Rochester, Mich.—Senior EJ Farmer led four players scoring in double figures with a game-high 25 points to lead the Youngstown State men's basketball team to an 84-75 win over Oakland on Thursday night at the OU Credit Union O'Rena.
Farmer, who scored at the least 20 points for the fourth consecutive game, connected on 8-of-17 from the field and scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half.
Junior Juwan Maxey poured in 19 points with four 3-pointers while Nico Galette posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Junior Cris Carroll also reached double figures for the Penguins (15-10, 9-5 Horizon League) with 10 points and seven boards.
Youngstown State connected on 10 3-pointers, including seven in the first half, and shot 50 percent from the field after halftime. The Penguins also shot 94.1 percent (16-for-17) from the free throw line.
Leading the Golden Grizzlies (10-15, 7-7 Horizon League) was Allen David Mukeba with 18 points.
The Penguins, who led for 37:08, used a 14-4 run to a slim 13-11 lead to into a 27-15 advantage with just over six minutes left before halftime. Maxey sparked the run with a four-point play and a basket and 3-pointer by David Wilkerson pushed the lead to nine, 22-13, with 9:20 to go.
Following a bucket by Oakland Isaiah Jones, a layup by Farmer and a 3-pointer by Maxey gave the Penguins a 12-point lead at the 6:28 mark.
After a Galette basket put the Penguins up 34-22 with 3:53 to go, the Golden Grizzlies scored 10 of the next 12 points to trim the deficit to four, 36-32, with 35 seconds left. Carroll's two charity tosses gave the Penguins a six-point, 38-32 halftime lead.
Oakland cut the YSU lead to four within the first minute of the second half, a dunk by Galette, two free throw by Farmer and another basket by Galette boosted the Penguins lead back to double figures, 46-36.
The Golden Grizzlies twice pared the Youngstown State lead down to seven, but Farmer's 3-pointer at the 3:19 mark capped an 11-3 run and gave the Penguins their largest lead of the game, 77-62.
Youngstown State visits Detroit Mercy, Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Calihan Hall in Detroit, Mich.
