Box Score
Senior Michael Akuchie had a team-high 16 points lead the Youngstown State men's basketball team to a 60-50 win over Rochester (Mich.) on Monday afternoon.
Junior Darius Quisenberry scored 12 points with five assists while freshman Alex Vargo added 11 points.
With the win, the Penguins have won three straight and improve to 11-10 overall. Rochester falls to 5-2 on the year.
The Penguins, who led at halftime, 27-21, used a 12-0 run midway through the second half to turn slim 35-32 lead into a 47-32 advantage at the 10:35 mark.
Vargo started the run scoring the first five points with a 3-pointer from the corner and a jumper in the paint.
Akuchie scored the next seven points with a 3-pointer and a pair of fast-break layups.
After the Warriors trimmed the lead to eight points, 47-39, with 8:09 left, the Penguins used a 13-2 run over a 3:43 span to take game-high 19 point lead with 4:26 to go.
Vargo scored four points during the run and Quisenberry capped the stretch with a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer.
Rochester scored the final nine points of the game.
In the first half, the Penguins shot just 33.3 percent while Rochester connected on just 26.9 percent from the floor.
Youngstown State jumped out to an early 9-2 lead and extended it to 12, 15-3, after baskets from William Dunn, Garrett Covington and Quisenberry.
Rochester cut the lead down to two, 21-19, with 5:07 left after a 16-6 run of its own.
The Penguins six of the final eight points of the first half to take a 27-21 lead into the lockerroom.
Youngstown State hosts Purdue Fort Wayne, Feb. 12-13, at the Beeghly Center. Tipoff for both games is 5 p.m.
