb. 1988 to Dec. 2005. Guins Sign Zuiker Youngstown State signed 6-foot-9 forward Cale Zuiker (ZIKE-er) to a national letter of intent during the early signing period. Last season as a junior, Zuiker, who scored 312 points last year, was a unanimous First-Team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference selection after averaging 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks per game. He also led Marshfield High School to its first conference title since 1992 and tied a school record for wins in a season with 18. |
| Ward Scores 13, Guins Late Run Knocks Off Buffalo |
| Thursday, November 18 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| The Youngstown State men's basketball team closed out Buffalo with an impressive run on Tuesday night to knock off the Bulls for the first time since December 2002. YSU blew open a 53-49 contest scoring nine straight points and went on to earn a 64-53 victory to improve to 2-0. With the score 53-49, senior Ashen Ward scored five straight points to end any Buffalo (1-1) comeback hopes. With 2:42 left, Ward drained a 14 footer driving across then on the next possession, he canned a trey with exactly two minutes left and the Bulls never threatened again. With the win, YSU starts a season 2-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 campaign. Ward finished with a career-high 13 points while Damian Eargle snared a career-best 14 rebounds and added three blocks. Devonte Maymon also scored 13 points while Vytas Sulskis had 10. Newcomer Tre Brewer came off the bench to grab 10 rebounds and score six points in 27 minutes of action. Each time Buffalo made a run, the Guins had the answer in the second half. The Bulls pulled within one point at 46-45 with on a Javon McCrea basket with 7:11 left. But once again Ward kept the Penguins in front converting an old-fashioned three-point play with 6:30 left on the clock. Buffalo trimmed the deficit to 53-49 before Ward struck for five straight points and put the game on ice. YSU shot 38.9 percent (21-of-54) while Buffalo was 21-of-55 (38.2 percent) for the contest. The Guins dominated the boards by a 46-33 margin. Both teams played a streaky first half that saw each squad make 10 field goals, combine to miss 15 3-pointers and 13 free throws, including nine by Buffalo. The Bulls shot out of the gate building a 10-2 lead while the Guins turned the ball over five times in the first four-plus minutes. Once the Guins settled in they went on a major run. YSU scored 17 straight points to go on top 19-10 with 11:09 left in the half as Buffalo did not score from the 17:18 mark until the 10:55 onof the half. In fact, after YSU took a 12-10 lead on an Eargle basket at the 13:32 mark they never trailed again. During the 17-point run, Sulskis had six points, Maymon had five while Brewer scored the first four points of his YSU career. Buffalo fought back within 23-20 at the 7:50 mark by scoring 10 of the next 14 points. The Bulls cut the deficit to three when Tony Watson made one-of-two free-throw attempts. The Guins went on their second major run of the half scoring nine straight to lead 32-20 after Blake Allen canned a 3-pointer with 4:30 left. From there, YSU went cold missing its final five shots and did not score the remainder of the first half. Buffalo scored the final nine points of the first half with the last bucket a back-door layup just before the buzzer by Dave Burnett to pull within 32-29 at the break. In the opening 20 minutes, Maymon scored 10 points while Brewer came off the bench to grab seven rebounds and score six points. The Penguins play their second straight contest against a team from the Mid-American Conference on Saturday when they visit Akron. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. |
| Seven Second-Half Treys Lift Men's Hoops to 64-61 Win Over Samford |
| Saturday, November 13 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Youngstown -- Junior DuShawn Brooks scored 16 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, and the Youngstown State men's basketball team held on to defeat Samford 64-61 on Friday in the season opener for both teams. Brooks and fellow newcomer Devonte Maymon, who scored 13 points in the second half, helped the Penguins recover from a subpar first-half shooting effort. YSU hit 7-of-16 triples in the second half, led by a combined 6-for-10 showing by Brooks and Maymon. YSU hit 2-of-17 from behind the arc in the first half. Jeffrey Merritt had 19 points, making 8-of-9 from the field, and 11 rebounds to lead the Samford. Vytas Sulskis added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds for Youngstown State. Samford held a 24-23 lead at halftime, but YSU scored the first five points of the second