Tipoff Notes
Youngstown State goes for its fourth straight win and the seventh in the last eight games when it visits Oakland, Saturday, Jan. 14. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at the Athletics Center O'Rena in Rochester, Mich., and the game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.
Up Next
Youngstown State continues its four-game road trip when it visits Green Bay, Thurdsay, Jan. 19. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. Eastern at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis.
Last Time Out
The Penguins are coming off a hard-fought 84-79 road victory over Horizon League foe Detroit Mercy on Jan. 12. Brandon Rush led four players in double figures with 19 points while Adrian Nelson had 16 and Malek Green and Bryce McBride each had 12 points. The Penguins also made 11 3-pointers.
Scouting Oakland
Oakland, who has won five straight games, enters the game with an overall record of 7-11 and a mark of 5-2 in Horizon League play. Leading the Golden Grizzlies is Trey Townsend with 16.9 points per game. Jalen Moore is averaging 14.3 points per contest. The Golden Grizzlies are averaging 72.5 points per game while allowing 75.9 points per contest.
The Oakland Series
This is the 32nd meeting between Youngstown State and Oakland in a series that dates back to 1999. Oakland leads the all-time series, 21-10, but the Penguins won the last meeting, 78-71, at Beeghly Center. Since the start of 2019, this meeting will be the eighth time in the last 10 contests that Youngstown State has had to play in Rochester, Mich. Oakland won the previous five contests, all in Rochester, Mich. Youngstown State's previous victory was a 61-60 win on Jan. 9, 2020.
A Win Would...
- Improve YSU's record to 14-5 and match the Penguins' best record after 19 games since going 14-5 in 1997-98.
- Mark just the second time since 1981-82 YSU has started 14-5 through 19 games.
- Give the Penguins a 6-2 record in Horizon League play for the first time in program history and a 3-1 mark in away conference games.
- Mark the second straight win over Oakland.
- Be YSU's 11th win over Oakland and the third at the Athletics Center O'Rena.
- Mark Youngstown State's first win at the O'Rena since 2019.
- Improve the Penguins' record to 6-3 on the road.
- Be the 210th in Head Coach Jerrod Calhoun's career and his 86th at Youngstown State.
- Make Jerrod Calhoun the third coach in school history to record at least 86 wins.
- Be Jerrod Calhoun's fifth win over Oakland.
Guins Lately
Youngstown State has won three straight and six of its last seven games. Over the last seven contests, the Penguins are avering 83.4 points per game while shooting 52 pecent from the field, 41.9 percent from 3-point range, and 80.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Offensive Year for the Books
Youngstown State is posting one of the best offensive seasons with school history. As of Jan. 13, the Penguins free-throw percent of 78.0 and 3-point percentage of 39.98 would both set school single-season records. YSU's 84.9 points per game and 50.1 field-goal percentage would both rank second in school history.
Hot Start
Youngstown State is off to one of the best starts in its Division I history. The Penguins' 13-5 record is tied for the best start after 18 games since 1997-98. It also marks just the second time since 1981-82 that Youngstown State has won 13 times in its first 18 contests. The last time YSU started 13-5 was in 1997-98.
Guins Nationally
As of Jan. 13, Youngstown State ranks among the top 13 nationally in five different categories. The Penguins ranked seventh with a 50.1 field-goal percentage and in scoring at 84.9 points per game, ninth with a 57.1 effective field-goal percentage and a 39.8 3-point percentage, and 13th with a 78.0 free-throw percentage.
Covington Among YSU Bests
Graduate Garrett Covington ranks highly in several YSU statistical categories. Covington second all-time with 136 career games played and 116 career games started, eighth with 126 career steals, and 20th all-time and eighth in the Division I era with 1,266 career points.
