Turnovers plague Penguins

YSU had two turnovers in the final 13 seconds of a 57-52 loss to Wright State.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Unless the Youngstown State women's basketball team can find a way to start putting the ball in the basket more frequently and make far fewer turnovers, it is going to continue to be a long year for the Penguins.
Thursday night in their Horizon League opener, the Penguins shot just 34 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers in a 57-52 loss to Wright State at Beeghly Center.
The Penguins (2-9, 0-1 Horizon) trailed only 54-52 with 12.7 seconds remaining, but committed two turnovers in those final seconds and allowed the Raiders (3-9, 1-0) to put the victory away.
"If we were averaging 70 points a game you could live with the turnovers, but we're struggling to score every game," said YSU coach Tisha Hill. "We've got to find a way to put the ball in the hole."
"This is Horizon League games now, it matters and this was disappointing because this was a game we should have won," Hill added.
"When you hold a team to 55 or 57 points in a game you think that you should be in good shape for a win, but not the way we are scoring points," she said.
"We just can't afford to turn the ball over 20 times and expect to win in the league," Hill said. "We've got to shake it off and get ready for Butler on Saturday."
Scoring leaders
The Penguins finished with three players in double figures, led by junior Heather Karner with 14 points, while sophomores Velissa Vaughn and Monique Godfrey added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The thorn in the Penguins' side for most of the contest was Wright State senior Brittney Whiteside, who led all scorers with 19 points and also completed a double-double with 15 rebounds.
The Raiders outrebounded the Penguins 42-38 despite a definite height advantage by YSU.
The Raiders did not have a starter over 5-foot-11 and Whiteside is just 5-8.
The Penguins were never really out of the game, although they trailed more than they led.
Wright State's biggest lead was nine points and that came near the end of the first half, 25-16, when Steph Comisar hit a 3-point goal.
YSU came back to within two points, 28-26, but trailed 30-26 at halftime.
The Penguins tied the contest early in the second half on a basket by Karner and led twice, 32-30 and 36-35, before the Raiders, on a 3-point shot by Tyanda Hammock, put them back on top for good, 38-36.
The Raiders pulled to an eight-point margin (47-39) on another 3-pointer by Comisar before the Penguins began to rally.
Comeback
Godfrey sparked the comeback with a pair of baskets, one a 3-point shot, to cut the lead to two points (50-48), but Sierra Crayton came back with two straight baskets to put the Raiders up 54-48 with 3:23 remaining.
Godfrey's second 3-pointer narrowed the lead to 54-51 and then Lauren Branson was fouled with 2:13 remaining and made one of two shots for a 54-52 margin.
Then the game got sloppy with turnovers on both sides.
YSU had the ball and Godfrey drove for the hoop but couldn't get off a shot and Hammock recovered the loose ball and the Raiders called time-out with 12.7 seconds left.
Comisar was fouled on the inbounds pass and made one of two free throws. Her second bounded loose and the Penguins were awarded the ball with 5.6 seconds remaining.
But YSU's Kira Mowen's inbounds pass was intercepted by Comisar, who was fouled with 3.6 seconds left and made both shots to end the Penguins' hopes.
YSU returns to action Saturday, playing host to Butler in another Horizon League game at 2:05 p.m. at Beeghly Center. The game is the first of a doubleheader as the YSU men will play Loyola in the second game at 4:25 p.m.
mollica@vindy.com