By Marissa Masano
The Youngstown State University men’s basketball team took on Utah Tech University and Lake Erie College at home inside the Beeghly Center and hit the road to face the University of Dayton.
The Penguins defeated Utah Tech on Nov. 17 by a score of 75-68. Graduate student DJ Burns recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Graduate student Bryson Langdon and senior Jaylen Bates each scored 12 points. Bates led the team with two 3-pointers.
For Bates, this team is all about the “next man up” mentality.
“I felt comfortable from the beginning of the game. My coach always told me to be ready when my number’s called, and that’s just how we go about business here — next man up mentality. Someone doesn’t have it going one night — you have to do everything in your power to pick them up,” Bates said.
Youngstown led at the end of the first half 34-26 and kept adding onto its lead as the Penguins scored the first five points in the second half. Within the second half, the Trailblazers were able to cut the lead to one point, but a dunk by graduate student Brandon Rush kept the Penguins’ lead.
The team’s field goal percentage improved from its first half percentage of 30.8%. The Penguins shot 54.2% from the field in the second half, ending the game with a field goal percentage of 39.7%.
On Nov. 19, the Penguins defeated Lake Erie 79-57 as sophomore John Lovelace Jr. set a career-high 29 points.
To accompany his 29 points, Lovelace posted two 3-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists. The sophomore was 12-of-17 shooting from the floor.
Graduate student Ziggy Reid was the next highest scorer for the Penguins with 12. Reid also had two 3-pointers.
The Storm scored the final 10 points of the first half, and the teams entered halftime knotted at 32 apiece. At the beginning of the second half, the Storm took its first lead of the game, 36-34, but YSU regained the lead and went on a 13-5 run.
After the Penguins gained a 13-point lead with 8:48 remaining in the game, they never trailed again and held a double-digit lead to finish the game.
For head coach Jerrod Calhoun, the game’s first half exemplified what the team wants to improve on as Horizon League play approaches.
“There’s a standard here, the way we want to play. We didn’t play that way in the first half. Credit to them, but also some of our deficiencies really stood out. You can’t have 14 turnovers and go seven and 27 from three, that doesn’t help either,” Calhoun said.
Youngstown lost to Dayton 77-69 on the road at the UD Arena on Nov. 24.
During the game, the Penguins made 13 3-pointers, and Rush led in that category with four. The guard also led the team with 18.
Youngstown’s largest lead was 10 in the first half, but the Flyers took a 37-35 lead at halftime. The Penguins had a 12-0 run in the first half but did not score again in the last three minutes.
Youngstown had a three point shooting percentage of 44.8%, and both teams had eight turnovers.
The Penguins took on Horizon League opponent Cleveland State University on Nov. 29. To view stats and scores from the game, visit ysusports.com.
