By Marissa Masano / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University women’s basketball team returned to Beeghly Center for the first time in 2025, facing the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Jan. 9. The team then hit the road to face Wright State University on Jan. 12.
Against the Phoenix, the Penguins were defeated 58-50.
Freshman Sophia Gregory led the team with 13 points, shooting 6 of 7 from the field. Fellow freshman Erica King also contributed 12 points.
After the game, Head Coach Melissa Jackson said the young players on the team have thrived in the starting lineup over the past few weeks.
“I mean they’ve just been fearless out there. They’ve been thrown into the starting lineups. They’ve been thrown into a big role and they continue to get better and they continue to grow,” Jackson said.
The Phoenix capitalized on nine Penguin turnovers in the first quarter. Green Bay opened the game with the first five points and went on a ten-minute scoring run, interrupted only by a jumper from redshirt junior Faith Burch.
At the end of the first quarter, Green Bay held a 10-point advantage. Scoring stalled for nearly five minutes in the second quarter before senior Jewel Watkins made a three-pointer to bring the Penguins within seven points.
The Phoenix responded with a 7-0 run, taking their largest lead of the game at 26-12. Gregory rallied, as she scored eight-straight points to cut the deficit to 30-22 at halftime.
In the third quarter, both teams went bucket-for-bucket. A Penguin turnover allowed Green Bay to extend their lead to 12 points. Although King hit a jumper to close the gap, the Phoenix quickly regained their double-digit advantage.
At the 5:10 mark, Watkins knocked down two three-pointers to trim the lead to 44-36 heading into the fourth quarter.
Green Bay opened the final quarter with another basket to maintain a double-digit lead. Points from Gregory and senior Haley Thierry brought Youngstown State closer, as the Penguins narrowed the deficit to 54-48 with 29.1 seconds remaining.
Despite the late buckets, the Phoenix secured the victory, as they scored four of the next five points.
The Penguins traveled to the Nutter Center and suffered a 77-62 loss to Wright State. Graduate student Malia Magestro led the team with 16 points, while Thierry recorded a season-high 12 points.
Youngstown State scored nine-straight points to end the first quarter, taking a 20-12 lead. However, the Penguins missed their first 12 field-goal attempts to start the second quarter.
The Penguins entered halftime with the lead after a three-pointer by Magestro, but a buzzer-beating jumper by the Raiders tied the game at 34.
Coming out of halftime, Wright State scored 13 of the first 17 points. Watkins responded with a layup, sparking an eight-point rally to bring the Penguins within one.
However, Wright State answered with nine points over the next three possessions, regaining a nine-point advantage at 55-46. Shortly afterward, the Raiders secured their first double-digit lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, Thierry completed a three-point play to cut the deficit, but Wright State went on an 8-0 run, extending its lead to 14 points.
With the win over the Penguins, the Raiders secured their second Horizon League victory.
The Penguins returned home at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 to face Northern Kentucky University.
Youngstown State will stay inside Beeghly Center at 2 p.m. Jan 18, to take on Robert Morris University.
The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and 570 WKBN.
