Youngstown State University
1-2,0-0Horizon
Central Michigan
3-0,0-0MAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youngstown St. | 34 | 44 | 78 |
| Central Mich. | 50 | 41 | 91 |
11/10/2026 10:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Mount Pleasant, Mich. – Sophomore Jaiden Haynes and senior Jeff Nwankwo each delivered career-scoring highs, and the Youngstown State men's basketball team shot season best from the field but dropped a 91-78 decision to Central Michigan on Tuesday evening at McGuirk Arena.
The Penguins fall to 1-2 on the year while the Chippewas improve to 3-0.
Haynes scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor with four rebounds and four assists while Nwankwo recorded 15 points and made a career-best four 3-pointers.
Sophomore Dom Aekins added 12 points and tied a career high with seven assists.
The Penguins, who shot 54 percent from the field overall and 62.5 percent in the second half, got off to a sizzling start, making their first six shots, eight of their first nine and 10 of their first 12 with four 3s to take a 27-18 lead just over eight minutes into the game.
Central Michigan began to chip away at the Penguins advantage and used a 14-4 run to take a 32-31 lead
CMU took the lead 30-29 after a 12-2 run at the 7:42 mark and outscored the Penguins, 13-3 over the next six-and-a-half minutes to storm out to a 13 point advantage, 45-32. The Chippewas took a 50-34 lead into the lockerroom.
Over the first five minutes of the second half, the Penguins battled back to cut the lead down to eight, 59-51, keyed by a 7-0 run. Driving layups by Aekins and Haynes and a 3-pointer by a 3-pointer by Nwankwo trimmed the deficit to single digits at the 14:33 mark.
CMU scored the next 11 in a two-minute span to balloon the lead to 19, and the Penguins would not get any closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Youngstown State hosts Marshall in the 2026-27 home opener on Saturday, Nov. 14. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.
