Barber’s 22 points lead YSU win

VINDICATOR STAFF/WIRE REPORTS

DETROIT — Senior John Barber, a Detroit native, scored 22 points Saturday and Youngstown State snapped a two-game skid with its first win ever at Calihan Hall, 70-66.

The Penguins (7-9, 3-3 Horizon League) led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but an 8-0 Detroit run cut the lead to 67-64 with 28 seconds to play.

Youngstown State’s Vance Cooksey made a pair of free throws seven seconds later to end the threat.

The Penguins had never won in Detroit in 10 previous games and it was only the school’s fourth victory all-time against the Titans.

“Anytime you can come into this place and win it’s a good win,” YSU head coach Jerry Slocum said. “I don’t care what their record is, they are always tough to beat here.”

Freshman Vytas Sulskis had 18 points and eight rebounds and Byron Davis added 17 points and eight assists for the Penguins, who were 8-for-14 from behind the arc in the first half and led 40-33 at intermission.

The Penguins went more than five minutes without scoring to start the second half, while the Titans reeled off 12 unanswered points to regain the lead 45-40. But then the Penguins settled down, scored the next nine points and took the lead for keeps.

“There is a big difference in this ball team when Vytas Sulskis is out there scoring points like he did today,” Slocum said. “It was also a great effort by the two Detroit boys, Barber and Byron Davis.”

Jon Goode scored his 1,000th career point early in the game and finished with 21 for the Titans (4-12, 0-6), who lost their 10th straight. Detroit’s six-game home losing streak tied the 1947-48 team for the worst in school history.

Detroit’s Eulis Stephens added 16 points.

The Penguins will return home to play on Thursday when they play host to Valparaiso in a 7:35 tip-off at Beeghly Center. The game will be part of a doubleheader with the YSU women meeting Wright State in the opening game at 5:15.