YSU's slow start is costly

The Penguins trailed by 20 at halftime in a 12-point loss at Loyola of Chicago.
VINDICATOR STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
CHICAGO -- Blake Schilb scored a game-high 32 points Monday night to lead Loyola of Chicago to an 80-68 victory over Youngstown State.
The Ramblers (14-9, 5-5 Horizon) held a 44-24 halftime lead after shooting better than 62 percent from the floor, while Youngstown State hit only 10 of their 33 shots.
Loyola used a 7-0 run midway through the first half to take a 26-15 lead, then a 10-0 rally to make it 38-21.
"We can't give away games in the first half," Youngstown State coach Jerry Slocum said. "It's the same old story. It's hard to dig yourself a hole so far in the first half that you can't come back."
The Penguins (9-13, 4-6) improved their shooting in the second half, outscoring Loyola 44-36. But their first-half offensive woes allowed the Ramblers to control the entire game. Youngstown State never held the lead, nor was the game ever tied.
24-point deficit
Youngstown State got to within 16 points early in the second half, trailing 53-37, but the Ramblers scored the next six points for a 59-37 advantage and led by as many as 24 points, 63-39.
"I thought we played really hard in the second half," Slocum said. "We showed some character, we made some shots. In the first half, though, I attempted everything, but nothing worked. It's become too much of a pattern."
With 19 points, Jajak Kou was the only other Loyola player in double figures . The Ramblers ended a two-game losing streak.
Quin Humphrey led the Penguins with 23 points. Keston Roberts scored 18 points and Jack Liles added 12. Youngstown State has lost two games in a row and three of its last four.
Cold outside
Youngstown State finished 26-of-70 from the field (37.1 percent), but was just 5-for-21 on 3-pointers. The Penguins committed just 10 turnovers but were outrebounded, 39-38.
The Ramblers shot 52.5 percent for the game (31-of-59), including 6-of-14 on 3-pointers.
Slocum said Schilb is a tough player to defend "because of his size. You have to put a guard on him because he can shoot from the perimeter but then he can post you up.
"We didn't play good basketball all the way around," Slocum said. "We didn't defend their stars the way we should have. It's the first time in a long time that another team's top player has hurt us."
The Penguins return to Beeghly Center on Wednesday where they will play host to 13th-ranked Butler at 7:05 p.m.