Penguins may be coming of age

The Youngstown State men's basketball team just might have come of age Saturday afternoon against the Duquesne Dukes.
The Penguins, who have played well for most of their games this year but still lost six of their first seven, played their best overall game in beating the Dukes 72-51 at Beeghly.
Now if they can only get over that hump on the road.
In almost every game but the home opener against Slippery Rock, the Penguins have had rally-killing dry spells that led to losses.
Saturday they had another long one -- nearly nine minutes -- but they played through it this time with good defense and taking care of the ball, not to mention some fine free-throw shooting.
First-year coach Slocumdoing excellent job
The job that first-year head coach Jerry Slocum has done with these young men in such a short time has been remarkable to say the least.
The toughest thing that Slocum has had to teach them was how to win and with Slocum's past record there is no doubt that the coach knows how to win.
The Penguins have been competitive in every game this season but getting over that hump has been difficult.
One win does not make a season but for this team that one win, even if it came against a struggling program like Duquesne, might just be the win the Penguins needed.
Junior guard Quin Humphrey has been tremendous thus far this season, scoring in double figures every game. He's also the team's leading rebounder. When he gets help, the Penguins are tough. On Saturday, Keston Roberts stepped up with 24 points and John Barber added 13. Humphrey can't do it by himself.
Wednesday night the Penguins play host to James Madison, a team that's not great but will field a very athletic team that could give the Penguins problems.
Could tell coach whetherteam has gotten over hump
This game should tell Slocum whether or not his team has gotten over that hump and finally has learned how to win.
While the men's team is heading for bigger and better things, the YSU women appear to be going the other way.
Head coach Tisha Hill's group was destroyed by a very good Indiana State team on Saturday.
Losing to the Sycamores was no disgrace but the way they did it wasn't a good sign for the Penguins. Giving up 60 points in the first half was almost an embarrassment.
The Sycamores are 4-0 in the Horizon League and that includes a 40-point win over the Horizon's best team, UW-Green Bay.
YSU is 2-7 and has nobody stepping up to take on the leadership role that the team desperately needs right now.
Senior Michelle Holmes, who led the team in scoring through most of the early part of the season, has digressed to only five minutes of action in the game against the Sycamores.
The Penguins play at Akron tonight, against a team struggling almost as much as they are. It just might be a game that tells what's ahead for the Penguins the rest of the way.
Valentine's Day eventwill honor student-athletes
On Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, the YSU Penguin Club along with Travaglini Enterprises will hold the 16th annual Penguin Club Scholarship Ring Dinner at Mr. Anthony's Banquet Center in Boardman.
Each year this dinner is held to celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of the YSU student-athletes, coaches and contributors that make the university and the area so tradition-rich in sports.
This year the event will recognize the 2005 Gateway football championship team, along with the women's outdoor track and field teams for their titles.
The event also honors the Penguin of the Year, which as yet hasn't been determined by the banquet committee but is expected to be announced within the next week.
Tickets for the dinner are $100 and are available by contacting the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1YSU.
XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.