Women's Basketball Outlasts Wright State For 61-58 Win

    Youngstown -- Four players scored in double figures for the fifth time in the last six games to lift the Youngstown State women's basketball team to a 61-58 triumph over Wright State on Thursday evening at the Beeghly Center.

    Senior Heather Karner led the Penguins (8-8, 3-2 Horizon League) with 16 points and nine rebounds. Junior Velissa Vaughn posted 14 points while senior Jessica Schloemp added 13 points and junior Tiara Scott contributed 10 points.

    Wright State's Shey Peddy's lay up with eight minutes remaining gave the Raiders a one-point edge, 46-45, but 3-pointers by Vaughn, Karner and Schloemp keyed an 11-0 Penguins run as they took a 56-46 lead with 5:14 left.

    Wright State (5-10, 2-2 Horizon League) came within two on two different occasions, the last with six seconds left, 60-58, after a Peddy lay up. Vaughn, though, converted one of two charity tosses to seal the victory.

    WSU came out of the locker room strong scoring 14 of the first 16 points to grab a 37-30 lead. But over the next five minutes YSU outscored the Raiders 11-4 tying the contest 41-41 on a 3-point play by Karner. Trailing 41-38, Lauren Branson's steal set-up a breakaway opportunity for Karner who made the layup and the subsequent free throw to knot the game.

    YSU opened the game by making nine of its first 18 shots to build a 21-11 lead. Of the Guins' first 10 baskets, four came from behind the 3-point arc. Karner had three of those.

    Wright State kept chipping away at the deficit and by halftime, YSU owned a 28-23 lead.

    In the first half, YSU shot 36.7 percent (11-of-30) after opening the game by making nine of its first 18 attempts. WSU shot 29.4 percent making 10-of-34 from the field.

    YSU returns to the court on Saturday at the Beeghly Center against Detroit. Tipoff is set for 4:35 p.m.