Youngstown State University
8-13, 2-9
Cleveland State
10-12, 6-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youngstown State | 21 | 48 | 69 |
| Cleveland State | 30 | 47 | 77 |
DeAndre Mays' 27 Not Enough in Comeback Attempt at Cleveland State
1/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Cleveland, Ohio -- DeAndre Mays scored 19 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team comeback attempt from a 17-point second-half deficit fell short in a 77-69 loss to Cleveland State on Saturday afternoon at the Wolstein Center.
The Penguins fall to 8-13 overall and 2-9 in the Horizon League while the Vikings improve to 10-12 overall and 6-4 in the league.
Besides Mays' 27 points, senior Kelvin Bright and junior Vance Cooksey each posted double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Junior Vytas Sulskis just missed a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds.
After shooting a season-low 22.9 percent (8-of-35)from the field in the first half, the Penguins caught fire after the intermission connecting on 50 percent (13-of-26) from the floor, 63.6 (7-of-11) and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) from the free-throw line.
Down 17 points, 59-42, with 6:51 mark, the Penguins embarked on an 20-9 run over the next five minutes keyed by 3-pointers from Cooksey, Ashen Ward and Mays and capped by two free throws by Mays that brought the Penguins within six, 68-62, with 1:28 left.
Cleveland State was able to extend its lead back to nine but Bright nailed a 3-pointer with 37 seconds remaining to slice the lead back down to six, 72-66. The Penguins, though, could not get any closer.
The Penguins struggled shooting the ball in the first half missing their first seven shots and made just one of their first 15 field-goal attempts. The Vikings capitalized on the Penguins' misses scoring the first nine points of the contest and led by as many as 13 points, 21-8, with 9:01 left in the half.
Two free throws by Mays began a 7-0 run by the Penguins to cut the deficit to six points, 21-15, with 6:16 to go. A 3-pointer by Ashen Ward followed Mays' charity tosses and Dan Boudler add a layup to bring the Guins within six.
The Vikings, though, recaptured an 11-point edge, 26-15, on a 3-pointer by Jeremy Montgomery at the 5:22 mark.
Baskets by Kelvin Bright and Eddie D'Haiti trimmed the CSU lead back down to seven, 26-19 with 3:38 to go but the Vikings scored the next two buckets and took a 30-21 lead into the lockerroom at halftime.
The Penguins grabbed 13 offensive rebounds in the first half but were only able to convert eight second-chance points.
The Penguins visit Loyola, Thursday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. at the Gentile Center in Chicago, Ill.
