Youngstown State University
7-11, 2-7HL
Milwaukee
12-8, 4-4HL
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 31 | 38 | 69 |
| Youngstown State | 23 | 36 | 59 |
Men's Basketball Comes Up Short Falling to UWM, 69-59
1/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Youngstown -- The Youngstown State men's basketball team kept battling all night, but could never quite get over the hump falling 69-59 to Milwaukee before a crowd of 6,087 at the Beeghly Center and nationally-television audience on ESPNU.
The Penguins attempted 20 more shots, forced the Panthers into 18 turnovers and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, seven more than UWM on the night. Milwaukee made its final 10 free throws on the night to keep YSU at bay.
However, the Panthers shot 47.8 percent for the game (22-of-46) and 19-of-26 (73.1 percent) from the free-throw line. YSU attempted just nine free throws and was 7-of-27 from behind the 3-point arc (25.9 percent). The Guins made their final three 3-pointers late in the game.
Milwaukee grabbed a lead midway through the first half and they never trailed again.
YSU trailed by 13 twice in the second half, but pulled within 45-41 at the 8:02 mark on a fast break up by DeAndre Mays.
The Guins had their opportunities to get closer.
YSU trailed 49-44, but came up empty on two straight possessions. UWM's Ja'Rob McCallum made two free throws to put the Panthers in front 51-44. Mays answered with a fastbreak layup to get the Penguins back within five.
On the next Milwaukee possession, Ricky Franklin's errant 3-point attempt as time was winding down on the shot clock was grabbed by James Eayrs who put the shot up and in for a 53-46 UWM lead.
Mays drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to pull YSU within 53-49 at the 2:53 mark. However, Franklin struck again draining a step-back 3-pointer over Vytas Sulskis with 2:22 left. On YSU's next possession, Sirlester Martin and Sulskis each missed 3-point shots and Milwaukee was able to put the game away at the free-throw line.
With the loss, Youngstown State falls to 7-11 overall and 2-7 in the Horizon League while the Panthers improve to 12-8 and 4-4. Sulskis and Mays each scored 11 points for the Penguins. Sulskis led the team with nine rebounds. Franklin scored a game-high 21 points for UWM while Anthony Hill had 16.
In the first half, the Penguins had a highlight-reel alley-oop when Mays fed Kelvin Bright on a fast-break dunk, but Milwaukee shot 46.4 percent en route to a 31-23 lead. The Penguins shot 30.3 percent, including a 1-of-10 effort from behind the 3-point arc.
The Penguins tied the contest at 13 at the 9:29 mark when Bright slammed home a perfectly placed pass by Mays. Following that sequence, Milwaukee scored the next five points to go ahead 18-13 on a three-point play by Jerard Ajami. Sulskis cut the deficit to two on a jumper, but the Panthers went on a 6-0 run as Franklin drained consecutive 3-pointers from long distance.
Eddie D'Haiti's bucket stopped the run momentarily before Franklin canned one from 27 feet to put UWM ahead 27-17.
The Panthers' biggest lead of the first half was 31-20 at the 1:52 mark on a layup by Eayrs.
YSU returns to action on Sunday when they play host to Green Bay. Tipoff at the Beeghly Center is set for 2:05 p.m.
