Youngstown -- The Youngstown State women's basketball team raced out to their biggest lead of the season, but Valparaiso caught fire and came back to beat the Penguins 66-41 on Thursday night at the Beeghly Center.

In the first half, YSU had its biggest lead of the season at 13 points and maintained its first halftime advantage of the year at 26-22. But Valpo opened the second half scoring the first 12 points, after scoring the final five of the first half, and never looked back en route to the victory. The Penguins (0-16 overall and 0-5 in the Horizon League) did not score for the first 5:50 of the second half against the Crusaders (5-10 and 2-2) until Kenya Middlebrooks ended the drought.

Youngstown State's four-point halftime cushion evaporated quickly in the second. Valpo's Betsy Adams and Ashley Varner each scored to tie the contest. The Crusaders then took the lead for good when Adams drained a 3-pointer at the 18:17 mark.

The Penguins were outscored 44-15 in the second half. Valpo, which shot just 30.4 percent in the first half, made 20-of-31 in the second for a gaudy 64.5 percent in the second half.

Leading the way offensively for YSU was Middlebrooks, who had 14 points. Adams scored 25 to pace the Crusaders, which had dropped 10 of their last 11 games. Adams made 10-of-15 field-goal attempts, including 5-of-8 from behind the 3-point arc.

YSU led 14-9 at the 11:55 mark before reeling off the next eight points to take their biggest lead of the season at 22-9 with 6:13 left. Brandi Brown, Macey Nortey and Rachael Manuel all contributed to make baskets during the run. Manuel's two free throws capped the spurt at the 6:13 mark.

From that point, Valpo outscored the Guins 13-4 the remainder of the half to get back in the game and trailed by just four at the break. Adams scored the final 11 points for the Crusaders in the last four-and-a-half minutes after being held scoreless early in the contest. With two minutes left in the first half, YSU held a 26-17 advantage but Adams scored the five points of the half.

The Penguins protected the basketball well with just four turnovers in the first 16 minutes, but they had three in the final four. The Guins forced Valpo into 13 turnovers. YSU outscored the Crusaders 12-0 off turnovers in the opening half.

YSU returns to action on Saturday when it plays host to Butler. Tipoff at the Beeghly Center is set for 2:05 p.m.