Penguins struggle on court

For the most part it's been an unusual December.
First off the Youngstown State football team was still playing this month for the first time in over six seasons as the Penguins advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series.
The unseasonal temperatures have enabled golfers to continue playing locally and YSU basketball season is in full swing.
Both the YSU men and women are struggling again, which isn't unusual since the men's team has had five straight 20-loss seasons and the women aren't far behind with 20 losses in three of the last four years.
Watching the men drop a hard-fought 79-78 loss to Robert Morris on Saturday, one can't help but wonder what the season would be like if the Penguins had any kind of inside game.
YSU probably has three of the best outside shooters in the Horizon League in seniors Quin Humphrey and Keston Roberts and junior Byron Davis, but little else.
When those three are hitting from the outside the Penguins will play with anybody and when they aren't hitting they can lose to just about anybody, anywhere.
Second-year coach Jerry Slocum inherited Humphrey from John Robic and the 6-foot-4 standout could probably play with most teams around the country.
Big drop offin talent level
Roberts and Davis are also Division I players, but after those three the drop off in talent level is a big one.
Being undersized is one thing, but being undersized and not being able to do anything about it is another.
The Penguins' 6-6 junior forward John Barber has great leaping ability and can play with most bigger opponents, but you never now when he's going to play and when he's not.
Sophomore Jack Liles, a 6-8 forward-center, is probably the next best big man the Penguins have, but although talented he hasn't been able to be any sort of threat inside thus far in his career.
Slocum brought in 6-8 junior transfer Chris Booth, 6-8 junior Greg Mayes and 6-7 freshmen Alek Mrozik, but none of the three have been of any help inside.
Junior Colin LaForme, a 6-10 center who had helped out a little left the team earlier this month.
Tough playingmostly road games
Add all the above to the fact that the Penguins will have played 10 of their first 13 games on the road and you don't have to wonder why their record is 4-7 going into Tuesday night's game at James Madison.
The Penguins were averaging 67.7 points a game going into the Robert Morris contest and Humphrey, Roberts and Davis have accounted for nearly 43 of those points.
Which brings up the question that is floating around the minds of the YSU faithful fans, "what happens next year when Humphrey and Roberts graduate."
Humphrey, Roberts and Davis are averaging well over 30 minutes of playing time a game, which doesn't leave much time for backups sophomore Mikko Niemi and junior transfer George Cotal, who average a combined 4.5 points a game.
Slocum is going to need one heck of a recruiting year for the Penguins to be competitive next season.
Then there is the women's team, which is 1-7 and has fans wondering just when or if they will win again this season.
They play host to Robert Morris tonight and then they play against Division II Clarion also at home before they go full tilt into the Horizon League schedule which will be no picnic for the Penguins.
Without a senior on the team, fourth-year coach Tisha Hill is still trying to find a winning combination to put on the floor.
The Penguins' only win was against a poor Buffalo team at Beeghly Center, but they've lost five straight since then, but they also have played five of their eight games on the road.
The Penguins had only one real returning starter from a year ago in 6-3 junior Jessica Schloemp, while junior Lauren Branson is back at point guard after missing most of last season with an knee injury.
Sophomore guard Monique Godfrey has shown signs of the ability she learned playing at South Euclid Regina High and 6-4 freshman Anjalia Lyons from Cleveland Central Catholic has been getting better every game.
But the Penguins have had too many poor shooting games or too many turnovers that resulted in losses.
Pete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com, and read his blogs at vindy.com.