Turnover troubles doom Penguins

Horizon League leader UW-Green Bay routed YSU, 75-47.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State women’s basketball team is reverting back to old habits.

Unfortunately, they aren’t good ones.

The Penguins shot just 30 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers in falling 75-47 to Horizon League leader UW-Green Bay Thursday at Beeghly Center.

The Penguins (10-11, 5-5 Horizon) hit on 16 of 52 shots from the field and 2-of-21 from 3-point range. They were outrebounded 39-29 as they suffered their second-straight loss and their first at home in the conference.

“I’m very disappointed in our play tonight,” YSU coach Tisha Hill said. “We had plenty of good shots but made very few and these lapses just can’t continue if we are to get back in this race.”

The Penguins did not have a player in double figures. They were led by junior Velissa Vaughn and junior Ashley Pendleton with eight points each.

The Penguins got almost as many points off the bench as they did from their starters against the Phoenix.

Green Bay (17-4, 9-1) finished with four players in double figures led by Rachel Porath with 18 points, while Erin Templin finished with 12, Lavesa Glover 11 and Kayla Groh 10.

The Phoenix, who swept the series against the Penguins, shot 50.9 percent from the field and made 14 of 18 free throws, including their first 13.

The Penguins led only once in the game when junior Tiara Scott made two free throws to open the contest. The Phoenix took over and never trailed again.

YSU was behind by as many as 14 points in the first half, but it was the first five minutes of the second half where Green Bay pulled away.

The Penguins came out and missed their first four shots, then committed four turnovers in their next six trips up the court. Green Bay opened with a 15-4 run and led 52-27 with 11:44 remaining.

The Phoenix opened up a 31-point lead, 64-33, with 8:10 left and the Penguins were never in the game again.

Pendleton, who scored six of her eight points in a one-minute span of the second half, brought the Penguins back to within 23 points 66-43, but that’s as close as the Penguins would get.

The first half was typical Green Bay style as the Phoenix used strong defense and quickness to build a 37-23 halftime advantage.

The Penguins didn’t help matters, shooting 23.1 percent from the field, committing 12 turnovers and losing the battle on the boards (19-16).

The Phoenix outscored YSU 18-6 in the paint in the half, 15-6 off turnovers and 8-0 in fast breaks. Green Bay had eight steals in the first 20 minutes.

The Penguins will be at home Saturday when they play host to UW-Milwaukee in a 4:35 p.m. tipoff at Beeghly Center.

mollica@vindy.com