Setting the Scene
The Youngstown State men's basketball team hits the road for a pair of league road contests in the State of Michigan beginning with a match up against Oakland, Thursday, Feb. 6. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at OU Credit Union O'rena, and the game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.

Up Next
Youngstown State closes its Michigan swing when it visits Detroit Mercy, Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. in Detroit, Mich. 

Last Time Out
IU Indianapolis connected on 11 3-pointers and shot nearly 48 percent from deep as it defeated the Youngstown State men's basketball team 84-79 on Feb. 1 at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. EJ Farmer led four Penguins scoring in double figures with 22 points while Nico Galette had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Cris Carroll had 17 points with three 3-pointers and Jason Nelson added 11 points with five assists. 

Scouting Oakland
Oakland enters the game with an overall record of 10-14 and a 7-6 mark in the Horizon League. The Golden Grizzlies are coming off an 84-75 loss to Northern Kentucky on Feb. 1. Leading the Golden Grizzlies ins Buru Naivalurua with 13.6 pints per game and Allen Mukeba with 13.4 points per contest. The Golden Grizzlies, who are shooting 29 percent from 3-point range, are averaging 66.6 points per game while allowing 69.4 points per contest.

Series vs. Oakland
This is the 37th meeting between Youngstown State and Oakland in a series dating back to 1999. The Golden Grizzlies own a 23-13 advantage in the all-time series, but the Penguins have won four of the last six contests. Earlier this season, the Penguins defeated the Golden Grizzlies, 66-50, on Dec. 7 at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. EJ Farmer led the Penguins with 22 points while Nico Galette, Juwan Maxey and Jason Nelson each added 11 points. Youngstown State limited the Golden Grizzlies to just 34.6 percent shooting from the field, including just 2-for-16 from beyond the arc. Oakland leads the series, 16-3, in games played at the O'Rena. The last time Youngstown State defeated Oakland in Rochester, Mich., was on Jan. 14, 2023, when the Penguins came away with an 85-69 victory. 

Last Time Against Oakland
Senior EJ Farmer scored a game-high 22 points and made a career-best five 3-pointers, and the Youngstown State men's basketball team used a stifling defensive performance to pick up a 66-50 win over Oakland on Dec. 7 at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. Fifth-year senior Nico Galette scored 11 points with nine rebounds and six assists while juniors Juwan Maxey and Jason Nelson each added 11 points.

A Win Would...

• Improve YSU's record to 15-10 overall and 9-5 in the Horizon League.
• Mark Ethan Faulkner's 15th career win and second over Oakland.
• Mark Youngstown State's 14th win over Oakland and the fourth at the O'Rena.
• Be YSU's first win over Oakland on the road since 2023.
• Give the Penguins a 7-5 record overall and a 5-2 Horizon League road record. 

Farmer 20-20 Vision
Senior EJ Farmer has scored at least 20 points in three straight games. It's the 23rd time since 2001-02 (HL Era) that a player has scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games. He's also just the 12th player to do so. The last to score at least 20 in 3 straight was Brett Thompson (2/8/24-2/14/24). The last time YSU player scored at least 20 points was Cameron Morse who reached the feat with five in 2017.  

Cardiac Guins
Four times this season and the three times in Horizon League play Youngstown State has rallied from double-digit deficits and came out with a victory. Most recently, the Penguins trailed Wright State by as many as 18 points and 17 with 12 minutes left in the game and pulled out an 88-86 last second win. YSU trailed Green Bay by 11 on Jan. 19 and won, 73-69; Wright State by 12 on Dec. 18 and won 80-70; and Monmouth by 14  on Nov. 21 and won 72-62.

Guins Set Caroms Mark
Youngstown State set a school single-game record with 72 rebounds against Penn State-Shenango on Jan. 24. It marks the first time in program history YSU posted at least 70 rebounds in a game. The old mark of 66 was set against Westminster on Nov. 23, 2013.

Double-Double Quartet
For the first time in program history, four players recorded double-doubles for the Penguins in their win over Penn State- Shenango. Cris Carroll had 11 points and 12 rebounds, Nico Galette recorded 12 points and 10 boards, Gabe Dynes posted 13 points and 12 rebounds while EJ Farmer had 20 points and 10 rebounds. The last time YSU had at least three players with doubles-doubles was against South Carolina State on Dec. 22, 1986.

Carroll Steppin' Up
Since Jan. 4, junior Cris Carroll's offensive production has skyrocketed. Carroll averaged 13.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. During that span, Carroll has made 18 3-pointers for an average of 2.0 made per game. He also posted a career-high 24 points with three 3-pointers in the Penguins' 73-69 win over Green Bay on Jan. 19.

Fly High Ty
Fifth-year senior Ty Harper showcased his offensive prowess recently. Harper averaged 13.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game over the last eight games. He also made 18 3-pointers.