YSU BASKETBALL Women win first opener, 76-59

The Penguins dominated Saint Louis underneath the basket.
ST. LOUIS -- Jen Perugini had team highs of 16 points and 16 rebounds, leading a strong inside game for the Youngstown State women's basketball team, as the Penguins defeated Saint Louis, 76-59, Friday, in the season opener for both teams.
Youngstown State scored 34 points in the paint to 12 for the Billikens, led by Perugini and center Barb Favianova, who added 14 points and nine rebounds.
The Penguins shot 61 percent from the field in the second half (11-for-18) to extend a 32-26 lead at the intermission.
YSU was also 25-for-32 at the foul line and out-rebounded Saint Louis, 52-40.
The Penguins took the lead for good with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half, 16-15, on a layup by Aliyah Sabree, who finished with eight points.
YSU extended its first half lead to nine points on three occasions, the last at 32-23 on a basket by My'Kea Cohill with 2:24 to go, but the Billikens got a free throw and a last-second basket by Heather King to trim the margin to six at halftime.
Lead reached double figures
The Penguins maintained control throughout the second half. Their lead reached double figures for the first time with 15:22 remaining in the game on a layup by Sabree that made it 41-30.
Saint Louis got back to within eight points, 43-35, with 12:34 to go on a Mia Johnson basket, but Perugini answered with a 3-pointer, and the Penguins lead never got below double digits the remainder of the game.
YSU's largest lead was 18 points (75-57) on a layup by Laura Branson.
Ashlee Russo score 11 points for YSU, and she shared team-high assist honors (five) with Fabianova. Perugini dished out four assists.
The Penguins finished the game 24-of-52 from the field (46 percent), including 3-for-8 on 3-pointers.
They had 19 assists, but 24 turnovers.
Michelle Holmes added 10 points and Sabree had eight for YSU.
Saint Louis was led by three players in double figures.
Johnson scored 18 and added a team-high nine rebounds. Yanique Javois added 14 points, while Marquita McFarland scored 10 and also had nine rebounds.
Smith had seven assists and six points.
The Billikens were 22-of-78 from the field (28 percent) and 8-for-13 at the foul line.
They committed 14 turnovers.
The Penguins play their home opener Tuesday against Ohio University.
The game begins at 5:15 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader.
The YSU men play Slippery Rock in the second game.