Detroit, Mich. — Youngstown State's women's basketball team scored 13 straight points in the first quarter and led by double digits for the final 34 minutes in a 69-53 win over Detroit Mercy on Thursday at Calihan Hall.
Erica King scored eight of her 14 points in the opening quarter as YSU built a 23-8 lead, and Danielle Cameron made four 3-pointers in the second quarter as the Penguins led 45-26 at halftime.
Cameron finished with a game- and career-high 19 points on five 3-pointers and four free throws, making five 3s for the second straight day. King was 5-for-5 overall from the field and 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in her 14-point night. Sophia Gregory registered 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Sarah Baker finished with 11 points for the Penguins.
Youngstown State improved to 15-7 overall and surpassed its conference win total from last season by upping its Horizon League record to 8-4. Detroit Mercy, which was led by Kailee Davis' 15 points off the bench, is now 4-17 overall and 2-10 in league play.
YSU shot 64% from the field in the first half in building the 19-point lead, and every starter played less than 13 minutes in the second half as the Penguins tried to preserve their legs for Saturday's quick turnaround at Oakland. Youngstown State finished shooting 50% overall from the field on 46 attempts, and it was 9-for-21 from beyond the arc and 14-for-16 at the free-throw line. The Penguins had 18 assists on 23 field goals.
Defensively, Youngstown State showed its might in holding the Titans to 30.3% shooting from the field while forcing 17 turnovers. Detroit Mercy was just 3-for-22 from 3-point range.
The Titans scored on their opening possession, and Youngstown State held them scoreless on Dick Vitale Court for the next five minutes as it went on its 13-0 run. All five starters scored during that opening burst, and King's pull-up jumper at the 4:39 mark gave the Penguins their first double-digit lead at 13-2.
Detroit Mercy scored on its next possession to make the score 13-4, but Baker answered 23 seconds later with a bucket to give YSU a double-digit lead it would hold the rest of the game.
Cameron made four 3-pointers and two free throws in the second quarter to score 14 of YSU's 22 points in the period. Her final one came with 1:20 left and gave the Penguins their first 20-point advantage at 45-24, and Detroit Mercy shaved two points off the margin in the final minute to make it 45-26 at halftime.
Paulina Hernandez gave the Penguins their largest lead of the night at 59-33 on a three-point play with 2:56 left in the third quarter. Gregory scored 11 of her 13 points in the third period.
YSU's lead was 69-48 on a bucket by Hernandez with 2:53 remaining, and the Titans scored the final five points of the game.
Youngstown State will try to go 2-0 on its Michigan trip as it plays at Oakland on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game from the OU Credit Union O'rena will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and 570 WKBN.
