Athens, Ohio – Youngstown State shot 57.1 percent in the second half and four players scored in double figures to lead the Penguins past Ohio, 78-72, on Wednesday evening at the Convocation Center.

The Penguins, who have won six of their last seven, improve to 6-3 overall after their third straight victory. The Bobcats fell to 5-3 and lost for the first time at home this season.

Senior Brandon Rush led the Penguins with 19 points while DJ Burns posted his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Brett Thompson scored 14 points and Ziggy Reid scored 10 points, all in the second half.

Youngstown State, who led the game for 27:51, trailed 24-18 with just over five minutes left before halftime, but outscored the Bobcats 13-4 to close out the half and took a 31-28 lead into the lockerroom.

A three-point play by Thompson trimmed the lead to 24-21. After a basket by Ohio, the Penguins scored eight straight on a 3-pointer by Jaylen Bates, a dunk by Gabe Dynes and a 3-pointer by Rush to take a 29-26 lead with 2:06 to go.

A Burns layup gave the Penguins a 31-27 lead before Ohio split a pair of free throws to end the first half scoring.

The Penguins held a lead of no more than six points for the first 11 minutes of the second half and led by just four, 51-47 ,after a Shereef Mitchell basket at the 8:55 mark.

A putback by Burns, a driving layup by Rush, a fastbreak dunk by John Lovelace, Jr., and another layup by Burns led the Penguins on an 8-0 run and ballooned the lead to 59-47 with 5:20 remaining.

The Bobcats fought to get the lead under double digits, but the Penguins made 10 of 11 from the free-throw line, including their final eight, to seal the victory.

The Penguins close out their three-game road swing at Western Michigan, Saturday, Dec. 9. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Mich.