Box Score
Cleveland State went 5-for-6 from 3-point range over the final four minutes and rallied from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Youngstown State women's basketball team 76-73 on Friday afternoon at Beeghly Center.
The Penguins led for nearly 39 minutes, and the margin was double digits for 17 consecutive minutes until Cleveland State scored 18 points over the final 4:03 of the game.
The rally overshadowed another spotlight performance by YSU freshman Nneka Obiazor, who scored 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 35 minutes. The 29 points were the third-most by a Penguins freshman since the program moved to the Division I level in 1981-82, and they were the most by a freshman since Kristi Echelberry's 30-point outing against Lock Haven on Feb. 17, 1992. Obiazor was 11-for-18 from the field overall, 4-for-6 from 3-point range and 3-for-5 from the free-throw line.
McKenah Peters also had four 3s for 12 points, and YSU finished 11-for-27 from long distance in the game. The Penguins were 2-for-8 in the fourth period, while the Vikings were 5-for-6 from long distance after going 5-for-20 in the first three periods. Cleveland State rebounded its only miss from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, and it set up the winning 3-pointer by Taylah Levy with 13.6 seconds left.
Cleveland State improved to 9-7 overall and 8-7 in Horizon League play, and Youngstown State is now 8-7 against conference opponents.
Barbara Zieniewska scored 11 of her team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter to lead Cleveland State. Mariah White had 16 points and eight assists, including on 3s by Zieniewska and Levy in the final minute. The Vikings' first lead of the game came at 75-73 on Levy's 3 go-ahead 3.
Youngstown State's largest lead of the afternoon came at 55-37 when Chelsea Olson made two free throws with 3:57 left in the third period. Cleveland State built some momentum by scoring 12 points in the final 3:05 of the quarter, and YSU led 62-49 heading into the fourth.
YSU allowed didn't allow a Viking point for the first two minutes of the fourth, and Obiazor's fourth 3-pointer put the Penguins ahead 67-53 at the 5:58 mark. That triple gave her 29 points, but she attempted just one shot the rest of the game. Just before that Obiazor 3, Cleveland State started a stretch where it scored on 11 straight possessions to end the contest.
Zieniewska's first of three 3s down the stretch came at the 4:03 mark, and it got the Vikings within single digits for the first time since the 1:09 mark of the second period. Dunn countered with a basket to put the Penguins up 70-61, but another Zieniewska 3 and a White basket cut the deficit to 70-66 with just under three minutes left.
Peters hit a 3 from an Olson assist at the 2:24 mark to push the lead back to seven at 73-66, and that was YSU's final bucket of the day. Levy hit a 3, and Obiazor and Dunn missed on YSU's possession to set up another 3 by Zieniewska that made the score 73-72 with 50.5 seconds on the clock. The Penguins had a turnover out of a timeout, and an offensive rebound by Zieniewska led to Levy's game-winner. Aminata Ly made a free throw with 0.7 seconds left for the final score, and Dunn's desperation 3-point attempt from beyond 30 feet hit the side of the rim.
Youngstown State shot 42.6 percent overall, and it went 11-for-27 from 3-point range. Cleveland State shot 47.6 percent overall and 65.4 percent in the second half.
Obiazor started her scoring early with a 3-pointer 50 seconds into the game, and a Peters triple on a pass from Emma VanZanten gave the Penguins an 8-2 advantage at the 5:15 mark.
The Penguins increased their lead to 16-4 on Peters' second 3-pointer of the period at the 3:01 mark. Cleveland State went on a 7-1 spurt over the next two-and-a-half minutes to get within six, and an Obiazor basket on the next possession gave the Penguins a 19-11 advantage at the end of the period.
The Penguins had a two-minute scoring drought that allowed the Vikings to get within 25-20 midway through the second period, but a Peters 3-pointer sparked a 10-2 run that gave YSU a 35-22 lead. The Penguins eventually built a 41-26 lead on two Obiazor free throws with 18 seconds left, and Zieniewska hit a 3 on the final possession to get the Vikings within a dozen at the break.
Obiazor had 16 points and six rebounds at halftime. Peters had three of YSU's six 3-pointers, and the Penguins were 6-for-13 from long distance collectively.
Two free throws by White helped the Vikings close the gap to 43-33 a minute into the second half, and the margin was 10 points again at 47-37 at the 6:09 mark. Obiazor hit a quick 3 for YSU, which scored eight straight points to push its lead to 55-37 at the 3:57 mark. The margin was 62-49 heading into the fourth.
The Penguins and Vikings will play again on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the regular-season finale for both schools. The game will be broadcast live on 570 WKBN and ESPN3, which was changed from ESPN+ on Friday.
