Cleveland, Ohio – Senior Cris Carroll led five players scoring in double figures with his first double-double of the season, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team fell to Cleveland State, 80-78, in Saturday afternoon at the Wolstein Center.
Carroll scored 21 points with 11 rebounds to lead the Penguins, who fall to 9-11 overall and 2-7 in the Horizon League. Senior Bryson Dawkins poured in 14 points while senior Jason Nelson and junior Rich Rolf posted 11 points each and Vlad Salaridze added 10 points.
Leading the Vikings, who improve to 6-14 overall and 2-7 in league play, was Dayan Nessah with 26 points. Nessah went 15-for-21 from the free-throw line while the Vikings were 30-for-39 from the stripe as a team
Penguins scored final seven points over the last 1:35 of the first half to tie the game at 28-28 at the intermission and scored seven of the first 10 points of the second half to take a 35-31 lead. A layup by Salaridze, two free throws and a 3-pointer from Carroll sparked the first run while a 3-pointer by Nelson, and baskets by Dawkins and Salaridze capped the second-half spurt.
After the Vikings tied the game at 37-37, the Penguins scored nine straight to take their largest lead of the game, 46-37, at the 14:36 mark. Rolf buried two charity tosses and Carroll scored the final seven points for the nine-point advantage.
The Vikings battled back and tied the game at 59-59 after two free throws by Nessah with 7:40 remaining. Cleveland State surged to a 67-62 lead before the Penguins knotted the game 69-69 on a 3-pointer by Tae Blackshear with 3:13 left.
Cleveland State used a 9-3 run over the next 2:25 to take a 78-72 lead keyed by a banked 3-pointer from Emery Chevalier.
Baskets Nelson and Dawkins and two free throws from Dawkins helped the Penguins trim the deficit to 79-78 with 19 seconds left.
Chevalier split two free throws and a missed 3-pointer by Blackshear and Jaiden Haynes missed a contested jumper in the game's final seconds.
Youngstown State returns home for a three-game homestand beginning with a matchup against Green Bay, Thursday, Jan. 22. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.
