Green Bay, Wis. — The Youngstown State women's basketball team's 2023-24 season and the careers of six fifth-year seniors concluded in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Barbasol Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday at Green Bay.

The Phoenix scored 17 straight points in the first period and shot 59.3% from the field for the game to beat the Penguins 94-57 at the Kress Center. Green Bay, the second seed in the tournament, improved to 25-6 and advances to the semifinals in Indianapolis. Youngstown State's season ended with a 14-18 record.

Shay-Lee Kirby, one of those six fifth-year seniors and a member of the West Virginia quartet, scored a team-high 15 points, and Malia Magestro scored 14. They combined for seven 3-pointers, and Youngstown State was 10-for-27 from beyond the arc in the game. 

Green Bay, though, blistered the home nets by shooting at least 50% in all four quarters. The Phoenix went 11-for-16 in the first period as they opened up a 27-8 lead after 10 minutes, and they made 10 3-pointers in the first three periods.

Cassie Schiltz led all scorers with 16 points, and Maddie Schreiber made three 3s in a 15-point effort. Green Bay finished with 11 3s on 24 attempts, and it also scored 40 points in the paint.

Youngstown State led 3-2 after a Haley Thierry 3-pointer, and Magestro had a 3 wiped off the board that would've given it a 6-5 lead when the shot clock reset to 30 instead of 20 after an offensive rebound. The Penguins inbounded from the sideline after a quick stoppage, missed their next shot, and Schreiber connected on Green Bay's possession to make it a 7-3 lead. Green Bay went on to score on its first seven possessions.

Green Bay led 53-21 at halftime, and Magestro and Kirby combined for 15 points in the third quarter as the Phoenix added a point to the margin.

YSU's five seniors, Kirby, Mady Aulbach, Dena Jarrells, Emily Saunders and Paige Shy, were on the floor together for two minutes in the fourth quarter, and Jarrells hit a driving layup, Shy nailed a 3, and Kirby made a layup in transition during that stretch. Everyone but Kirby exited together at a media timeout with 3:50 left, and Kirby went on to hit her third 3-pointer of the day before leaving at 3:07.

In addition to Kirby's 15 points, Saunders scored eight points, Shy had five, Jarrells had four, and Aulbach had three. Jarrells added seven assists, and Saunders had six rebounds.