half and never trailed again. Sulskis hit a jumper on YSU's first possession, and Maymon hit a 3-pointer on the next trip down to floor to make the score 28-24. Samford tied the score at 34-34 on a Gregg Wooten charity toss, but YSU scored the next six points on 3-pointers from Kendrick Perry and Brooks. The Guins led by as many as 10 at 56-46 when Brooks hit another trey with 5:03 remaining. Samford scored the next nine points and had a free throw chance to tie, but Merritt's attempt was off the mark with 2:57 left. YSU worked its lead up to 61-55 after another Brooks trey, but Samford scored the next five points to make things tense in the final 15 seconds. Josh Davis hit a bucket to start the Samford run, and Merritt hit a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left to make the score 61-60. Sulskis hit two free throws on YSU's end, and the Penguins elected to foul to prevent a 3-point attempt. Wooten split the pair for Samford, and Perry also made one free throw for YSU to make the score 64-61 with six seconds left. YSU fouled again on Samford's next possession, and Wooten missed his first attempt. He intentionally missed the second, and Josh Davis missed a 3-point attempt as time expired after Wooten tapped out the rebound. Samford outshot Youngstown State 50 percent to 36.7 percent, but the Bulldogs made six fewer 3-pointers. The Bulldogs held a 38-18 edge in the paint. In the first half, YSU missed its first nine attempts from 3-point range before Sheldon Brogdon's triple at the 10:13 mark gave the Guins a 13-10 advantage. Sulskis hit a bucket on YSU's next trip down the floor to make the score 15-10 with 9:31 remaining, but the Penguins were held scoreless for the next seven minutes. Blake Allen's triple with 2:27 remaining stopped an 11-0 run, and an old-fashioned three-point play by Sulskis tied the score at 21-21 with just under two minutes left before half. Merritt hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulldogs back up, and Brooks cut the margin to one with a bucket on YSU's next possession. YSU was 10-for-33 overall in the first half, attempting 10 more field goals than Samford. Youngstown State will host Buffalo on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. |
| Men's Basketball Signs Wisconsin Standout Cale Zuiker During Early Signing Period |
| Thursday, November 11 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Youngstown, Ohio -- The Youngstown State men's basketball program signed 6-foot-9 forward Cale Zuiker from Marshfield, Wis., to a National Letter-of-Intent Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced on Wednesday (Nov. 10). "We are very happy to have a player of Cale's caliber join our basketball program," Slocum said. "He is a young man that comes from a great basketball family and he is an outstanding student-athlete." Last season as a junior, Zuiker (pronounced ZIKE-er) was a unanimous First-Team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference selection after averaging 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks per game. He also led Marshfield High School to its first conference title since 1992 and tied a school record for wins in a season with 18. Slocum said that Zuiker is an outstanding shooter and has versatility. "What impressed us was Cale's ability to shoot the basketball," Slocum said. "At 6-foot-9, he has the capability to play inside and out. He is a great addition to our program." Zuiker was equally impressed with Youngstown State. "The fact that YSU is a Division I school and plays in a great conference like the Horizon League was very important," Zuiker said. "Also the campus was beautiful, and the coaching staff and players all treated me very well. It seems like the right fit." Zuiker, who scored 312 points last season, also tied a school record with seven 3-pointers in a game when he scored a career-high 29 points against Lakeland High School in the regular-season finale last year. |
| Men's Basketball Opens 81st Season Hosting Samford Friday Night |
