Akron, Ohio — Youngstown State's women's basketball team scored 20 of the first 23 points of the game and went on to earn its biggest win at Akron in 46 years with a 90-63 win over the Zips on Sunday at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Penguins led by double digits for the final 35 minutes in improving to 5-2 overall to close November. Akron dropped to 0-7 on the season.
Sophomore Sophia Gregory led five Penguins in double figures with 24 points, going 10-for-13 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. She added 10 rebounds for a double-double, and Casey Santoro posted her first double-double since 2021 with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Sarah Baker scored 16 points, Akron native Erica King scored 14 and had game highs of five assists and four steals, and Hayden Barrier scored a career-high 12 off the bench.
The Penguins had their highest scoring game on the road since beating Oakland 96-77 on Nov. 28, 2015, and they had their highest total in a nonconference road tilt since scoring 91 at Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 13, 2011.
Youngstown State had its largest margin of victory against Akron since winning 89-61 inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center on Nov. 29, 2000. It was the Penguins' biggest victory in Akron since a 71-43 triumph on Feb. 13, 1979.
Danielle Cameron hit a 3-pointer on YSU's first offensive possession, and the Penguins set the tone early. Akron's first bucket came at the 8:07 mark, and YSU scored 10 points in a span of 93 seconds to take a 14-3 lead and force a timeout. YSU's run reached 15 points when Gregory put back her own miss at the 2:33 mark, and the Penguins led 20-3 at that juncture.
Akron scored the next six points to get within 11, but that's as close as the Zips would get. Youngstown State's advantage reached 20 at 36-16 on a King basket with 3:03 left in the second quarter, and the Penguins held a 38-24 advantage at halftime.
YSU stretched its lead by scoring 34 points in the third period, its most in a quarter against a Division I opponent since 2016. The Penguins went 11-for-14 from the field as Gregory scored 11 points and Baker and Barrier contributed eight each.
The margin hit 30 for the first time at 84-53 when Gregory scored for the final time at the 5:29 mark, and the biggest lead was 89-57 following a Cameron 3 with 2:05 remaining.
Youngstown State shot 55.9% from the field, and it made its first 19 free-throw attempts before finishing 20-for-21 from the line. Akron shot 35.6% overall despite going 8-for-20 from 3-point range. YSU controlled the paint with a 50-26 scoring edge, and the Penguins were plus-16 in rebounding margin.
Youngstown State's next three games will be against Horizon League opponents, starting with a contest at Milwaukee on Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
