YSU PREVIEW Basketball

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Who: YSU (7-19, 4-11) vs. Loyola (16-10, 7-8)When: Today, 7:05 p.m.Where: Beeghly Center.Radio/TV: WNIO-AM (1390); WYFX (17/62), midnight (tape delay)Coaches: Jerry Slocum (7-19) is in his first season at YSU and his 31st season (587-341) overall; Jim Whitesell (29-27) is in his second season with the Ramblers.Series: YSU holds a 7-5 advantage including an 84-76 win on Jan. 2 in Chicago. Last season, the teams split in regular season with YSU winning at home, 76-68, and losing at Loyola, 71-50. The Ramblers also defeated the Penguins in the first round of the Horizon League tournament, 79-75.YSU starters: Quin Humphrey, 6-foot-4 junior guard (19 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists); Keston Roberts, 6-4 junior guard (14.7, 2.9, 1.9); Derrick Harris, 6-2, senior guard (8.6, 3.6, 5.5); Domonique Crawford, 6-4 senior guard (9.5, 3.3, 2.3); Jack Liles, 6-8 freshman forward, (3.4, 2.6, 1.5)Loyola starters: Blake Schilb, 6-7, junior guard (18.8 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 3.9 assists per game); Majak Kou, 6-5 junior guard (13.5, 4.5, 1.8); J.R. Blount, 6-1 freshman guard (11.1, 2.8, 2.3); Leon Young, 6-6 freshman forward (10.3, 7.5, 0.3); Tom Levin, 6-8 sophomore forward (3.6, 3.3, 1)Game notes: The Penguins have lost seven straight games, the latest a 72-64 contest at Butler Wednesday. The Penguins trailed by 21 points midway in the second half, but battled back to get to within two points before falling. Humphrey had 29 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year. The Penguins are in ninth place in the Horizon League and can get no higher than eighth with a win and a Cleveland State loss. Loyola comes in on a two-game winning streak. The Ramblers beat Fairfield in an ESPN Bracket Buster game, 73-70, and Wright State, 76-62. The Ramblers are 4-7 on the road this season.Next up: The Penguins will await their seeding for the Horizon League tournament, which begins Tuesday. The Penguins will be on the road, probably at UW-Green Bay or Detroit.
Pete Mollica