By Marissa Masano / The Jambar
As below-freezing temperatures swept across Ohio, the Youngstown State University women’s basketball team stayed red-hot and secured its seventh conference victory after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
The Penguins lost to Indiana University Indianapolis on Jan. 17 inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. In the loss, three Penguins reached double digits, and sixth-year Casey Santoro surpassed 300 career assists. Along with the career night, Santoro scored 14 points.
Redshirt freshman Danielle Cameron led the team with 16 points, and redshirt freshman Sarah Baker added 10 points. With the loss, Youngstown State dropped to 6-3 in conference play.
IU Indy took a two-point advantage into the second quarter and started the scoring before Cameron went on her own scoring spree.
The guard knocked down two 3-pointers to give the Penguins a one-possession lead and two possessions later tied the game at 18 with another 3-pointer.
With under three minutes remaining before halftime, Cameron tied the contest two more times as she made two more 3-pointers. A point from the free-throw line gave the Penguins a brief one-point advantage before the Jaguars converted from the line to enter halftime with a 26-25 advantage.
Cameron made five straight 3-pointers and scored all of the Penguins’ points in the second quarter.
IU Indy outscored the Penguins 19-15 and 16-12 in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. In the fourth quarter, the Jaguars’ advantage grew to as much as 15 points.
After the loss, the Penguins took a short trip Jan. 21 to Moon Township, Pennsylvania to face Robert Morris University. YSU was handed its second straight loss and fourth loss in conference play.
Santoro paced the Penguins and led the game with 19 points in the 55-40 loss. Defensively, YSU forced 22 turnovers, but only converted that into six points.
In the second half, the Penguins got within four points of the lead, but RMU responded with a 10-2 run to lead by double digits until the final buzzer.
Due to the winter storm, the Penguins played in a much quieter Beeghly Center on Jan. 25 as the program encouraged fans to stay home while snow conditions worsened throughout the game.
Despite the weather outside, Youngstown State picked up its seventh conference victory and swept Cleveland State University in the regular season for the first time since the 2021-22 season. With the win, YSU holds its best conference start since the 2022-23 season.
During the 61-38 win, the Penguins found themselves in a three-way tie for second place with RMU and Purdue University Fort Wayne. The Penguins will see both teams for a second matchup later this season.
Cameron reached a career milestone and scored her 200th career point as she knocked down three 3-pointers en route to a game-high 17 points. After fouling out in her last two appearances, sophomore Sophia Gregory recorded a team-high 10 rebounds and six assists.
Gregory joined teammate junior Paulina Hernandez on the stat sheet as both Penguins posted game-high three blocks apiece.
Cameron knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a Penguins 14-2 run that closed out the first quarter, 22-13. The Penguins continued their run in the second quarter and went on to score nine straight points before the Vikings scored their only points of the stanza.
Within the run, the Penguins’ advantage grew to as much as 18 points and eventually 21 as they headed into the locker room with a 36–15 lead.
In the third quarter, Youngstown State held a 20-point or higher advantage over the Vikings, and Hernandez’s three-point play in the fourth gave the team its largest lead at 29 points.
Cleveland State entered the contest outrebounding its opponents in its last three matchups. The Penguins broke that streak and led 39-34 in that category.
Head Coach Melissa Jackson credited the team’s mindset and effort on both ends of the floor following the win.
“We won this game with our defense and our rebounding. And I thought our mindset was absolutely where it needed to be. We believed in ourselves, we believed in each other. This is a big victory,” Jackson said.
The Penguins will take a road trip to Michigan as they prepare to take on two more conference opponents. The team will face Detroit Mercy University on Jan. 29. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Head coach Melissa Jackson talks to her team after the 61-38 win over CSU
Sarah Baker dribbles by Cleveland State defender