Box Score
Senior Naz Bohannon scored 23 points and became the program's Division I leading rebounder and senior Garrett Covington scored the 1,000th point of his career as the Youngstown State men's basketball team defeated UIC, 85-77, on Saturday afternoon at Beeghly Center.
Bohannon, who broke the record of 899 set by Tim Jackson from 1987-91, grabbed nine rebounds and now has 904 for his career.
Covington scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds and became the 40th player in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau and has 1,006 points.
Freshman Daniel Ogoro scored a career-high 19 points, while senior Michael Akuchie had 13 points with nine rebounds and freshman Shemar Rathan-Mayes added 10 points, all in the second half.
With the win, the Penguins improve to 8-8 overall and 4-8 in the Horizon League while the Flames fall to 8-5 overall and 5-3 in the league.
Leading UIC was Maurice Commander with 18 points with six 3-pointers and Teyvion Kirk with 16 points.
The Penguins, who shot 48.6 percent in the first half and led 44-35 at the intermission, quickly built a 17-point lead, 56-39, by making five of their first eight field-goal attempts of the second half.
Youngstown State extended its lead to as many as 18 points, 66-48, after a basket by Covington at the 12:28 mark.
The Flames scored the next eight points to cut the deficit to 10, but baskets by Covington and Ogoro pushed the YSU lead back to 14, 70-56 midway through the half.
UIC trimmed the YSU lead down to seven 72-65, but the Penguins scored five straight to take a 77-65 lead after a Rathan-Mayes bucket with 1:33 left.
Commander hit a pair of 3-pointers in a nine-second span to get Flames within four, 79-75 with 34 seconds remaining.
Ogoro, Rathan-Mayes and Akuchie each hit two free throws each to seal the victory.
The Penguins were efficient from the floor in the first half shooting 48.6 percent, making 17-of-35 from the field.
After the Flames made the first basket of the game to go up 3-0 and tied the game at 6-6 with their second 3-pointer of the game, the Penguins scored six of the next eight points to go up 12-8 after a 3-pointer by Ogoro with 14:38 left before halftime.
The Penguins never trailed again and led by as many as 12, 42-30, after a Bohannon basket with 1:42 to go.
Bohannon scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half while Ogoro posted 12 first-half points.
Youngstown State hosts Detroit Mercy, Jan. 29-30, at the Beeghly Center. Tipoff for both games is set for 5 p.m.
