COLLEGE BASKETBALL Youngstown State teams brace for coming challenges

The women welcome Kent State to Beeghly Center today at 2 p.m.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State's basketball teams face key games today that could prove to be pivotal for the season.
The men's team (2-4) will be on the road against 20th-ranked Pittsburgh at 7 p.m., while the YSU women (1-5) return home after five straight road games to meet Kent State at 2.
National power
John Robic's men's team faces a huge challenge against the Panthers, who are unbeaten in six games.
The Panthers, under first-year coach Jamie Dixon, have won four straight at home this season and last Saturday defeated Penn State 64-37 for their 26th consecutive home win.
Pitt is in its second season in the Petersen Events Center and has never lost a game in the new arena.
YSU, on the other hand, is 0-4 on the road this season and hasn't won a regular-season road game in over two full seasons.
To add to the Penguins' problems this year, they have been hit with injuries and illness and are down to 10 or 11 healthy bodies for tonight's game.
"This is always a tough week with final exams and you have to juggle practice times around, and then the rash of injuries and illness have taken its toll," said Robic.
Freshman guards Mike Woodard and Quin Humphrey, two players who have been starting of late, are sick and Robic won't know their status until today.
"We're hoping to have Brian Radakovich back after his slight concussion and we're still not sure about Jonathan Mends [who has missed the team's last three games]," added Robic.
The Penguins are 1-4 all-time against Pitt, although the teams haven't met since 1993 when the Panthers won 112-66 at Fitzgerald Field House.
YSU's only win was in 1976, 78-73, at Beeghly Center.
Hard times
First-year women's coach Tisha Hill has had a rough start. After winning their season home opener against Bowling Green, the Penguins spent a grueling two weeks on the road, losing to Auburn, New Mexico, Elon, Buffalo and Toledo.
"We're just hoping that getting back home will be a benefit to this team," she said.
Kent State (2-2) won its first two games, against Rice and Rhode Island, then lost to UW-Green Bay and Michigan State.
One of the Golden Flashes' top scorers is a familiar face to some of the Youngstown State players. Heather Harris, a 6-foot junior guard with a 10.3 average this season, played her freshman and sophomore seasons with the Penguins. After leading YSU in scoring as a sophomore, she transferred to Kent State and sat out last season before becoming eligible this year.
"She's a pretty good player for them and one of their best 3-point shooters," said Hill.
"I know a lot of the girls on this team know her well and we're going to have to find a way to shut her down."
Hill said inconsistency is YSU's biggest problem.
"Off the court the chemistry is great, they're all close friends, but there isn't any real chemistry on the court right now," she said. "We still haven't put together a complete 40 minutes of basketball," Hill added. "We've got shooters, 14 of them can all shoot, at least in practice, but it's not carrying over to the games."
The men's team opens a three-game homestand Dec. 18 against Wright State in the Horizon League opener at 7 p.m.
The women will play host to Clemson on Dec. 19, also at 7 p.m.
mollica@vindy.com