YSU PREVIEW Women's basketball

Who: YSU (2-3) vs. Oakland (Mich.) (1-4)
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Beeghly Center
Radio/TV: WNIO-AM (1390); WYFX (17/62) (tape delayed at 10:30 p.m. Monday)
Coaches: Tisha Hill is in her third season with the Penguins with an overall record of 17-40. Becky Francis is in her sixth season at Oakland with an overall record of 91-58.
The series: This is the eighth meeting between the two teams who were both members of the Mid-Continent Conference at one time. Oakland leads the series 4-3 and has won the last four meetings. The last time was in the 2001-02 season when the Grizzlies won 88-56 in Rochester, Mich. They also won the last meeting at Beeghly 77-52 in 2000-01. YSU's last win in the series was in 1999-00 when they beat the Grizzlies 84-77 in Oakland. The Penguins last won in Youngstown in 1998-99 87-72.
YSU starters: Lauren Branson, 5-6 sophomore guard (6.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists); Kristy Gaudiose, 5-7 junior guard (7.0, 2.8, 1.0); Ashlee Russo, 5-7 senior guard (7.0, 3.2, 1.5); Michelle Holmes, 6-2 senior center (11.2, 4.4, 1.0); Jessica Schloemp, 6-3 sophomore forward (9.0, 5.0, 0)
Oakland starters: Anne Hafeli, 5-9 senior guard (17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists); Nicole Piggott, 5-11 junior forward (16.3, 4.8, 0.5); Jayme Wilson, 5-8 senior guard (15.3, 6.0, 1.0); Bonnie Baker, 5-10 junior guard (3.0, 3.5, 2.3); Riikka Terava, 5-6 freshman guard (3.0, 3.0, 2.8)
Game notes: The Penguins celebrated their home opener last Wednesday with a come-from-behind 80-71 victory over Saint Louis. The Penguins put four players in double figures, led by senior Michelle Holmes with 16. They also got an outstanding effort from freshman Monique Godfrey, who came off the bench to score 11 points, pulled down seven rebounds and dished out six assists with three steals in 26 minutes of action.. The Penguins also shot well for the game hitting 53.7 percent, including 55.6 in the second half. Oakland, like YSU, played its first four games on the road and was 1-3 just like the Penguins. The Grizzlies' only win was against Duquesne, 65-54, in the opening round of the Miami Tournament. They played their home opener Saturday, losing to UW-Green Bay 74-72. They also lost to UW-Milwaukee of the Horizon League, 73-71 in overtime, in their season opener.
Next up: YSU will return to the road Wednesday to play another former Mid-Continent Conference opponent, Buffalo. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Pete Mollica