Green Bay, Wis. -- The
Youngstown State women's basketball team (7-7, 2-1 Horizon League)
searches for its first 3-1 start in the Horizon League when it
visits defending league champion Green Bay, Saturday, Jan. 12.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (EDT) at the Kress Center.
Last Time Out
The Penguins are coming off a 76-66 loss to Milwaukee on
Thursday evening. Trailing by 17 with 15 minutes left in the game,
the Guins used an 18-2 run to slice the Panthers' advantage
to one but could not over take UWM. Junior Tiara Scott led the
Penguins with 22 points while senior Lauren Branson posted 17
points with five assists and three steals.
The Series
This will be the 19th meeting between the Penguins and
Phoenix. UWGB owns a 17-1 advantage in the all-time series and has
won the last four contests. The Penguins lone victory was a 60-56
win during the 2004-05 season.
Scouting The Phoenix
Green Bay enters Saturday's contest with a 11-3
overall record and a 3-0 record in the Horizon League The Phoenix
has won seven consective games after an 87-61 victory over
Cleveland State on Thursday evening. Rachel Porath leads three
others in double figures with 14.5 points per game. Kayla Groh is
averaging 13.7 points per game while Katy Harty and Lavessa Clover
are averaging 11.4 and 10.6 points per game, respectively.
A Win Will
• Mark YSU's eighth victory of the season.
• Give Head Coach Tisha Hill her 39th career
victory.
• Mark YSU's second win over Green Bay.
• Snap a four-game losing streak to the Phoenix.
• Mark YSU's first win at the Kress Center since
2005.
• Mark the 462nd win in program history.
• Mark the first time YSU has started 3-1 in the
Horizon League.
Scott is Hot
Over the last four games junior Tiara Scott has been almost
unstoppable. Scott is averaging 20.5 points, 9.8 rebounds per game
while shooting 59.3 percent from the field and 94.7 percent from
the free throw line. Scott has also made 15 straight free throws
since Dec. 21, 2007.
Branson Lights It Up
Senior Lauren Branson, not known for her scoring, lit up
Milwaukee for her second-highest scoring total with 17 points. For
the second time this season and in her career, Branson drilled
three 3-pointers. She also made three treys in a career-high,
20-point performance against Central Michigan on Dec. 5.
Great Scott
Since Dec. 1, junior Tiara Scott has been playing like a
woman possessed. Over the last nine games, the 6-foot forward is
averaging 15 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 57.1
percent from the floor and 83.8 percent from the free-throw line.
In the first five games of the year, Scott averaged just 5.6 points
and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Four Reach Doubles in Consecutive
Outings
Last Saturday's 70-58 win over Horizon League foe
Loyola mark the second straight game four YSU players scored in
double figures this season. Senior Heather Karner and junior Tiara
Scott led the Guins with 17 points each while junior Velissa Vaughn
added 14 points and senior Jessica Schloemp contributed 12 points.
Four players also scored at least 10 points in a 73-62 win over UIC
on Jan. 3. It also marks the first time since a 74-62 loss at Green
Bay on Feb. 15, 2007, and a 76-70 loss to Milwaukee on Feb. 17,
2007, that four players scored at least 10 points in consectutive
games.
Glass Cleaner
Senior Jessica Schloemp continues to produce for the
Penguins on the boards. Against UIC last Thursday, Schloemp pulled
down a season-high 18 rebounds, including eight on the offensive
glass, and grabbed nine against Loyola on Jan. 5. She is averaging
7.9 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the Horizon League,
and has posted 10-plus rebounds in a game on four occasions
(Buffalo - 14, Toledo - 11, Central Michigan - 10, UIC - 18). Over
the last four games, Schloemp has pulled down 39 rebounds for an
average of 9.8 rebounds per game.
That 70's Show
With 74 points against Akron on Dec. 21, 73 points against
UIC on Jan. 3, and 70 points against Loyola on Jan. 5, the Guins
scored at least 70 points in three consecutive games for the first
time since they opened the 2004-05 season scoring 76 against Saint
Louis (W, 76-59), 79 against Ohio (L, 79-85) and 71 against Florida
Atlantic (W, 71-58). The last time YSU scored 70 points in four
straight games was during the 1999-2000 season when it posted at
least 70 points in seven straight games (Jan. 22 - Feb. 17,
2000).
As Karner Goes So Do Guins
If the Penguins are going to win, it is more than probable
senior Heather Karner has a good game. In YSU's seven victories,
Karner is averaging 15.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while
shooting 44 percent from the field, 42.2 percent from behind the
arc and 86.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Holy Trinity
The Guins are off to their best start in league play thanks
in part to a rejuninated offensive arsenal. YSU is averaging 69.7
points per game led by the three-pronged attack of Tiara Scott (19
ppg), Heather Karner (13 ppg) and Velissa Vaughn (11 ppg). That
trio combines for 48.5 points per game in league play.
Best Start Since 1999-2000
With its 7-7 record after 14 games, the Youngstown State
women's basketball team is off to its best start since going
10-4 after the first 14 contests of the 1999-2000 season. The Guins
have also matched their win total from a season ago.
Vaughn Hits For Season High, Again
Junior Velissa Vaughn turned in another season-best
performance against Loyola on Jan. 5. The 5-foot-8 guard scored 14
points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-3 from behind the arc, to
help the Penguins to a 70-58 win. Vaughn has scored 33 points in
the last three games - an average of 11 points per game. In the
previous nine contests, she scored just 17 points for a scoring
average of 1.9 points per game.
Schloemp Streak at 87
Senior Jessica Schloemp owns a games played streak of 87
straight. Schloemp has also played in 97 of 98 career games.
Assist Me, Please
Senior Lauren Branson continues to prove her value as a
point guard. This season, the 5-foot-6 guard has tallied 68 assists
to just 30 turnovers in 32.8 minutes per game. She is second in the
Horizon League with 4.8 assists per game and second with a 2.27
assist-to-turnover ratio. She also ranks 13th nationally in
assists-to-turnover ratio. In the last four games, Branson has
dished out 26 assists compared to just eight turnovers.
Branson Six From 400
Senior Lauren Branson continues her ascent up the YSU
all-time assists chart. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native currently has
394 career assists and ranks sixth on the YSU all-time career
assists list. She also needs five more to become the sixth player
in school history to post 400 career assists.
Seniors Tabbed Team Captains
Guards Lauren Branson, Heather Karner and Kira Mowen and
senior forward Jessica Schloemp have been named team captains for
the 2007-08 basketball season.
Karner Nabs Preseason Laurels
Senior Heather Karner was named to the Horizon League
Preseason All-League Second-Team in a vote of the circuit's
head coaches, sports information directors and select media. Karner
led the Penguins with 10.9 points per game and was named to the
all-newcomer team last season.
Up Next
The return home to host Wright State, Thursday, Jan. 17.
Tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m. at the Beeghly Center and is part of a
men's and women's basketball doubleheader.