| Thursday, November 11 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Opening Notes • This is just the second meeting between the Penguins and Bulldogs and the first in 36 years. The Penguins won the only other contest, 83-77, on Dec. 28, 1974, at the Beeghly Center. • Youngstown State Head Coach Jerry Slocum is one of 17 active coaches with more than 600 career victories. He currently ranks sixth among active Division I coaches with 629 career wins. • The Penguins own a 36-44 record in season openers and a 56-24 mark in home openers. The last time the Penguins opened the season at home was against Buffalo in 2008. The last time the Guins won a season opener was a 74-50 victory over Central Michigan in 2006. The last time the Guins won a season opener at home was in 2004 when they knocked off Lock Haven, 70-56. • The Guins open the season with four of their first five games at home marking the first time since the1979-80 that has occurred. • Senior Vytas Sulskis continues to move up the Youngstown State all-time 3-point chart. With 41 3-pointers made last season, Sulskis now ranks tied for sixth all-time with 126 career 3-pointers. He needs one more to move into sole possesion of sixth place and surpass Ryan Patton, who made 126 from 1998-2002. Sulskis' season-high for 3-pointers made was 46 in 2007-08. • Senior Vytas Sulskis has scored 919 career points and needs 81 more to become the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. • The Penguins have a made-over roster with 12 newcomers, including seven freshmen, and just three letterwinners returning from last year's squad. • Sophomore forward Damian Eargle is now eligible after sitting out the 2009-10 season to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements. Eargle, who played at UNC-Greensboro in 2008-09, was named to the Southern Conference All-Newcomer Team after averaging 9.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and leading the league in blocked shots. Guins Begin 81st Season The 2010-11 basketball campaign will be the 81st season of men's basketball at Youngstown State University. The Penguins own a record of 983-997 in 80 seasons of play. The Guins will play the 2,000th game in program history when they visit Loyola on Jan. 27, 2011. A Win Will • Improve YSU to 1-0 overall. • Mark the program's second win over Samford and the first since 1974. • Will mark YSU's first season-opening win since 2006 against Central Michigan, 74-50. • Mark YSU's first home victory of the season. • Mark Head Coach Jerry Slocum's 630th career victory and his 50th at Youngstown State. • YSU's 984th victory in the program's history. The Samford Series This is just the second meeting in the all-time series between Youngstown State and Samford. The two teams last met in 1974 when the Penguins defeated the Bulldogs, 83-77, at the Beeghly Center. Scouting Samford Samford is coming off an 11-20 record from last season and has nine letterwinners and three starters returning from that squad. Senior guard Josh Davis returns as the Bulldogs' leading scorer with 12.5 points per game. Junior guard Jeffrey Merritt (6.1 ppg) and junior center Matthew Friday (2.2) are also returning starters. Last season, Samford averaged 57.7 points per game while allowing 60.7. Opponents also shot 41.8 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from 3-point range. Samford Exhibition Results On Monday evening, Samford defeated Lindsay Wilson, 72-47, at the Pete Hanna Center. Josh Bedwell led the Bulldogs with 12 points and John Peterson added 10 points off the bench. The Bulldogs shot 55.6 percent (25-of-45) from the floor, including 12-of-25 from behind the 3-point arc. Fifty-six percent of the Bulldogs' field-goal attempts came from 3-point point range. After leading by just three, 24-21, at halftime, Samford shot 76.9 percent (10-of-13) from behind the 3-point line to pull away from Lindsay Wilson. Eargle Against Samford Although the Penguins program has not played Samford since 1974, sophomore Damian Eargle has much more recent experience against the Bulldogs. Eargle, who played at UNC-Greensboro in 2008-09, has played twice against Samford and averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and two blocks per game. Up Next The Penguins remain at home to host Buffalo, Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. It is the second straight home game for the Guins and the first of four contests against teams from the Mid-American Conference. Last Time Against Buffalo In the last meeting against Buffalo, the Bulls walked out of Beeghly Center with a 70-62 vcitory on Nov. 15, 2008. Four Penguins scored in double figures led by Sirlester Martin's 14 poitns and Kelvin Bright's 11. Vytas Sulskis and Jack Liles each added 10 points in the loss. Brand Spankin' New The Penguins will have plenty of fresh faces on the floor this season. With just three returning letterwinners, the Penguins have 12 new players suiting up in 2010-11. Sophomore Damian Eargle and redshirt freshman Sheldon Brogdon were both part of the team last season but did not play. Eargle was required to sit out to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements, and Brogdon was recovering from a knee injury. The Guins also have six true freshmen - Shawn Amiker, Jr., Josh Chojnacki, Fletcher Larson, Kendrick Perry, Nate Perry and Mike Podolsky - and four junior college transfers Blake Allen (So.), Tre Brewer, DuShawn Brooks