Manati, Puerto Rico — Southern Indiana scored the first 14 points of the game, and Youngstown State's women's basketball team was never able to catch up in a 70-34 loss to the Screaming Eagles on Friday at the Puerto Rico Clasico.
After the first of two games for the Penguins at their Thanksgiving tournament in the Caribbean, YSU is now 4-3 overall while the preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorites improve to 6-1.
Freshman Erica King led Youngstown State with a career-high 11 points, which all came in the second half. Fellow freshman Sarah Baker had six points and six rebounds, and classmate Sophia Gregory grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
USI made its first four field goal attempts during its opening run, and the Penguins missed their first six against the Screaming Eagles' full-court defense. YSU's first points came on a Gregory free throw at the 2:49 mark of the opening quarter, and Baker's turnaround made the score 14-3 40 seconds later. Bella Samz added two free throws with 32 seconds on the clock to get the Penguins within a manageable deficit of 14-5 despite the tough start.
YSU forced eight turnovers on the defensive end in the opening quarter, and the Screaming Eagles made one field goal after their opening burst. Southern Indiana built its lead to 32-5 at halftime.
The Penguins showed more confidence in the final 20 minutes, and they scored 21 points in the third period.
King and Jewel Watkins hit 3-pointers within a minute of each other in the third quarter, and Youngstown State surpassed its first-half point total within the first two-and-a-half minutes of the second half. King had two 3s in the period, and freshman Hayden Barrier made a triple in her first collegiate game.
King added five more points in the fourth quarter, and Abby Liber also made a 3-pointer for YSU in the period.
USI shot 59% from the field for the game, and the Screaming Eagles went 7-for-9 from 3-point range. Both teams limited their turnovers to six apiece in the second half after USI had 10 and YSU committed 13 in the first half.
Youngstown State will try to split its two games at the tournament in Puerto Rico when it takes on Towson on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. The game will be broadcast live on 570 WKBN and iHeart.
