| Penguins Will Play in 2K Sports College Hoops Classic |
| Monday, March 13 2006 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown – The Youngstown State men’s basketball team will participate in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in early November. The organizers announced the 16-team field along with the four opening-round sites for the event on Tuesday. The hosts of the four Regional Rounds are Maryland, Michigan State, St. John's and Texas, which will take place from November 8-12. The other participating schools are: Alcorn State, Brown, Central Michigan, Chicago State, Hampton, Loyola (Md.), Navy, New Orleans, North Florida, St. Bonaventure, Vermont and Youngstown State. Of the 16 teams who will participate in the field, three are in this year's NCAA Tournament (Michigan State, Texas and Hampton) while Maryland was selected for the NIT. Match-ups, specific dates and a complete bracket will be announced in the near future. The winner of each regional advances to the semifinals and finals, which will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 16-17. In the 2005 event, Florida posted a 75-70 victory over Syracuse in the championship game. For more information check out the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic website at www.gazellegroup.com/cvcclassic/ The Coaches vs. Cancer program, created by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, exists to leverage the strength, community leadership and celebrity of our country's basketball coaches to raise awareness and reduce cancer risk through education programs while raising funds for Coaches vs. Cancer. Since 1996, the Gazelle Group, producers of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, has raised over $2.8 million to support the fight against cancer. The start date of the tournament will mark the earliest season-opening game in YSU men's basketball history. |
| Season Comes to Close With 76-61 Defeat at Loyola |
| Wednesday, March 1 2006 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Chicago, Ill. – The Youngstown State men’s basketball team wasn’t able to overcome some first-half shooting woes in a 76-61 loss to Loyola in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament at the Gentile Center on Tuesday night. The Penguins (7-21) shot just 29.2 percent in the frame making just 7-of-24 attempts. That put them behind 32-17 at halftime and despite playing the Ramblers even in the second half, YSU was able to get as close as nine just once in the second half. YSU came out and took an 8-5 lead following two Domonique Crawford baskets, but from that point Loyola went on a 10-0 run to go in front 15-8. After the Penguins trimmed the deficit to 19-15 at the 6:46 mark, the Ramblers ended the half on a 13-2 run to pull ahead by 15 at the break. In the opening half, Loyola shot 45.8 percent from the field and was 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. The offensive output increased to 44 points in the second half playing the Ramblers even. YSU shot 45.7 percent, including a 7-of-15 effort from behind the 3-point arc. Loyola stayed hot going 12-of-16 from the field (75 percent) and 17-of-21 from the free-throw line. The closest the Penguins could get in the second half was 63-54 with just over five minutes remaining on a Keston Roberts dunk. After getting that close, the Ramblers scored the next points to push the lead back up to 15 and the Penguins never threatened again. First-team All-Horizon League selection Quin Humphrey scored 22 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Crawford finished with 17 points, including 13 in the final half. He also had a career-high nine rebounds. Senior guard Derrick Harris added 10 points in his final game. Blake Schilb had a game-high 23 points to lead the Ramblers (18-10). Chris Logan scored 18 points and Leon Young added 12, including a 10-of-10 free-throw shooting performance. With the victory Loyola advances to the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Tournament to play Detroit on Friday night in Milwaukee. |