and Devonte Maymon. Rockin' Beeghly Center This season, the Penguins will play 16 home games in the friendly confines of the Beeghly Center. The 16 home contests are the most regular-season home games since the 1991-92 season when the Guins competed as an independent. Sulskis' 1,000-Point Countdown With 919 career points, senior Vytas Sulskis is just 81 points shy of becoming the 32nd player in YSU history to record 1,000 career points. The last player to reach 1,000 career points was John Barber in 2008. At Home Early Along with the games against Samford and Buffalo, the Guins will play four of their first five games in the friendly confines of the Beeghly Center. It marks the first time since 1979-80 that the Guins will play four of their first five games at home. After a quick trip up Interstate 76 to visit Akron, who played in the postseason College Basketball Invitational, on Saturday, Nov. 20, the Guins return home to entertain MAC foe Toledo, Wednesday, Nov. 24 and Saint Francis (Pa.), Saturday, Nov. 27. The final two contests in November will also be the first two doubleheaders with the YSU women's program. MAC Attack The Guins play four teams from the Mid-American Conference. Akron, Buffalo, Kent State and Toledo are on the slate early in the year. Tough Schedule The Penguins have never been shy about scheduling tough opponents and 2010-11 is no different. This season, the Guins will play nine 20-win teams and six programs that made the 2010 postseason. Big Name Opponents Over the last five seasons, the Penguins have made it a habit to schedule teams from BCS conferences. This season, the Guins visit NC State from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Since 2006-07, the Guins have faced teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (Maryland and NC State), Big East (Pittsburgh and Notre Dame), Big Ten (Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State) and Pac-10 (UCLA). Not Your Vytas, Our Vytas Not only is senior Vytas Sulskis approaching the career 1,000-point plateau, he will be moving up the YSU career 3-point chart as well. Sulskis ranks tied for sixth entering the year with 126 career 3-pointers made and needs just 10 more to move in to fifth place past Doug Underwood (2001-04). Sulskis is averaging 42 3-pointers made each season. If he maintains that average, he will finish with 168 career 3-pointers and rank second all-time. 29 is Our Number The Penguins play 29 regular-season games for the fifth consecutive year and just the sixth time in school history. 18 League Games The 18 conference games will tie a school record. This is the fourth straight season YSU will play 18 conference games. As members of the Mid-Continent Conference, YSU played 18 games three times (1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96). Eargle Eligible After sitting out the 2009-10 season to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements, sophomore Damian Eargle is now eligible. Eargle transferred from Greensboro, where he averaged 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and was named to the Southern Conference All-Newcomer Team. Eargle lead the SoCon with 57 blocked shots. Open League Play on the Road For the second straight season, the Guins begin the month of December by opening Horizon League play on the road with a trek through Wisconsin. The Guins visit Milwaukee on Thursday, Dec. 2, and Green Bay, Saturday, Dec. 4. Bracket Busters YSU is again among the pool of teams involved in ESPN's BracketBuster concept. The Penguins will play at home on Saturday, Feb. 19. The opponent and time will be announced at a later date. Ward Nets Career High With 12 points against Wright State on Feb. 25, 2010,junior Ashen Ward posted a career scoring high. Ward connected on two 3-pointers and made all six of his charity tosses. He also grabbed four rebounds.. His previous high was 11 points, last reached against Robert Morris on Dec. 30, 2009. Sulskis Steppin' Up Senior Vytas Sulskis was one of the Penguins' "go-to" guys last season. Over the last nine games, Sulskis scored in double figures in eight of the last nine games and averaged 15 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 guard shot 44.1 percent (41-of-93) from the field and 78.7 percent (37-of-47) from the free-throw line. Sulskis also picked up his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Wright State on Feb. 25, 2010. He had two double-doubles in the last six contests of the year after not recording one in his first 84 career games. Last to Score 30 With 30 points against Loyola on Jan. 9, 2010, DeAndre Mays set a career-high and became the first player to score at least 30 points since Keston Roberts scored 31 against Detroit on Feb. 27, 2007. Mays' performance is the 10th time under Jerry Slocum a player has scored at least 30 points in a game. YSU had just 10 30-point plus performances from Feb. 1988 to Dec. 2005. Guins Sign Zuiker Youngstown State signed 6-foot-9 forward Cale Zuiker (ZIKE-er) to a national letter of intent during the early signing period. Last season as a junior, Zuiker, who scored 312 points last year, was a unanimous First-Team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference selection after averaging 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks per game. He also led Marshfield High School to its first conference title since 1992 and tied a school record for wins in a season with 18. |
