Box Score
The Youngstown State women's basketball team scored 12 of the final 14 points of the game to beat Detroit Mercy 72-66 on Friday evening at the Beeghly Center.
McKenah Peters scored nine of her 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Penguins outscore the Titans 22-15 in the period. She hit a 3-pointer at the 3:52 mark to spark the late run, and Ny'Dajah Jackson scored seven straight points during that stretch.
Jackson and Chelsea Olson both scored 13 points, and Maddie Schires made four first-half 3-pointers to finish with 12 points to join Peters in double figures.
Sylare Starks made five 3-pointers and tied her career-high with 19 points to lead Detroit Mercy. The Titans made 11 triples, which tied their highest total of the season.
Youngstown State evened its record at 13-13 overall and improved to 6-9 in Horizon League play, and the Titans dropped to 3-23 overall and 3-12 against the conference.
Detroit Mercy shot 51.7 percent in the first half, and they were 12-of-23 from the field when Maxine Moore's basket put them ahead 33-24 at the 5:27 mark of the second period. The Penguins held them to three field goals the rest of the half, and the Titans were 13-for-36 over the final 25 minutes.
Olson's basket with 7:13 remaining in the first period gave YSU a 5-2 lead, but Detroit Mercy went on a 14-5 run to take a 16-10 advantage. The Titans held the upper hand until Peters made two free throws at the 8:48 mark of the third period
Schires made a pair of 3-pointers during a 10-2 run that cut that nine-point lead own to 35-34 at the 3:06 mark of the second period, and Ny'Dajah Jackson scored in the final seconds of the half to make the score 41-38 at the break.
Schires had four first-half 3-pointers and led all scorers with 12 points. Olson had nine points but was whistled for her second foul at the 2:50 mark of the second period.
While YSU shot 42.4 percent, it had 10 offensive rebounds that led to 12 second-chance points in the first half. The Penguins also converted nine Detroit Mercy turnovers into 17 points.
The Penguins scored the first six points of the second half on two free throws each by Olson and Peters, and Jackson had a steal and layup at the 8:06 mark that gave YSU a 44-41 lead and prompted a Titans timeout. Starks hit a quick 3-pointer out of the break, and Detroit Mercy led 51-48 on an Annika Corcoran triple at the 4:03 mark. That was the Titans' last points of the quarter, but YSU's only points the rest of the quarter came on two Taylor Petit free throws.
Detroit Mercy led 51-50 heading into the fourth, and Peters scored six straight points on a 3-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play to give YSU a 58-54 lead. Starks hit back-to-back 3s after a Titans timeout to give them a quick burst and a 60-58 advantage, and the Titans led 64-60 after a Abbie McDowell basket with 4:57 remaining. The Titans scored two points the remainder of the game.
Peters hit a 3 at the 3:52 mark to get the Penguins within one, and Jackson converted an and-one to put them up 66-64. Zoey Oatis tied the game for Detroit Mercy with 1:37 remaining for the seventh stalemate of the game, and Jackson split a pair of free throws at the 1:03 mark to put YSU up 67-66. Jen Wendler grabbed her career-best 10th rebound on the miss, and Jackson scored inside at the end of the shot clock to push the margin to 69-66 with 30.5 seconds left.
The Penguins forced a turnover with 16.5 seconds left, and Jackson made another free throw to up the margin to four. YSU got a stop on defense, and Gabby Lupardus converted a layup from an inbounds pass with 7.2 seconds left for the final tally.
Detroit Mercy outshot YSU 42.4 percent to 36.4 percent and made four more 3-pointers, but the Penguins held a 17-5 edge at the free-throw line. YSU was 17-of-21 at the free throw line for 81 percent.
Youngstown State will try to extend its winning streak to three games when it hosts Oakland on Sunday at 1 p.m.
