Youngstown State University
2-2
Longwood
2-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longwood | 33 | 39 | 72 |
| Youngstown State | 40 | 42 | 82 |
Five Score in Doubles to Lead Men's Basketball Past Longwood, 82-72
11/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Ypsilanti, Michigan -- All five starters scored in double figures and the Youngstown State men's basketball team shot 52.6 percent from the field en route to an 82-72 win over Longwood on Saturday evening at the EMU Convocation Center.
Seniors Shawn Amiker and DJ Cole led the Penguins (2-3) with 18 points each while junior Bobby Hain posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Cole also posted a double-double and tied a career high with 12 assists.
Sophomore Jalon Plummer tied a career high with 13 points and sophomore Marcus Keene added 11 points.
The Penguins were efficient from the field in both halves, shooting 50 percent (15-of-30) in the first half and 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the second.
Youngstown State also won the rebounding battle, 39-26.
Longwood (2-2) was led by Lotanna Nwogbo and Shaquille Johnson, who each scored 16 points. Taylor Quincy had 14 points and Kanayo Obi-Rapu added 11.
Longwood cut a seven-point halftime deficit down to two, 44-42, by outscoring the Penguins, 9-4, in the first four minutes of the second half.
After a Nwogbo dunk kept the deficit at two, 46-44, the Penguins rattled off 13 straight points to take a 15-point lead, 59-44, with 11:34 left. A jumper by Keene started the surge which was followed by a jumper by Fletcher Larson, three straight baskets by Amiker, a free throw by Cole and another jumper by Amiker, who scored 16 points in the second half.
Over the next six minutes, Longwood chipped the deficit down to four, 70-66, with 5:28 left.
But a tip-in by Hain, a jumper by Keene and another Hain tip-in pushed the Youngstown State lead back to 10, 76-66, with 3:37 to go.
Longwood got back within six, 76-70, with 2:45 remaining, but the Penguins made six straight free throws with less than 35 seconds left to seal the victory.
Trailing by five, 30-25, with 5:29 left before halftime, the Penguins closed out the half on a 15-3 scoring run to take a 40-33 lead at the intermission. Plummer hit a 3-pointer and a layup to tie the game at 30-30 and ignite the Penguins surge.
A pair of free throws by Plummer, jumpers from Hain and Cole, two free throws from Cole and a jumper by Fletcher Larson gave the Penguins a nine-point edge, 40-31, with just over a minute to play.
Longwood's Darrion Allen may a layup with a minute left to end the first half scoring.
The Penguins close out the EMU Showcase against UNC-Greensboro, Sunday, Nov. 23, at Noon. The game can be heard on 570-AM WKBN.
