Penguins Set to Take On Milwaukee In Important Tilt
2/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Youngstown State (10-11,
5-5 Horizon League) continues its two-game homestand when it
entertains Milwaukee (11-10, 6-4 Horizon League) on Saturday
afternoon.
Tipoff is slated for 4:35 p.m. at the
Beeghly Center and will be broadcast live on 570 WKBN-AM and the
Horizon League Network.
Penguins Think Pink
As part of the Women's Basketball Coaches
Association's (WBCA) global initiative to increase breast
cancer awareness, the Youngstown State women's basketball
players will don pink warm-up t-shirts and wear pink shoelaces
during the contest. The YSU coaching staff will also wear pink
shirts and tennis shoes with pink laces. Youngstown State is one of
more than 900 team sparticipating in this year's
event.
Last Time Out
Youngstown State suffered a
tough shooting performance en route to dropping a 75-47 decision to
Green Bay on Thursday night at the Beeghly Center.
The Penguins were within four points
midway through the first half, but made only one field goal the
remaining 9:40 of the first stanza and trailed by 14 at the
break.
YSU trailed 18-14 after Velissa
Vaughn's hoop with 9:40 left. However, UWGB (17-4 and 9-1)
scored the next seven points to go in front 25-14.
The Series
This will be the 20th meeting between the Penguins
and Panthers since 1991. The Panthers own a 14-5 advantage in the
all-time series, including winning the last five contests. In the
last meeting at the Beeghly Center, the Panthers escaped with a
76-70 victory over the Penguins.
Scouting The Panthers
The Panthers are currently 11-10 overall and 6-4 in
the Horizon League, which is good enough for third place in the
league standings. Milwaukee is coming off a 68-58 loss to Cleveland
State on Thursday evening. Freshman Maurika Hickman led the
Panthers with 22 points while freshman Lindsay Laur added 13
points. Junior Traci Edwards leads the Panthers and ranks second in
the league with 18.1 points per game. Edwards also leads the
Horizon League with 9.6 rebounds per contest. Senior Aubri Rote is
second on the team in scoring with 9.2 points per game.
Last Time Against the Panthers
Youngstown State trailed by as many as 17 points in
the second half only to see an impressive comeback attempt fall
short in a 76-66 loss to Milwaukee on Jan. 10. Junior Tiara Scott
led the Penguins with 22 points, including 14 in the second half,
and senior Lauren Branson posted 17 points with five assists and
three steals. The Penguins trailed 50-33 at the 14:51 mark but used
an 18-2 run over the next five minutes to get within one point,
52-51 at the nine minute mark.
Branson Nets Academic Award
Senior Lauren Branson was named
Academic All-District IV by the College Sports Information
Directors of America (CoSIDA). Branson, a 2006-07 Academic
All-Horizon League pick, carries a 3.93 grade-point average in
special education and is the fourth Youngstown State
student-athlete in 2007-08 to earn academic all-district
laurels.
She joins football players Bob Perez and
Tom Zetts and volleyball player Jessica Fraley as YSU
student-athletes to earn that distinction.
She also becomes the fifth Youngstown
State women's basketball to pick up the CoSIDA award.
The last women's basketball player to earn academic
all-district honors was Jen Perugini in 2004-05.
A Win Will
• Mark YSU's 11th victory of the
season.
• Give Head Coach Tisha Hill her 42nd career
victory.
• Mark YSU's six victory over the Panthers.
• Snap a five-game losing streak to the Panthers.
• Give YSU its sixth Horizon League win of the
year.
• Mark the 465th win in program history.
• Mark the most home victories since the 2004-05 season
(7).
Karner Joins Century Club
In less than two seasons, senior Heather Karner
moved into the top 10 all-time for 3-pointers made and became the
10th player in school history to make at least 100 3-pointers in a
career. Karner ranks ninth with 103 3-point baskets. Karner also
made a career-best five 3-pointers in YSU's 92-79 win over
Valparaiso on Jan. 31.
Guins on National Scene
Seniors Lauren Branson and Heather Karner exemplary
performances this season have given the Guins exposure on the
national scene. Branson ranks 10th with a 2.5 assists-to-turnover
ratio and 28th nationally with 5.1 assists per game while Karner
ranks 42nd nationally 2.4 3-pointers made per game.
Vaughn Shining Versus League
Since Horizon League play started, junior Velissa
Vaughn has been outstanding. After scoring just 17 points in the
first 11 games, Vaughn has scored 124 points for an average of 12.4
points per game, including a season-best 19 points against Detroit
on Jan. 19. The 5-foot-8 guard is shooting 41.3 percent from behind
the 3-point line.
92 A League High
Youngstown State's 92 points against
Valparaiso on Jan. 31 marked the first time since 2005 that the
Guins scored at least 90 point in a game. It is also a league
scoring high this season.
Branson Inching Toward Fifth
Senior guard Lauren Branson continues her move up
the YSU all-time assist chart. With two assists against Green Bay
on Feb. 7, Branson ranks sixth with 433 career assists and needs 15
more to move into fifth place past Colleen Cook (447,
1994-98).
Need To Lead
The Penguins have led at halftime in 12 of 20 games
this season and own an 8-4 record in those games.
Schloemp Streak at 94
Senior Jessica Schloemp owns a games played streak
of 94 straight. Schloemp has also played in 104 of 105 career
games.
Scott's Efficiency
Junior Tiara Scott is currently on pace to set the
fifth-highest single-season field-goal percentage in school
history. Scott's .551 field-goal percentage ranks seventh on
the single-season list.
Assist Me, Please
Senior Lauren Branson continues to prove her value
as a point guard. This season, the 5-foot-6 guard has tallied 107
assists to just 48 turnovers in 33.2 minutes per game. She leads
the Horizon League with 5.1 assists per game and is second with a
2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
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 Guins hit the road for two games beginning with
a Valentine's Day contest against Detroit, Thursday, Feb. 14.
Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. at Calihan Hall. The Guins also
visit Wright State, Saturday, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. at the Nutter
Center.
