The Youngstown State women's basketball team seeks to open Horizon League play with two straight wins for the first time since joining the circuit in 2001-02 when it hosts Loyola, today, at the Beeghly Center.
    Four players scored in double figures to lead the Penguins past Horizon League member UIC, 73-62, on Thursday evening at the Beeghly Center. Senior Heather Karner led the Penguins with 19 points while juniors Tiara Scott finished with 18, Velissa Vaughn added 12 and Kesley Gurganus contributed 10.

The Series
This will be the 14th meeting between the Penguins and Ramblers since YSU joined the Horizon League in 2001-02. Loyola owns a 10-3 advantage in the all-time series, but YSU has won the last three contests played at the Beeghly Center. Last season, the Penguins escaped with a 64-62 win at home while knocking off the Ramblers 60-54 in 2005-06 and 62-55 in 2004-05.

Scouting The Ramblers
Loyola comes into the game sporting a 2-10 overall record and an 0-1 mark in the Horizon League. The Ramblers are coming off a 75-58 loss to Cleveland State on Thursday evening. Keisha Collins led the Ramblers with 14 points while Brittany Boeke added 11. Sophomore Elyse VanBogaert leads LU with 13.1 points per game while sophomore Maggie McCloskey averages 12.4 points per contest.

A Win Will
• Mark YSU's seventh victory of the season.
• Give Head Coach Tisha Hill her 38th career victory.
• Mark YSU's fourth win over Loyola.
• Mark YSU's fourth consecutive win over Loyola at the Beeghly Center.
• Mark the 461st win in program history.
• Mark the first time YSU has started 2-0 in the Horizon League.

Four For the First Time
With Heather Karner, Tiara Scott, Velissa Vaughn and Kelsey Gurganus all scoring at least 10 points against UIC on Thursday marked the first time YSU had four players reach double figures this season. It also marks the first time since a 76-70 loss to Milwaukee on Feb. 10, 2007, that four players scored at least 10 points.

Glass Cleaner
Senior Jessica Schloemp continues to produce for the Penguins on the boards. Against UIC on Thursday, Schloemp pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass. She is averaging 8.2 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).

Back-to-Back 70's
With 74 points against Akron on Dec. 21 and 73 points against UIC on Thursday, the Guins scored at least 70 points in consecutive games for the first time since the 2004-05 season. YSU defeated Detroit 71-68 on Feb. 24, 2005, and Milwaukee, 75-68, on Feb. 26, 2005. The last time the Guins scored at least 70 points in three straight contests was when 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).

Scott is Hot
Since Dec. 1, junior Tiara Scott has been playing like a woman possessed. Over the last seven games, the 6-foot forward is averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor and 80 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.

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 six victories, Karner is averaging 15.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field, 43.6 percent from behind the arc and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Going Two-For-Two
Since joining the Horizon League in 2001-02, the Guins have never started league play with two straight wins. The last time Youngstown State won its first two conference games was during the 1999-2000 campaign in the Mid-Continent Conferencee.

Best Start Since 1999-2000
With its 6-6 record after 12 games, the Youngstown State women's basketball team is off to its best start since going 8-4 after the first 12 contests of the 1999-2000 season.

Vaughn Hits For Season High
Junior Velissa Vaughn turned in her best performance of the season at the right time. Vaughn scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting and dished out three assists against UIC on Thursday in a 73-62 win.

Invitation to a Block Party
Youngstown State is making it difficult for teams to come inside. The Penguins lead the Horizon League with 4.17 blocks per game as a team. Junior Ashley Pendleton ranks third in the Horizon League with 1.42 blocks per game.

Schloemp Streak at 85
Senior Jessica Schloemp owns a games played streak of 85 straight. Schloemp has also played in 95 of 96 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 57 assists to just 24 turnovers in 32.8 minutes per game. She is second in the Horizon League with 4.8 assists per game and second with a 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio. In the last two games, Branson has dished out 15 assists compared to just two turnovers.

Branson Now Sixth
Senior Lauren Branson continues her ascent up the YSU all-time assists chart. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native currently has 383 career assists and moved into sixth on the YSU all-time career assists list. She also needs 17 more to become the sixth player in school history to post 400 career assists.

Gurganus Steady
Over the last five games, junior guard Kelsey Gurganus has been steady for the Guins. Gurganus is averaging 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor.

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.

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 hit the road for a two-game swing through Wisconsin to take on Milwaukee, Thursday, Jan. 10, and Green Bay on Jan. 12. Tipoff against Milwaukee is set for 8 p.m. (EDT) at the Klotsche Center.