MEN'S BASKETBALL Penguins prepare for season opener

Youngstown State, which defeated the USBL All-Stars, will open Nov. 22 at Indiana State.
By GREG GULAS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Marlon Williamson had 18 points, Doug Underwood added 16 and Jamel Porter recorded a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) as the Youngstown State men's basketball team defeated the Upstate (NY) USBL All-Stars 88-82 Saturday in an exhibition game Saturday night at Beeghly Center.
"This was an excellent team for our players to go up against," Penguins coach John Robic said. "I felt we made some positive strides and we've definitely improved since our exhibition game last Sunday against Robert Morris College."
Youngstown State opens the regular season at Indiana State on Nov. 22.
First-half recap
The Penguins went on an 8-0 run, keyed by Marlon Williamson's 3-point goal, to take a 28-22 lead at the 7:32 mark of the first half. Ryan Blackwell then scored six of his team's next nine points to help the All-Stars build a 33-31 advantage with 4:10 remaining.
Williamson and Derrick Harris then scored three points apiece, pacing the Penguins to another 8-0 run and a 39-33 advantage.
Fred Cofield, a former Youngstown Pride player, hit a 3-pointer to stop the Penguins' run. YSU led at the half, 41-36.
"I thought that we committed too many turnovers tonight," Robic said. "When you commit 12 between your point guards, that's just not an acceptable number."
YSU built a 51-39 lead on a lay-up by Underwood at 16:49 of the second half and increased that margin to a game-high 17 (58-41) on Harris' basket in the lane.
Cofield got the All-Stars to within three points (81-78) with 1:39 remaining, but Williamson hit three crucial free throws with under a minute to play, keying a 7-4 game-ending run by the Penguins.
Percentages
YSU was 30-of-57 from the field (52.6 percent) and held the All-Stars to just 29 of 68 (42.6 percent).
The All-Stars were 17-of-22 at the free throw line, while the Penguins struggled, making just 25-of-42.
"You won't win too many games with those numbers at the free throw line," Robic said. "We led the Horizon League in that category a season ago so that is definitely an area we will have to work on over the next two weeks."
The All-Stars held a 40-37 rebound advantage, with Porter taking a game-high 10.