Penguins’ hot shooting topples Green Bay, 76-73

YSU made 11 3-point goals and shot 55 percent to beat the Phoenix.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — When Youngstown State shoots the ball well from the field it can play with just about anybody. When the Penguins shoot 3-pointers like they did Wednesday night they would probably beat anybody.

The Penguins (9-18, 5-12 Horizon League) shot 62 percent from 3-point range (11-of-17) and along with some sound defense defeated Wisconsin-Green Bay 76-73 at Beeghly Center.

YSU won in spite of a horrible night at the free throw line, where the Penguins were just 11-of-23.

“We can certainly make things interesting,” said YSU coach Jerry Slocum. “Although Green Bay shot the ball very well also, I thought our defense did an exceptionally good job.

“These kids gave us everything they had tonight and that’s all that I can expect from them,” Slocum added. “It was a team effort and it had to be for us to win.”

The Penguins shot 55 percent overall (27-of-49) for the game, including 62 percent in the second half (13-of-21). After the intermission they were 7-for-8 on 3s.

Senior Byron Davis led the Penguins with 23 points, including three 3-pointers, while freshman Vytas Sulskis finished with 20 points and was 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Senior John Barber added 19 points and two long shots.

Sulskis had all 20 of hits points in the first half as he ran into foul trouble in the second half before fouling out with over two minutes remaining. Barber and Davis combined for 31 second-half points.

“Vytas really carried us in the first half,” said Slocum, “but he picked up two quick fouls in the second half and then started playing like a freshman and got his fourth in a minute and came back and picked up his fifth in 30 seconds.

“But the seniors came through,” he added. “We talked about it at halftime and said that we didn’t need one player scoring 30 points, but we needed a team effort and that’s what we got the second half.”

Sulskis was in a zone early in the contest as he connected on his first six shots — four of them 3-pointers — and scored 18 points in the first 10 minutes.

But even with his hot hand the Penguins just barely hung onto the lead as the Phoenix (13-13, 7-9) matched them shot for shot and even held a 20-19 lead for a short span in the half.

After YSU took over the lead and built a 35-29 edge, the Phoenix came back and regained the lead at the intermission, 38-37.

Green Bay came out and expanded its lead to 47-41 early in the second half, but then the Penguins started flinging 3-pointers again. Barber and Davis each had two in a 12-2 run that pulled the Penguins ahead 54-49 with 12:18 remaining.

But Green Bay came back again and when Ryan Tillema made three straight free throws with 5:09 remaining the Phoenix had the lead, 64-63.

YSU quickly regained the lead on two free throws by Jack Liles, then Barber added two quick buckets for a 69-66 lead. Davis had two more baskets to put the Penguins up 76-70 with 40 seconds remaining, but Tillema made a 3-pointer with 32.9 seconds to go.

Liles missed an opportunity to put the game away with a wide open break, but lost control of the ball and then senior Dwight Holmes had another chance to ice the game, but missed two free throws with 3.4 seconds left. However Tillema was unable to get off a final shot before the buzzer.

The Penguins travel to Buffalo Saturday as part of the ESPNU Bracket Buster event. Tip off is scheduled for 4 p.m.

mollica@vindy.com