Two teams looking to stay in the top group in the Horizon League standings will square off Saturday as Youngstown State hosts Purdue Fort Wayne. Tipoff against the Mastodons is set for 2 p.m. inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, 570 WKBN and iHeartRadio.

Gameday Info

Youngstown State vs. Purdue Fort Wayne

• When: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 | 2 p.m.
• Where: Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center | Youngstown, Ohio
• Watch: ESPN+ | espn.com
• Listen: 570 WKBN | iHeart.com
• Stats: SIDEARM Stats
• Social: X | Instagram | Facebook

Tickets, Promotions & Fan Information

Tickets | Gameday & Parking Information | Visitors Guide | Promotional Schedule | YSU Mobile App - iOS - Android

Advance tickets for Saturday's game are available online through YSUsports.com and at the Stambaugh Stadium Athletic Ticket Office. The ticket office and gates inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center will open at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Promotions

• Backboards and Blackboards Teachers Appreciation Day - $5 general admission tickets with valid teacher ID
• Foul shots after the game for kids age 12 and under

Game Preview

YSU and Purdue Fort Wayne both enter Saturday's game having suffered their second loss in Horizon League play on Thursday night. The Penguins struggled shooting for three of the four quarters in a 61-49 home loss to Northern Kentucky, while the Mastodons got behind 21-10 after one quarter at Robert Morris on their way to a 74-64 loss. Youngstown State is 11-5 overall and 4-2 in Horizon League play as it concludes its four-game homestand against the Mastodons, who are 11-6 overall and 5-2 in the conference. YSU, Purdue Fort Wayne and Robert Morris are second through fourth in the standings as the Horizon League season enters its second third.

The Penguins were riding a string of solid offensive performances during their four-game winning streak, but they regressed Thursday against the Norse. YSU shot a season-low 27.1% from the field and was below 33.3% in every quarter except the second. Still, the Penguins trailed just 43-42 entering the fourth, but NKU made three 3-pointers during an 11-2 run to start the final quarter to pull ahead. YSU was held 21 points below its scoring average and shot 18% below its average overall.

Sarah Baker was the Penguins' top scorer on Thursday with 12 points, while Danielle Cameron and Erica King both scored 11. Baker reached double figures for the fourth time in the last five games to increase her scoring average to 10.5 points per game, and she was 6-for-10 from the field. No other Penguin made more than a third of her attempts or reached her scoring average.

Even with the cold night, the Penguins still rank among the top four teams in the Horizon League in scoring, field-goal percentage and 3-point field-goal percentage. YSU is shooting 6.4% better from the field compared with last season, which is one of the top increases in the country.

A Win Would…

• Give the Penguins a 12-5 record, which would be their best mark through 17 games since the 2022-23 team started 12-5. YSU would be 12-5 or better for the seventh time in the last 14 seasons.
• Allow YSU to match its win total from the entire 2024-25 season.
• Snap a three-game losing streak against Purdue Fort Wayne.
• Improve YSU's home record to 6-2 this season.
• Give head coach Melissa Jackson her 96th career win, her 24th at Youngstown State, and her second career victory over Purdue Fort Wayne.

Milestone Watch

• Sarah Baker is 16 points shy of 250 for her career.
• Hayden Barrier needs one point to reach 100 for her career.
• Sophia Gregory is six assists shy of 100 in her career.
• Erica King is six rebounds away from 100 in her career.
• Casey Santoro is closing in on 300 career assists, needing five. She is also seven steals from 100 in her career, and she needs seven points to reach 1,100.

Scouting Purdue Fort Wayne

• Purdue Fort Wayne is 11-6 overall, 5-2 in Horizon League play and 2-4 in road contests following a 74-64 loss at Robert Morris on Thursday night. PFW won five straight games heading into the holiday break, and it has split its four games since Dec. 29. The Mastodons had a premier win on their home floor on Nov. 12, beating Purdue 68-67.
• PFW ranks second in the Horizon League in scoring at 70.7 points per game, and it is third in field-goal percentage at 44.6%. The Mastodons are second in 3-pointers per game and 3-point field-goal percentage, and they lead the conference in turnover margin at plus 4.5.
• Purdue Fort Wayne has five new starters as it has added many talented newcomers after last year's senior-led team finished 27-9 and advanced to the Horizon League Championship game. Alana Nelson, a graduate transfer from NAIA member Spring Arbor, leads the conference in scoring at 17.4 points per game, and she has been the 'Dons' top outside threat with 39 3-pointers. Boston College transfer Lili Krasovec is averaging 10.8 points, and Jordan Reid, last season's sixth player of the year in the conference, is averaging 10.6 points and 2.5 steals per contest.

