By Zach Flesch / The Jambar
With two nonconference wins and four conference wins, the Youngstown State men’s basketball team navigated a challenging six-game series over break.
Youngstown State opened the stretch with a 103-52 home victory over Division III opponent Thiel University. The team remained unbeaten at Zidian Family Arena while posting its highest scoring output of the season. The Penguins shot 59.4% from the field and better than 56% in both halves, while they held a decisive 54-24 edge in points for the paint.
Senior Cris Carroll opened the game with 17 points and connected on four 3-pointers. Redshirt junior Rich Rolf added 13 points, followed by sixth year Vlad Salaridze and freshman Jaiden Haynes who both added 12 points.
The Penguins opened Horizon League road play on Dec. 17. 2025 with an overtime loss at Robert Morris University despite a career performance from Carroll. The senior posted a career-high 31 points, including six 3-pointers, and became the first Penguin to score 30 or more points in a game since DJ Burns Jr. in 2024.
Youngstown State shot 58.3% in the first half and led for much of the contest. Salaridze added a season-high 15 points, while senior Bryson Dawkins scored 13. The Colonials forced overtime late and sealed the game with a 3-pointer in the final minute followed by free throws.
Back home on Dec. 20, 2025, Youngstown State responded with a 74-65 win over University of South Carolina Upstate. Carroll again paced the Penguins and scored 27 points while adding seven rebounds and five assists.
Salaridze provided 14 points, and the Penguins built a 15-point lead in the first half. USC Upstate trimmed the margin to three points early in the second half, but YSU answered with a decisive 13-5 run to regain control. The Penguins improved to 8-5 overall in the season with the victory.
Following the win, Carroll said he’s going to do what it takes to help his team.
“Whatever coach needs me to do while I’m on the floor, I’m going to do it to help my team win,” Carroll said.
Youngstown State experienced a loss at home to University of Detroit Mercy on Dec. 29, 2025, despite four players who scored in double figures. Carroll led the Penguins with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Dawkins added 14 and redshirt senior Jason Nelson and junior Tae Blackshear chipped in 12 points each.
Detroit Mercy stretched a seven-point halftime lead to as many as 22 points early in the second half. YSU rallied with a 13-0 run and later cut the deficit to six points in the final minute, but the Titans held on at the free-throw line to secure the road win.
New Year’s Day produced one of the most competitive games of the stretch as the Penguins lost to Oakland in a decisive conference battle, 85-83. The Penguins led by double digits in the first half before Oakland closed strong, and the game featured six lead changes and seven ties.
Dawkins recorded a season-high 20 points and seven rebounds, while Nelson added 14 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Rolf and Carroll each scored 14 and 13 points, respectively. The game was decided in the final seconds after an Oakland University putback with 14 seconds remaining.
Following the loss, Head Coach Ethan Faulkner was not satisfied with his team’s ability to guard.
“This game was lost on the defensive end of the floor. It wasn’t our guys effort, it had a lot to do with who we were playing and how good they were offensively tonight,” Faulkner said
The stretch concluded on the road at Northern Kentucky University, where Carroll hit another career high when he delivered seven 3-pointers and 26 points. Despite Carroll’s shooting, the Penguins fell behind early and trailed by as many as 28.
Youngstown State mounted a strong second-half response and outscored the Norse by 55-44 after halftime. The Norse answered with a late surge to close out the game.
The Penguins will continue a slate of Horizon League games Purdue University Fort Wayne up next Jan. 7 at Zidan Family Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:17 PM on ESPN+.