The Youngstown State University Penguins look to get the season rolling with the first home game of the season. The Penguins routed the Warren Wilson College Owls, 104-58.
Even though the Penguins (4-0) came out on a slow start, sophomore Bobby Hain was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Hain ended the first half with 11 rebounds and 13 points. He led all scoring and rebounding for his team at half. Senior Kendrick Perry ended the half with nine points and one 3-pointer. The score was 30-42
“In the first half, we were slow and didn’t take them that seriously,” Hain said.
“We came out with a lot more energy, played tougher and played together.”
Hain ended the game with the third double-double of his career. He had 18 points and had a game-high 13 rebounds. Hain and Perry led all scorers with 18 apiece,
while senior Kamren Belin scored 17 and junior Shawn Amiker scored 12.
After halftime, the Penguins came out strong with a 29-5 run. The Penguins looked totally different from the first-half team.
“I was a little disappointed in the first half with our defensive intensity,” head coach Jerry Slocum said. “I thought our guys did a good job in the second half early into the first media timeout.”
The Penguins looked more together and much more comfortable with shooting the ball. In the second half the Penguins shot 58.3% from 3-point territory and 73.5% from the field.
YSU played better defense come the second half, holding the Owls (2-6) to a 38.1% field goal percentage while limiting them to 16.7% from 3-point range.
YSU got to give their bench guys some minutes, which Slocum feels is important in the long run. Slocum said that this is the year of the bench and the year of the foul shot.
“We played our bench a lot in the first three games down there [Atlanta],” Slocum said. “One of the goals tonight was to get some of those freshmen some minutes.”
The Penguins showed some depth in their bench. Freshman Marcus Keene played 22 minutes, and finished with seven points and six assists.
“We’ve got some very good positive offensive depth.” Slocum said. “Marcus, in our three games in Georgia, and then again tonight can stir it up a bit. He’s a good offensive player, something we really haven’t had from our bench guys.”
YSU goes on the road at the University of Massachusetts Sunday at 1 p.m.
