Youngstown -- The Youngstown State women's basketball team celebrated Senior Day with an impressive 54-38 victory at the expense of Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon at the Beeghly Center. The win, in the regular-season finale, snapped an 18-game losing streak and avenged a 43-point loss to the Crusaders in early January.
    The Penguins started five seniors -- Monique Godfrey, Kelsey Gurganus, Tiara Scott, Ashley Pendleton and Nikita LaFleur -- and the entire team feed off their energy putting together their largest margin of victory this season. Also, the 38 points allowed were the fewest since Dec. 29, 1990 against Malone (25).
    On offense, YSU shot 47.9 percent making 23-of-48 shots. From behind the 3-point arc, the Guins were 7-of-17, one off their season high.
    On defense, the Penguins held Valparaiso, the second-highest scoring team in the contest, to just 38 points. The Crusaders' previous season low was 44 and they averaged 68.4 points per game coming in. Valpo shot 23.2 percent from the field making just 13-of-56 attempts. From behind the 3-point arc it made just two of 20 attempts (10 percent).
    Freshman Camisha Alexander set the school record for most 3-pointers made by a freshman while lead the Guins with a dozen points. Alexander made all four of her attempts against the Crusaders to give her 41 for the year.
    In the second half, YSU (3-28 overall and 1-17 in the Horizon League) never backed down after leading by 12 points at the break. The Penguins kept their foot on the gas even when Valpo (16-13 and 10-8) cut the deficit to 33-24 with 11:06 left. YSU responded with three consecutive 3-pointers to end any doubt.
    Alexander drilled back-to-back treys before Kenya Middlebrooks drained just her second 3-pointer of the year to put YSU ahead 42-24.
    Sparked by their senior starters, the Penguins bolted out of the gate. YSU scored the first 13 points of the contest, highlighted by the first made 3-pointer of Tiara Scott's career.
    Leading 2-0, Scott swished a 21-footer just over two minutes into the contest and the good vibes spread throughout her teammates.
    Monique Godfrey, Macey Nortey and Kelsey Gurganus all followed suit with makes before Scott's second basket of the game gave the Guins their 13-0 lead.
     The Crusaders finally got on the scoreboard when Lauren Kenney made two free throws at the 12:24 mark. But YSU kept the pressure on scoring five straight points to build its biggest lead of the season at 18-2 on a Scott basket and a 3-pointer by Camisha Alexander. The Penguins made eight of their first 12 shots to build the 16-point cushion.
    YSU harassed Valparaiso into missing its 13 shots of the contest. Its first field goal finally connected 10:12 into the game when Kenney made a layup.
    Valpo was able to get within 20-11 at the 7:05 mark, but the Guins were able to build a 27-15 lead at the intermission.
    In the first half, Valpo made just 6-of-25 (24 percent) after starting 0-for-13. The Crusaders were just 1-of-11 from 3-point range. The Penguins shot a season-half-best 54.5 percent making 12-of-22 from the field. YSU dominated the boards grabbing 20 to Valpo's 10. It marked the third time Youngstown State led at the break this season.
    YSU will now try to carry the momentum of playing its most complete game of the year as it opens play in the Horizon League Tournament on Monday night at 8. The Penguins will either be at UIC or Milwaukee. The contest will be carried live on 570 WKBN AM.