Youngstown State University
8-12
N.C. Central
4-18
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCCU | 21 | 36 | 57 |
| Youngstown State | 32 | 38 | 70 |
Four Score in Double Figures to Lift Penguins Past Eagles, 70-57
1/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Youngstown State men's basketball team used strong pushes at the end of both halves to hold off a scrappy North Carolina Central squad 70-57 on Wednesday night at the Beeghly Center. YSU had four players score in double figures for the fourth time this season in the contest. The Guins have won every game this year when four players reach double digits.
With the win, the Penguins improve to 8-12 overall while the Eagles fall to 4-18. Leading the way for YSU offensively was DeAndre Mays who scored 17 points. Kelvin Bright and Sirlester Martin each contributed 13 while Vytas Sulskis chipped in 11. Leading the way for NCCU was C.J. Wilkerson who had 26 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 10-of-13 from the free-throw line.
Youngstown State led by 11 at halftime, but NCCU made a run midway through the second half to get back in the game.
The Penguins led 49-36 at the 10:52 mark of the second half following a Sulskis 3-pointer. But the Eagles found their wings scoring the next nine points getting as close as 49-45 on a 3-pointer by C.J. Wilkerson with 9:06 left.
Mays put a stop to the run drilling a 3-pointer just seconds later and the Penguins quickly regained control of the contest. Bright added a free throw while Dallas Blocker added two more to put the Guins ahead 55-45 with 8:17 left in the game.
After Dijon Manns cut the YSU lead to 55-47, YSU scored nine straight points to go ahead by 17 with 3:58 remaining.
YSU rode a solid defensive effort in the final 12 minutes of the first half to grab a 32-21 halftime lead.
The Penguins shot just 35.5 percent in the opening frame but forced the Eagles into 12 turnovers. NCCU started the game making six of its first nine shots and held a 15-13 lead with 12:32 remaining. The Eagles finished the half hitting at a 42.1 percent clip. YSU had an advantage at the free-throw line converting 8-of-11 attempts while NCCU hit 3-of-7 from the charity stripe.
YSU scored the next 11 points grabbing a 24-15 advantage at the 7:54 mark. Dan Boulder's offensive tip-in tied the contest at 15 then Sulskis's first 3-pointer of the night gave the Guins an 18-15 lead. Following two Mays free throws, Martin kept the run going with a jumper. Bright's tip-in of a Martin miss capped the 11-0 spurt at the 7:54 mark.
Chasten stopped the run with a bucket, but YSU scored five straight points on an Ashen Ward layup and Sulskis' second 3-pointer of the evening to extend its lead to 29-17.
The Penguins return to Horizon League play on Saturday when they play at Cleveland State. Tipoff at the Wolstein Center is set for 4 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The contest will also be carried on 570 WKBN.
