Milwaukee, Wis. – Junior Rich Rolf posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team suffered a 78-65 setback to Milwaukee on Wednesday evening at UWM Panther Arena.
Rolf, who made three 3-pointers, also dished out six assists and had two blocks while senior Cris Carroll led the Penguins with 13 points.
Youngstown State falls to 15-15 overall and 8-11 in the Horizon League while the Panthers conclude the regular season with 12-19 overall record and an 8-12 mark in league action.
The Panthers scored the first eight points of the game while the Penguins missed their first six field-goal attempts, and after the team's traded baskets, the Penguins trailed 10-2 less than four minutes into the game.
The Panthers led 18-7 when a dunk by Imanuel Zorgvol and a layup from Rolf sliced the deficit to 18-11 at the 12:50 mark of the first half.
Milwaukee's Aaron Franklin hit a 3-pointer to build the cushion to a first-half high 12 points with 10:33 to go.
A 10-0 YSU run over the next two-and-a-half minutes sparked by Rolf's second 3-pointer, two free throws from Drew King, a layup by Vlad Salaridze, and a Carroll three-point play got the Penguins back within two, 23-21, at the 7:53 mark.
Milwaukee rebuilt the lead back to eight, 32-24, when the Penguins used a 9-2 spurt to get within one, 34-33, following a three-point play by Salaridze.
The Panthers, however, scored five of the next seven points to take a 39-35 edge into the locker room halftime.
Milwaukee scored the first basket of the second half before layups by Bryson Dawkins and Carroll and another by Dawkins knotted the game, 41-41, with 17:06 remaining.
Over the next six-plus minutes, the Panthers lead expanded to 14 points, 56-42, and the Penguins got within three points, 57-54, following a 12-1 run. Tae Blackshear and Rolf each connected from beyond the arc, freshman Jaiden Haynes made a pair of layups and Drew King added another to spark the run.
After the team's traded baskets, Milwaukee scored 14 of the next 16 points to gain a game-high 15-point lead, 73-58, with just over two minutes remaining.
Youngstown State closes out the regular season against Green Bay, Saturday, Feb. 28. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET at the Kress Center in Green Bay, Wis.
