BEEGHLY CENTER Clemson topples YSU in thriller

The Penguins took the Tigers to the wire before bowing 79-75.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- If the Youngstown State women's basketball team had played all its games the way it played Friday night against Clemson, the Penguins wouldn't be 1-7.
YSU dropped a 79-75 contest to the Atlantic Coast Conference power, but the Tigers knew they were in a game.
"We came into this game trying to focus on ourselves," said YSU first-year head coach Tisha Hill. "I'm very proud of the way we played tonight, the intensity level was very high."
The Penguins never trailed by more than seven points in the contest and that didn't come until the final two minutes.
And they almost pulled it out in the end.
Wins at foul line
The Tigers, ranked 31st in the latest USA Today/ESPN poll, connected on 11 of 12 free throws in the final 1:42 of the contest to hold off the Penguins' rally.
The Penguins were in the contest mainly because of their 3-point shooting as they set a new school record making 15 of 27 attempts (55.6 percent).
YSU shot only 36.7 percent for the game (22 of 60).
"I'm disappointed in the loss, but it was good to see our shooting back where it is supposed to be," Hill said. "Clemson is a very good team and they know how to pick you apart.
"Hopefully this game will help us when we go to Akron on Sunday, but the key will be to keep that intensity level right up there."
Novak ties school record
YSU senior Devin Novak tied a school record, hitting seven 3-pointers en route to 21 points. The record is shared by Leslie Majewski (twice), Carolina McCombs and Shannon Beach.
Junior Jessica Olmstead led the Penguins with 23 points, hitting 4-of-10 from 3-point range, while junior Cathy Hanek added 12 points.
Clemson (8-1) was led by Lakeia Stokes with 27 points, including 14-of-16 from the foul line, and was 8-for-8 from the line in the final minute.
Slosser gets 10 rebounds
Senior Maggie Slosser, the former Poland High standout, finished with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
"There was a lot of pressure on Maggie tonight," said Clemson head coach Jim Davis. "The pressure of playing in her hometown in front of family and friends caused her to play about 75 percent of her capabilities."
Added Slosser: "It was good to come home, but I was trying so hard to do well that it probably cost me some tonight. It was good that we were able to come back and get the win."
The Penguins played a near perfect first half, taking their first lead (10-9) on two Tara Fleming free throws with 13:49 remaining. YSU then built a 17-10 lead on back-to-back 3s by Olmstead and Novak.
The Tigers battled back and on two straight baskets by Stokes and another by Lauren Allen recaptured the lead 22-21 with 5:40 remaining.
But Hanek and Novak again connected and the Penguins were back on top 27-22. After two more 3s by Olmstead, YSU led 33-28 at halftime.
"We came into the game with nobody expecting us to win and we felt we had nothing to lose," said Novak. "We came out shooting and made them and we just kept right on shooting."
Seven lead changes
The lead changed seven times in the second half before the Tigers went ahead for keeps, 55-54, on a 3-point shot by Julie Tallie with 6:56 remaining.
The Penguins got to within two points, 74-72, on Hanek's 3-point shot with 11.2 seconds remaining, but Olmstead was called for an intentional foul on the inbounds pass and the Tigers hit four straight free throws for a 77-72 lead with 9.7 seconds.
Hanek was fouled behind the arc on the next series and made all three shots to get within 77-75, but Stokes then canned two more free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining to clinch the win.