YSU BASKETBALL Today’s games

MEN

Who: YSU (4-7, 0-1) vs. Illinois-Chicago (8-5, 2-0)
When: 7:35 p.m.
Where: Beeghly Center
Radio/TV: WKBN-AM (570); WYFX-FOX 17/62 (tape delayed)
Coaches: YSU’s Jerry Slocum (Kings College, N.Y.) is 25-45 in his third season with the Penguins; Jimmy Collins (New Mexico State) is 184-161 in his 12th season with the Flames.
YSU starters: Byron Davis, 6-2 senior guard (14.6 points per game, 2.1 rebounds); John Barber, 6-7 senior forward (12.6 ppg., 6.0); Vance Cooksey, 6-0, redshirt freshman guard (8.0 ppg., 3.1); Jack Liles, 6-7, junior forward (11.5 ppg., 5.5); Vytas Sulskis, 6-7 freshman guard (6.5. ppg, 3.5).
Illinois Chicago starters: Josh Mayo, 5-11 junior (18.5 ppg. 2.6); Scott VanderMeer, 9.2 ppg. 5.8); Robert Kreps, 6-0 freshman (10.2 ppg. 2.3); Robert Bush, 6-4 senior (6.3 ppg. 2.4); Jermaine Dailey, 6-7 senior (5.4 ppg. 3.6).
Notebook: The Penguins snapped a five-game losing streak last Saturday with a 77-63 victory over Slippery Rock at Beeghly Center. The Penguins are 2-2 at Beeghly. YSU is 0-1 in the Horizon League losing to Cleveland State 77-54 back on Dec. 8 in Cleveland. The Penguins are averaging 65.8 points per game and are shooting at a 41.4 percent clip from the field, 35.2 percent from 3-point range. UIC is coming off a 79-73 loss at Akron a week ago. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Flames, who are also 2-0 in Horizon League play with wins over UW-Milwaukee 91-73 and UW-Green Bay 76-67, both at the UIC Pavilion. The Flames are averaging 72.8 points a game and shooting at a 48 percent clip from the field, 45 percent from 3-point range.
Series: This will be the 13th meeting in the series and YSU posted its first-ever victory against the Flames last year 92-87 at Beeghly Center. UIC had won 11 straight including an 80-64 win in Chicago in the first meeting last season.
Next up: The Penguins will continue at home on Saturday afternoon when they play host to Loyola in a 1:05 tip off at Beeghly Center. The game will be the first half of a doubleheader with the YSU women and Loyola meeting in the second game at 3 p.m.

WOMEN

Who: YSU (5-6, 0-0) vs. Illinois-Chicago (4-7, 0-0)
When: Today, 5:15 p.m.
Where: Beeghly Center
Radio/TV: WKBN-AM (570); WYFX-FOX 17/62 (tape delayed)
Coaches: Tisha Hill (Indiana) is 36-87 in her fifth season with the Penguins. Lisa Ryckbosch (Loyola) is 82-67 in her sixth season with the Flames.
YSU starters: Jessica Schloemp, 6-3 senior (6.9 points per game, 7.3 rebounds); Tiara Scott, 6-0 junior (9.6 ppg, 6.3); Lauren Branson, 5-6 senior (4.8 ppg, 2.5); Kelsey Gurganus, 5-10 junior (7.7 ppg, 3.3); Heather Karner, 5-10 senior (13.1 ppg, 4.4).
Illinois-Chicago starters: Ashley Hluska, 6-1 junior (5.8 ppg. 3.5); Cassie Johnson, 6-2 sophomore (3.5 ppg. 4.1); Ashley Tomzik, 5-8 freshman (5.2 ppg. 1.1); Briana Hinkle, 5-7 sophomore (10.5 ppg. 3.4); Jessica Miller, 5-8 sophomore (13.6 ppg. 4.4).
Notebook: Youngstown State played its best game of the year in its last outing, but that was 13 days ago when the Penguins totally dismantled Akron 74-56, behind a 25 point and 21 rebound effort from junior Tiara Scott, both career highs. Senior Heather Karner added 24 points in the game, 17 in the first half. The Penguins are averaging just 58.3 points a game, while allowing 65 points a game. They have been shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from 3 point range. UIC snapped a five-game losing streak in its last outing a 70-65 win over Bucknell at home where it is 4-0. But the Flames have yet to win on the road this season. They average just 54.4 points a game, while allowing 64.6. They are shooting 35.6 percent from the field, 24.4 from behind the arc.
Series: The Penguins trail in the overall series with UIC, 10-6 and had lost eight straight to the Flames before winning 67-62 in Chicago last season. The Flames came back and won at YSU 71-63. YSU’s last win at home against the Flames came in the 2001-02 season when they posted a 77-62 victory.

Pete Mollica