YSU’s women go from win to loss

After big scoring Thursday, the Penguins went cold at Butler, 63-48.

VINDICATOR/WIRE REPORT

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Two nights after scoring a season-high 92 points and shooting the ball very well, Youngstown State’s women’s basketball team didn’t come close to those statistics Saturday.

The Penguins, who led only once in the game (early in the first half), suffered a 63-48 Horizon League loss to Butler at Hinkle Field House.

YSU (10-10, 5-4 Horizon League) trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half, and finished the game shooting 32 percent (19-for-54) and were just 4-for-14 from 3-point range after making 14 3-pointers against Valparaiso Thursday night. The Penguins shot just 25 percent in the opening half.

“It was very disappointing, especially since we didn’t carry over anything that worked well for us against Valparaiso,” said YSU coach Tisha Hill. “We had wide-open looks at the basket and didn’t make them. You can afford to have those lapses when you are playing on the road.”

Junior Tiara Scott led the Penguins with 17 points and eight rebounds. Junior Velissa Vaughn added 13 points. The 48 points was the second-lowest by the Penguins this season. They scored 45 points in a loss to Miami in December.

The Penguins were outscored in the paint 42-28 by the Bulldogs (14-6, 4-5), who were led by Lade Akande with 18 points and Susan Lester with 13 points. Lester also had 11 rebounds and Akande had nine.

YSU led 5-0 before Butler rallied, taking the lead for good at 10-8 with 11:36 remaining in the opening half.

The Penguins trailed 12-10 with 10:40 remaining, then went over seven minutes without scoring as the Bulldogs took a 20-10 lead. YSU trailed 26-19 at halftime.

The Penguins, who trailed by 13 points early in the second half, cut the Butler lead to five points (32-27), but never got closer. The Bulldogs quickly built the lead to 18 points (51-33) with 10 minutes remaining and the Penguins didn’t get the margin under double figures the rest of the way.

YSU committed 21 turnovers in the contest, which Butler turned into 20 points. YSU was out-rebounded 44-43.

The Penguins return to Beeghly Center Thursday night when they play host to UW-Green Bay at 5:15 p.m. Green Bay, which leads the Horizon League, defeated the Penguins 85-80 in Green Bay Jan. 12.