Youngstown State University
5-6, 0-2Horizon
UIC
5-8, 0-1Horizon
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| UIC | 32 | 37 | 69 |
| Youngstown State | 34 | 37 | 71 |
Ashen Ward Scores 26 Points As Guins Hold Off UIC, 71-69
12/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Highlights | Slocum Postgame | Ward Postgame
Junior guard Ashen Ward scored a career-high 26 points to help the Youngstown State basketball get past UIC 71-69 on Thursday night at the Beeghly Center. YSU has won six straight home games and improves to 6-6 and 1-2 with the two-point win over the Flames.
The contest featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes with the final one coming on two Vytas Sulskis free throws with 15.7 seconds. YSU trailed 69-68 following Paul Carter's final basket of the night with 29 seconds remaining.
On the Guins' ensuing possession, Sulskis was fouled driving to the hoop by Brad Birton. Sulskis stepped to the line and drilled two free throws to put YSU on top 70-69.
The Flames got the ball to Robo Kreps at the top the key, but his driving shot attempt was long and YSU guard Blake Allen grabbed the rebound with 2.9 seconds left.
Allen made the first and missed the second free-throw try and UIC rebounded the ball with 2.4 ticks left.
After timeouts by both teams, Tre Brewer harassed the Flames on the inbounds pass and Krebs desparation heave was way short as time expired.
For the game, Ward was 9-of-14 from the field and went 7-of-10 from behind the 3-point arc. The seven makes tie for the fourth most by a player in school history.
YSU shot 50 percent (12-of-25) from 3-point range and was 25-of-53 (47.2 percent) for the game. UIC shot 52 percent (26-of-50) and made just four 3-pointers.
Sulskis and DuShawn Brooks scored 11 points as the Guins received a solid contribution from the bench. Brooks, Allen, Dan Boulder and Devonte Maymon were the only four subs and combined to score 23 points and dish out 12 assists.
UIC, which drops to 5-9 overall and 0-2 in the league, was led by Carter who had 19 points. Also scoring in double figures for the Flames was Kreps (13), Darrin Williams (13) and Birton (10).
The Penguins' biggest lead of the second half was 57-51 on a 3-pointer by Allen with 9:46 left in the game. UIC kept clawing back tying the contest at 65 and taking a 67-65 lead on three Carter free throws with 1:55 remaining.
Sulskis tied the contest with a driving layup 22 seconds later setting up a wild final minute.
Ward sparked YSU to a 34-32 lead at halftime by scoring 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, including a 4-of-6 effort from behind the 3-point arc. Ward came into the game averaging 7.3 points and he doubled that in the first 20 minutes.
His previous career best for points scored was 14, which he set in the overtime loss at Akron on Nov. 20.
In the first half, YSU shot 43.3 percent making 13-of-30 attempts while the Flames converted on 56.5 percent (13-of-23). UIC was 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc while the Guins made 7-of-17. Entering the game YSU was averaging 7.5 made 3-pointers a game.
YSU took the lead at 16-15 with 8:02 left in the half and did not trail the rest of the period.
Leading 21-19, the Penguins scored eight of nine points during one stretch to put some distance between them and the Flames.
Brooks drained a 3-pointer and Ward added a layup before his 3-pointer with 4:14 left put the Penguins in front 29-20.
The Guins were able to hold Krebs, UIC's leading scorer, off the scoreboard for the first 17 minutes, but the senior made two threes and added a pullup jumper to get the Flames within two at the break.
The Penguins play host to Loyola in a rare New Year's Day game on Saturday. Tipoff at the Beeghly Center is set for 1:05 p.m.
