After a 13-day hiatus, the Youngstown State women's basketball team (5-6, 0-0 Horizon League) opens its seventh Horizon League season when it entertains UIC (4-7, 0-0 Horizon League) Thursday, Jan. 3. Tipoff is slated form 5:15 p.m. at the Beeghly Center and is part of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader.
     Both games are broadcast live on 570 WKBN-AM and tape-delayed on MyYTV (midnight) and WYFX FOX 17/62 (2 a.m.).
     The Penguins snapped a three-game losing skid with a 74-56 win over Akron on Dec. 21. Junior Tiara Scott and senior Heather Karner paced the Penguins with 25 and 24 points, respectively, in the victory. Junior Ashley Pendleton also reached double figures with 11 points.
 
 The Series
 This will be the 17th meeting between the Penguins and Flames since 1993. UIC owns a 10-6 advantage in the series and has won nine of the last 10 meetings, including a 71-63 win over the Penguins at the Beeghly Center on Feb. 1, 2007.
 
 Scouting The Flames
 UIC is currently owns a 4-7 overall record. The Flames are a perfect 4-0 at home but have struggled on the road with an 0-7 mark. Sophomore Jessie Miller leads the Flames with 13.6 points per game while sophomore Briana Hinkle is also averaging in double figures with 10.5 points per game.
 
 A Win Will
 • Mark YSU's sixth victory of the season.
 • Give Head Coach Tisha Hill her 37th career victory.
 • Mark YSU's seventh win over UIC.
 • Mark YSU's first win over UIC at the Beeghly Center since 2002.
 • Mark the 460th win in program history.
 
 December to Remember
 Since Dec. 1, no one on the Penguins roster has been playing as consistent as junior Tiara Scott. Over the last six games, Scott is averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field. She has also led the Penguins to a 3-3 record in that span.
 
 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 five victories, Karner is averaging 14.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from behind the arc.
 
 In League Openers
 Since joining the Horizon League in 2001-02, the Guins have not fared well in Horizon League openers. The Penguins are 1-5 in league-opening contests with their lone victory coming in 2004-05 over Cleveland State, 74-52, in the Beeghly Center.
 
 Best Start Since 2004-05
 With its 5-6 record after 11 games, the Youngstown State women's basketball team is off to its best start since going 6-5 after the first 11 contests of the 2004-05 season.
 
 Invitation to a Block Party
 The Youngstown State women's basketball team is making it difficult for teams to come inside. The Penguins lead the Horizon League with 4.2 blocks per game as a team. Junior Ashley Pendleton has become one of the top shot blockers in the Horizon League. The 6-foot forward tied a career high with four blocks against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 8. Pendleton also ranks third in the Horizon League with 1.55 blocks per game. Senior Jessica Schloemp is seventh with 0.73 blocks per game.
 
 Schloemp Streak at 84
 Senior Jessica Schloemp owns a games played streak of 84 straight. Schloemp has also played in 94 of 95 career games.
 
 Branson Takes Care of the Rock
 Senior Lauren Branson continues to prove her value as a point guard. This season, the 5-foot-6 guard has tallied 51 assists to just 23 turnovers in 33.1 minutes per game. She is second in the Horizon League with 4.6 assists per game and second with a 2.22 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
 Branson Now Sixth
 Senior Lauren Branson continues her ascent up the YSU all-time assists chart. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native currently has 377 career assists and moved into sixth on the YSU all-time career assists list. She also needs 23 more to become the sixth player in school history to post 400 career assists.
 
 Gurganus Hits Career High
 Junior Kelsey Gurganus turned in a career-best scoring performance against Cincinnati on Dec. 15. The 5-foot-10 guard scored a career-high 14 points on a career-best 7-of-12 shooting from the field.
 
 Branson Sets Career Highs
 Senior Lauren Branson set two new career highs in leading the Guins to a 66-58 win over Central Michigan on Dec. 5. Branson scored a career-high 20 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and was 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Branson, who also dished out six assists, made a career-best three 3-pointers against the Chippewas.
 
 Gurganus Misses Double-Double
 Junior Kelsey Gurganus was one basket and one rebound from recording her first career double-double in the loss to Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 8. Gurganus scored eight points and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds against the RedHawks.
 
 Pendleton Nets First Double-Double, All-Tourney Honors
 Junior Ashley Pendleton turned in two solid performances at the LIU Turkey Classic. The 6-foot forward averaged 15.5 points and seven rebounds per game in two games at the LIU Turkey Classic to nab all-tournament honors. Pendleton scored a career-high 18 points in a 68-54 loss to Long Island and posted her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Albany.
 
 Schloemp Double Dips
 Senior Jessica Schloemp posted the fifth double-double of her career with 15 points and 14 rebounds against Buffalo on Nov. 11. Schloemp connected on 6-of-14 from the floor and 10 of her 14 boards came on the defensive glass.
 
 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.
 
Penguins Picked Sixth
 Youngstown State was predicted to finish sixth in the Horizon League standings with 118 points in a poll of the League's head coaches, sports information directors and select media, the Horizon League announced.
     Milwaukee was picked to win the league with 253 points and 13 first-place votes while Green Bay was second with 244 points and nine first-place votes.
     Butler ranked third while UIC and Valparaiso placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Wright State was picked seventh and Cleveland State, Detroit and Loyola placed eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.
 
 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 Guins host Loyola, Saturday, Jan. 5, at 3:25 p.m. at the Beeghly Center. It is part of a YSU basketball doubleheader and is preceeded by the YSU-Loyola men's basketball game at 1:05 p.m.