| YSU Athletics Department Announces Basketball Broadcast Coverage for 2010-11 |
| Tuesday, November 9 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| The Youngstown State men's and women's basketball teams will tip off a new season this week, and Penguins' fans can once again listen to the game broadcasts on 570 WKBN starting with the men's game against Buffalo Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 7:05 p.m. YSU Assistant Athletics Director Robb Schmidt returns for his ninth season of calling the men's action home and away. 570 WKBN Sports Director Jim Campbell is also back for his ninth season of doing the play-by-play for the YSU women's basketball game broadcasts. They will begin their coverage of each game with a 20 minute pre-game show. Starting with the YSU men's game against Buffalo on Tuesday, November 16, you can watch a replay of weeknight games this season on MyYTV at 11pm. Weekend games will be televised that night at 10 p.m. WKBN-TV sports anchor Chad Krispinsky will call the play-by-play while former Penguins Steve Hanousek and Velissa Vaughn will provide color analysis. Beginning tonight, fans are also invited to join YSU head basketball coaches Jerry Slocum and Bob Boldon every Monday night at O'Charley's Restaurant on South Avenue in Boardman for "Penguin Playbook". It's the coaches' one hour weekly radio show from 7-8 p.m. on 570 WKBN. They will discuss upcoming opponents and take your calls. Fans can also get the inside scoop every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on WBCB with "Penguin Gameday". Coaches Slocum and Boldon will be joined by WFMJ Sports Director Dana Balash for the half-hour television show. There will be player appearances and a "Chalk Talk" segment featuring the YSU assistant coaches. "Penguin Gameday" will also be available on wfmj.com. The first show will air Wednesday, January 5, 2011. Lastly, YSU fans can follow the Penguins all season on YSUsports.com for up-to-date statistics, student-athlete profiles and all game day information. |
| New Look Penguins Search For Success in 2010-11 |
| Saturday, November 6 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| For the third time in the last four seasons, the men's basketball team will rely on an abundance of talented newcomers fused with five veteran players to lead a resurgence to the Penguins' program. Also for the third time in the last four campaigns, the Penguins are going to have to replace their leading scorer – DeAndre Mays (14.2 points per game) - from the previous season and three of the top four scorers from last year – (Mays, Kelvin Bright (10.1 ppg) and Sirlester Martin (9.9). Senior Vytas Sulskis is the Penguins top returning scorer after ranking second on the team with career-high 11.3 points per game. The 6-foot-7 small forward connected on 41 percent from the floor and 76.5 percent from the free-throw line last season. Along with Sulskis, who started 17 games last season, senior Dan Boudler, junior Ashen Ward, sophomore Damien Eargle and redshirt freshman Sheldon Brogdon and 10 newcomers will relied upon for more significant roles in 2010-11. "Our three returners have all had great offseasons," Head Coach Jerry Slocum said. "They have the ability to be leaders plus they have played in the Horizon League and are battle tested. Slocum is also pleased with what he sees in his 2010-11 squad. "At this time of year you are excited and optimistic," Slocum said. "But until you get into the fire of the season it is difficult to assess your strengths and weaknesses. "Our team has good chemistry and when you have a lot of new faces that is crucial." Backcourt The Penguins' backcourt will have to overcome two big losses with the graduations of Mays and Bright, who combined for 24.3 points per game last season, but it still has the combination of speed, versatility, experience and scoring ability. Numbers-wise, the Guins' backcourt owns the most depth but only two of the 10 players have played a Division I game – Sulskis and Ward. Point Guard