By Zach Flesch / The Jambar
To tip off its week and the second game of the 2025 Jacksonville Classic in Jacksonville, Florida, the Youngstown State University men’s basketball team fell 68-62 to the University of North Carolina Greensboro on Nov. 23.
To rebound in Jacksonville, the Penguins won against Georgia Southern University on Nov. 24. The Penguins then secured a win Nov. 29 against Chicago State University in Zidian Family Arena.
Against UNCG, senior Bryson Dawkins led the Penguins with 18 points and seven rebounds, while senior Cris Carroll added 11 points.
Despite a 21-point-lead before halftime, the Spartans scored five 3-pointers that secured the upset for the Penguins. The Spartans’ 61.5% shooting percentage bested the Penguins’ 25.8% percentage overall and the 12.5% effort from the 3-point line.
The Penguins quickly regained momentum Nov. 24 with a 67-61 win over Georgia Southern University.
Junior Rich Rolf scored a career-high 22 points and connected on four of his eight 3-point attempts. Carroll added 16 points, and senior Cam Polak contributed 10 points. The YSU defense held the Eagles to 36.8% shooting, including a 35.7 shooting percentage from the Eagles in the second half.
Key runs, including an 11-2 stretch in the second half, helped Youngstown State build and maintain a lead of up to nine points en route to the victory.
Back home, the Penguins capped the week with a 87-64 win over Chicago State University on Nov. 28. YSU made 17 3-pointers, just one shy of a school record, with Carroll and Dawkins scoring 15 points apiece and senior Vlad Salaridze adding 13 off the bench.
The Penguins led for nearly the entire game after responding to Chicago State’s opening two points with a 15-0 run. YSU shot 50.8% from the floor while holding the Cougars to 37.7%, outscoring them by 39 points from 3-point range alone.
Following the win, Head Coach Ethan Faulkner said the team’s success starts on the defensive side of the floor.
“We’ve been really good these last two games on that end of the floor. Holding Georgia Southern to 61, who came into that game averaging 95 points, and then tonight holding these guys to 64 points, while shooting under 40% from the field,” Faulkner said.
After an up-and-down start to the season, Youngstown State is now 4-4 overall and 2-0 at home.
The Penguins opened Horizon League play against Wright State University on Dec. 3 at Zidian Family Arena in Beeghly Center. Stats from the conference matchup are available on ysusports.com.
Youngstown State will hit the road against Indiana University Indianapolis at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, and will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.
