Sunday, December 9, 2001
The Penguins struggled on defense, losing 79-65 to Toledo.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
TOLEDO -- As long as Youngstown State allows 70 or more points by the opposition the Penguins' record isn't going to get much better.
The Penguins dropped a 79-65 contest to Toledo Saturday before nearly 4,000 fans at Savage Hall.
"I've told this team right from the beginning that we aren't going to win many games when the other team gets into the 70's," said YSU coach John Robic. "We've just got to play better defense."
The Penguins (1-5) gave up too many uncontested buckets to a hot-shooting Toledo team.
The Rockets shot nearly 70 percent from the field in the first half and finished the game at 65.4 percent (34-of-52). Most of them were layups as Toledo scored 50 points in the paint.
Shooting well: Toledo (3-3) made 18-of-26 first half shots (69.2 percent) and 15 of its 18 field goals were layups.
"They shot the ball very well and they beat us right off the dribble," said Robic.
Senior point guard Ryan Patton scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Penguins, who have lost four straight road games. Patton hit 9-of-10 at free throw line.
Freshman Doug Underwood added 11 points and sophomore Bill Mallernee tossed in a 10 points and led the team with seven rebounds. Each team finished with 28 rebounds.
Keith Triplett led the Rockets with 16 points, while freshman Kareem Milson, a Rayen graduate, finished with 12 points in 20 minutes. Nick Moore also scored 12 points for the Rockets.
"Toledo played under control all game, while we didn't," Robic added. "We got to find a happy medium between what we are supposed to be doing and what we are doing."
Toledo coach Stan Joplin, in his sixth season, felt his team's defense in the second half was the difference.
"We shot very well in the first half, but still couldn't put Youngstown away," he said. "In the second half we played much better defense, much more aggressive, and that was the difference."
In a hole: The Penguins fell behind early and never led in the contest.
They trailed 11-6 after a 3-point goal by Moore and 17-8 following a 6-0 run by the Rockets with just under 14 minutes remaining.
The Penguins trailed 29-18 with 10 minutes to play before going on a 6-0 run. Senior Rafael Cruz and freshmen Brian Radakovich and Jimmy Moore scored in succession to get to within five points, 29-24, with 8:25 remaining.
But then the Penguins went nearly four minutes without scoring and were down by nine again, 33-24, and trailed 42-35 at halftime.
Youngstown State played its best stretch the first five minutes of the second half. The Penguins made their first five shots and played good defense to close to within two points, 47-45.
The Rockets roared back with a 16-4 run for a 65-51 lead with 6:38 remaining.
The Penguins went nearly six minutes without scoring a basket and by the time Underwood hit a 3-point goal with 5:12 remaining they were behind 67-55.
Ryan scored five straight points, including a 3-pointer, to get the Penguins to within nine, 69-60, at the 4:12 mark, but six straight points by the Rockets put the contest out of reach.
The Penguins have a week off before returning home to meet Mid-American Conference preseason favorite, Kent State next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Beeghly Center.