Freshmen point-guard Kendrick Perry, a three-time letterwinner at Edgewater High School in Orlando, Fla., and sophomore junior college transfer Blake Allen will be charged with running the Guins' offense. Perry was a first-team all-area selection and a first-team all-county pick as a senior. Allen averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists per game in one season at Redlands Junior College. Although the Guins have two newcomers quarterbacking the offense, Slocum is assured that Allen and Perry can perform the tasks assigned to them. "I'm very confident at the point guard position," Slocum said. "Kendrick and Blake can handle the ball and shoot the ball well so we are very fortunate that our point-guard play can be good." Shooting Guard The Penguins will have plenty of options at the shooting guard position led by Ward, who played in all 30 games and started six times. Ward is slated to be one the Guins' top perimeter threats and made 26 3-poitners a season ago, which ranked third on the team. He also averaged 5.5 points per game and connected on 77.5 percent of his free-throw attempts. Highly-touted redshirt freshman Sheldon Brogdon, who sat out last season recuperating from knee surgery, is a scoring threat from the perimeter and can also get to the basket. He averaged 18.7 points per game as a senior, and was a third-team all-state selection as a junior after averaging 21 points and three assists per game. Junior-college transfer Devonte Maymon spent two seasons at John A. Logan College and connected on 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. Freshmen Shawn Amiker, Jr., Nate Perry and Mike Podolsky will also battle for playing time in the backcourt. Amiker, Jr. averaged 18.7 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game as a senior and led Ferndale to an undefeated regular season and a conference title. Perry finished his career as Hempfield's all-time leading scorer with 1,662 points. He averaged 23.1 points per game as a senior to help Hempfield to the Pennsylvania Section 1-AAAA championship. He ranked third in the WPIAL in scoring as a junior with 25.7 points per game Podolsky finished his career as Canfield's second-leading all-time scorer with 940 points and set the school's single-game records for most points with 41 and most field goals with 17. Small Forward At the small forward slot, Sulskis returns for his fourth season and is the squad's top returning scorer posting 340 points for a career-best average of 11.3 points per game. Sulskis, who connected on 41 3-pointers last season, ranks tied for sixth all-time with 126 career 3-pointers, has scored 919 career points. He is just shy of becoming the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. Sulskis shot 40.9 percent from the floor, connected on 38 percent of his 3-point attempts and made 76.5 percent of his free-throw attempts. Joining Sulskis at the "three" is junior college transfer DuShawn Brooks, who played two seasons at Butler County (Kan.) Community College where he scored a total of 589 points in two years. Last season, Brooks averaged 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor, 40 percent from 3-point range and 72 percent from the free-throw line. During his freshman season, Brooks scored 242 points for an average of 8.3 points per contest. Frontcourt In the frontcourt, the Guins will depend upon a quartet of big men headed by Boudler and Eargle and freshmen Josh Chojnacki and Fletcher Larson. "The depth that we have at the five is strong," Slocum said. "Damian is a legit presence in blocking shots and getting up and down the floor." Boudler played in 27 games last season making two starts. In 11.9 minutes per game, Boudler hauled down 2.2 rebounds per contest and added 1.7 points per game. He was also very efficient from the field connecting on 57.6 percent of his attempts. Eargle is now eligible after sitting out the 2009-10 campaign fulfilling NCAA transfer requirements. As a freshman at UNC-Greensboro in 2008-09, Eargle was named to the Southern Conference All-Newcomer Team averaging 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward also led the SoCon with 57 blocked shots and averaged 11.6 points per game against conference opponents. Chojnacki (pronounced "shuh-NAK-ee"), a 6-foot-9 post, was a four-year letterwinner at Mercyhurst Prep in Erie, Pa., and, most recently named an Associated Press Class AA First-Team All-Pennsylvania selection. As a senior, Chojnacki averaged 21.6 points and 11 rebounds per game and finished his career as the second leading scorer in Mercyhurst Prep history. Larson, a 6-foot-8 forward, was named First-Team All-Western New York and led Jamestown High School to a sectional championship. |