PREVIEW | YSU basketball

MEN
Who: Youngstown State (2-4) vs. Pittsburgh (6-0).When: 7 p.m. today.
Where: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh.
Coaches: John Robic is 47-74 in his fifth year at YSU. Jamie Dixon is in his first season with the Panthers.
YSU starters: Jonathan Mends, 5-foot-11, sophomore, guard (7.7 points per game average, 2.7 rebounds per game); Quinn Humphrey, 6-3, freshman, guard (8.3, 2.2); TeJay Anderson, 6-6, senior, forward (10.3, 7.3); Adam Baumann, 6-8, senior, center (12.5, 6.0); Brian Radakovich, 6-7 junior, forward (5.2, 4.6).Pitt starters: Carl Krauser, 6-2, sophomore, guard (17.3, 4.3); Julius Page, 6-3, senior, guard (13.7, 3.5); Jaron Brown, 6-4, senior, guard (12.2, 5.3); Chevon Troutman, 6-7, junior, forward (10.3, 6.2); Toree Morris, 6-10, senior, center (2.7, 3.7).
Scouting report: The Penguins are coming off final exams week and are banged up and sick while trying to get ready for the 20th-ranked team in the country in the Pitt Panthers. YSU is hoping to get back sophomore point guard Jonathan Mends, who has missed the last three games with injuries. The Penguins have also lost four straight on the road this year and 33 straight regular season road games dating back to the 2001 season. Pitt comes into the contest never having lost at its new arena where it is 4-0 this year. The Panthers also offer a little local flavor as assistant coach Joe Lombardi is a 1981 graduate of Youngstown State.
Series: This is the sixth meeting between the teams, with Pitt holding a 4-1 advantage. The teams haven't met since 1993 when the Panthers posted a 112-66 victory in Pittsburgh. YSU's lone win came in 1976 in Youngstown, 78-73.
Radio: WNIO 1390-AM.
WOMEN
Who: Youngstown State (1-5) vs. Kent State (2-2)
When: 2 p.m. today.
Where: Beeghly Center.
Coaches: Tisha Hill is in her first season as the Penguins' head coach. Bob Lindsay is in his 15th season with the Golden Flashes and has a career mark of 270-144.
YSU starters: Aliyah Sabree, 5-8, sophomore, guard (0.4 points per game, 0.4 rebounds per game); Kristy Gaudiose, 5-7, freshman, guard (6.0, 2.2); Devin Novak, 5-10, senior, guard (4.4, 0.8); Tara Fleming, 6-3, junior, forward (3.7, 3.2); Jessica Forsythe, 5-11, senior, forward (7.8, 7.8).
Kent State starters: Malika Willoughby, 5-8, sophomore, guard (10.0, 2.5); Melissa DeGrate, 5-9, junior, guard (0.3, 1.0); Andrea Csaszar, 6-6, junior, center (15.0, 7.5); Lindsay Shearer, 6-1, sophomore, forward (12.5, 8.8); Heather Harris, 6-0, junior, forward (10.3, 4.0).
Scouting report: Youngstown State has dropped five straight games since winning its opener at home against Bowling Green. All five losses were on the road. This is also the Penguins' worst start since the 1982-83 season when they began 1-8. Kent State is coming off two straight losses, to UW-Green Bay and Michigan State. One of the Golden Flashes' top scorers is 6-0 junior Heather Harris, who played her freshman and sophomore seasons at Youngstown State and led the team in scoring as a sophomore. She transferred to Kent State and sat out last season.
Series: Kent leads the overall series 23-12. In the last six meetings, the home team has won, including last season at Kent where the Flashes posted a 74-70 victory. YSU won at home in 2001, 79-64.
Radio: WNIO 1390-AM.
-- YSU sports information