By Dylan Lux / The Jambar
Another season has come and gone for the Youngstown State University men’s basketball team, and with the trials and tribulations through another 34 games, history was made.
YSU started off the year with heavy travel, as its first six games were played on the road. Two of the six opponents also came from Power Five conferences.
After winning the season opener, the ’Guins faced The Ohio State University in Columbus. Despite only a 15-point game at halftime, the Penguins couldn’t keep up with their in-state Big Ten Conference opponent, as they fell 81-47.
Next was an out-of-state trip to visit Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, Syracuse University. YSU led by seven at the half, but the Orange tied the game at the end of regulation. One overtime wasn’t enough, as Syracuse outlasted the ’Guins in double overtime, 104-95.
Senior EJ Farmer garnered his career high in the matchup with 26 points.
The Penguins then traveled to Nacogdoches, Texas, for the Axe ‘Em Classic, where they had one win and two losses.
Two Mid-American Conference teams made their way to Beeghly Center this season, as YSU took on Western Michigan University and the University of Toledo.
The ’Guins home opener against Western Michigan saw another 20-point outing from Farmer, despite the 73-62 loss.
YSU had a better fate against Toledo, securing a 93-87 victory in front of the home fans. Farmer posted another 20 points, while fifth-year senior Nico Gallete nabbed 11 rebounds and had seven assists.
In the midst of an eight-game win streak, the Penguins found themselves 5-0 in conference play and didn’t see their first conference loss until a matchup with Purdue University Fort Wayne in Indiana.
Before the end of Horizon League play, the ’Guins earned another four-straight wins, scoring over 80 points in three of its four outings.
For the last win of the four-game streak, Youngstown State completed a 68-60 victory over the No. 1 seed at the time, Cleveland State University, on the road.
To finish out the conference regular season, YSU went 1-2, with a win over the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
For the regular season, three Penguins were honored on All-Horizon League Teams. Farmer and Gallete were both members of the All-League Third Team, and sophomore Gabe Dynes was a part of the All-Defensive Team.
With a 13-7 record in the conference, the Penguins finished as the No. 4 seed, setting up a home matchup in the second round of the Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championship against the Mastodons of Purdue Fort Wayne.
YSU beat PFW 72-67 to advance to the Horizon League Championship semifinals in Indianapolis.
Awaiting the Penguins in Corteva Coliseum was the Vikings of Cleveland State — the second-seeded team in the tournament.
The largest lead of the matchup was in favor of the ’Guins at nine, as the game became tightly contested.
For the first time in program history, the Penguins advanced to the Horizon League Championship game with a chance to go to March Madness on the line.
The road was not easy, and neither was the finale. Robert Morris University, the number one seed in the Horizon League, faced the Penguins.
In a tight battle, the Colonials bested the Penguins 89-78, to capture the conference crown. 15-seeded Robert Morris will play the second seeded University of Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland.
Youngstown State finished the season at 21-13 overall, capturing its third-straight 20-win season.