Series History and Matchup Notes
Overall: Youngstown State leads 11-6
Home: 8-2 // Away: 3-4 // Neutral: 0-0 // Jackson (career): 1-2
Current Win Streak: 3 by Purdue Fort Wayne

• Youngstown State leads the all-time series with Purdue Fort Wayne 11-6, and the Penguins have an 8-2 edge on their home floor. YSU has a 7-4 edge since the Mastodons joined the Horizon League in the 2020-21 season, but the Mastodons have won four of the last five encounters.
• The teams went nearly 10 years between meetings from 2011 to when the Mastodons joined the conference. YSU had its highest scoring output ever in a Horizon League game in a 102-60 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne when the series resumed on Feb. 5, 2021. Since then, YSU has scored between 69 and 56 points in the last 10 contests.

Last Season vs. Purdue Fort Wayne

At PFW (Jan. 1, 2025): Youngstown State fell 74-60 to Purdue Fort Wayne on New Year's Day as the Mastodons extended their winning streak to seven games. Jewel Watkins led the Penguins with game highs of 18 points and four 3-pointers. Erica King added 14 points, while Sophia Gregory anchored the glass with a career-high 15 rebounds. Despite a defensive effort that held PFW below its season averages, YSU was hurt by 26 turnovers, resulting in a minus-19 turnover margin. The Mastodons utilized a 26-point third quarter to pull away after leading by eight at halftime.

At YSU (Jan. 29, 2025): Jewel Watkins scored 16 points for her sixth consecutive double-digit performance, but Youngstown State fell 79-56 to Purdue Fort Wayne as the Mastodons improved to 12-0 in Horizon League play. The Penguins struggled early, falling behind 15-5 in the first quarter. Sophia Gregory nearly recorded a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Erica King added 11 points off the bench. Despite a 12-2 third-quarter run that narrowed the gap to 11 points, YSU could not contain the Mastodons' late-game perimeter shooting. The Mastodons shot 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the final period.

Recapping Northern Kentucky

Game Summary

Youngstown State saw its four-game winning streak end Thursday with a 61-49 loss to Northern Kentucky at Beeghly Center.

The Penguins struggled offensively, shooting a season-low 27.1% from the field and just 10.7% from 3-point range. Despite the shooting woes, YSU remained competitive through three quarters, trailing by only one point entering the final period. However, the Norse pulled away in the fourth, hitting three critical 3-pointers in the first 5:08 of the period to secure the victory.

Sarah Baker led YSU with 12 points, while Danielle Cameron and Erica King each added 11. NKU controlled the inside, outscoring the Penguins 38-18 in the paint and recording 20 second-chance points.

Notes

• Youngstown State ran into a perfect storm as its off shooting night was coupled with foul trouble. After the Penguins made their first two field goal attempts of the game, they missed their final 14 tries of the opening quarter. They then made their first four attempts of the second quarter and went 3-for-10 the rest of the period as starters Sophia Gregory and Casey Santoro missed time with two fouls to disrupt the normal rotation.
• With the Penguins struggling from beyond the arc to the tune of 3-for-28 for the game, Northern Kentucky packed the paint defensively. YSU switched to a zone defense at the start of the fourth to protect Gregory and Paulina Hernandez from more foul trouble, and NKU made three 3s in the first five minutes to pull away.
• YSU had its worst statistics of the season in field goals made (16), field-goal percentage (.271), 3-pointers made (3), 3-point field-goal percentage (.107) and assists (eight). However, the Penguins also tied for their lowest turnover total with 10.
• Youngstown State had its most attempts from 3-point range since the Bucknell game on Nov. 16.
• Sarah Baker scored 12 points for the third time in the last four games while adding seven rebounds. She was 6-for-10 from the field, and she is shooting 63.6% over the last five games.
• Danielle Cameron made two 3-pointers, bringing her season total to 31. She has made at least one triple in seven straight contests.
• Erica King surpassed 350 career points while reaching double figures in scoring for the fifth time in the last six games.
• Paulina Hernandez had two blocks, giving her multiple blocks for the third straight game and for the 10th time this season.

Up Next

Youngstown State will play on the road for the first time in 2026 as it travels to Wright State for a Wednesday contest. Tipoff at the Nutter Center is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and 570 WKBN.