Setting the Scene
The Youngstown State men's basketball team (14-14, 7-10 Horizon League) plays its final regular-season home game and celebrates Senior Day when it hosts Northern Kentucky, Sunday, Feb. 22. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Zidian Family Arena and the game will be aired on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.

Up Next
Youngstown State enters the final week of the regular season with a pair of conference road games beginning with a matchup against Milwaukee, Wednesday, Feb. 25. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at UWM Panther Arena and the game will be aired on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.

The Seniors We Honor
Youngstown State will honor and recognize seniors Derrick Anderson, Cris Carroll, Bryson Dawkins, Cam Polak, Jason Nelson, Tyler Robinett, and Vlad Salaridze in a Senior Day Celebration prior to tipoff against the Norse.

Last Time Out
Youngstown State's men's basketball team had its highest-scoring game ever in a Horizon League matchup and beat Cleveland State 106-82 on Feb. 18. The Penguins shot 63.5% from the field, made 14 3-pointers and went 26-for-34 from the free-throw line in their 24-point win over the Vikings. Youngstown State's 106 points topped its previous scoring high for a Horizon League game, which was 105 against IU Indy in 2023 and Detroit Mercy in 2024. The Penguins also had their highest-scoring game in the 109-game all-time series with the Vikings. Cris Carroll scored 26 points with six rebounds and six assists, and Vlad Salaridze scored a season-best 24 points. Carroll made four of YSU's 14 3-pointers, while Salaridze and Tae Blackshear each made three. Blackshear finished with 18 points while Bryson Dawkins scored 13 and Rich Rolf added 12. YSU finished 18-for-30 on two-point attempts, 14-for-22 from 3-point range and 26-for-34 at the free-throw line. 

A Win Would...

• Improve YSU's record to 15-14 overall and 8-10 mark in the Horizon League.
• Give YSU 10-5 home record this season.
• Mark the seventh straight year YSU won at least 10 home games.
• Mark Youngstown State's 14th win over Northern Kentucky at Zidian Family Arena.
• Be the fourth straight win over the Norse at Zidian Family Arena.
• Mark Ethan Faulkner's 36th career win and second win over Northern Kentucky.

Scouting Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky enters the game with an overall record of 17-11 and a 9-8 mark in Horizon League action. The Norse, who own 3-5 conference road record, are coming off am 87-81 home victory over Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 18. Donovan Oday leads the Norse with 18.5 points per contest while Dan Gherezgher is averaging 16.2 points per contest. Northern Kentucky is averaging 83.1 points per game as a team and allowing 76.6 points per contest.

Series vs. Northern  Kentucky
This is the 33rd meeting between Youngstown State and Northern Kentucky in a series dating back to 1976.  The Norse own a 19-13 advantage in the all-time series, but the Penguins have won the last three games played at Zidian Family Arena. Northern Kentucky defeated Youngstown State, 94-79, in the first meeting on Jan. 4 in Highland Heights, Ky. The Penguins defeated the Norse, 72-61, in the last game played in Youngstown. 

Last Time Against the Norse
Senior Cris Carroll made a career-high seven 3-pointers, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team suffered a 94-79 setback to Horizon League foe Northern Kentucky on Sunday afternoon at Truist Arena. Carroll scored a game-high tying 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including 7-for-14 from behind the arc, to lead the Penguins, who fall to 8-8 overall and 2-4 in Horizon League play. Senior Bryson Dawkins and junior Rich Rolf each scored 10 points to help the Penguins cause.

Sixties Sensations
For the second time this season, Youngstown State shot above 63 percent from the field in a game. The Penguins connected on 63.5 percent (33-for-52)of their field goal attempts against Cleveland State on Feb. 18. It also marked the first time in program history the Penguins shot at least 63 percent from the field in multiple games in the same season.

Blackshear Getting Hot
Junior Tae Blackshear has been on tear recently. Over the last six games, Blackshear is averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting 65.1 percent (28-for-43) from the field and 55.2 percent (16-for-29) from 3-point range. Blackshear scored 18 points with three 3s in YSU's 106-82 win over Cleveland State on Feb. 18. He scored a career-high 22 points in the Penguins' 76-70 loss to Detroit Mercy on Feb. 15. Blackshear also tied a school single-game record going 9-for-9 from the field for a 1.000 shooting percentage. He is the first player to make all his field-goal attempts (min. 7) since TeJay Anderson against Southern Utah on Jan. 13, 2001.  

Salaridze Posts Season-Best Game
Senior Vlad Salaridze turned in his best offensive performance of the year in YSU's 106-82 win over Cleveland State on Feb. 18. He scored a season-high 24 points with six rebounds. Salaridze connected on 7-for-9 from the field with three 3-pointers and shot 7-for-9 from the free-throw line.

Carroll Approaching 3s Record
Senior Cris Carroll has moved into YSU single-season top 10 chart for most 3-pointers made in a season and is approaching the single-season record. Carroll ranks tied for fifth with 82 3s and nine more to move into a tie for third on the list. With four 3s against Cleveland State on Feb. 18, Carroll became just the fifth player in school history to make at least 80 3s in a season. Carroll needs 11 more 3s to break the single-season record of 94 set by Blake Allen in 2012-13.

Dawkins in 2026
Senior Bryson Dawkins has thoroughly enjoyed the calendar turn from 2025 to 2026. Since Jan. 1., Dawkins averaged 15.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and shot .561 percent from the floor (87-for-155) in a 14-game span. He has also scored in double figures in 12 of those 14 games. Dawkins scored at least 20 points in consecutive games for the first time this season and he as four 20-point games in the last 14 contests.