Penguins get bulled over in Buffalo, 92-38

YSU’s worst defeat was by 57 points at Pittsburgh last season.

BUFFALO — Buffalo made 10 of its first 12 shots from the field in the second half and went on to defeat Youngstown State, 92-38, in a women’s non-conference basketball game on Sunday.

The Bulls (2-7) already led 47-18 at halftime and their hot shooting at the outset of the second period propelled them to a 72-22 lead with 13 minutes, 24 seconds remaining in the game.

The Penguins (0-9) eventually trailed by 55 points and the deficit equaled the second-worst defeat in YSU history.

Milwaukee defeated the Penguins 100-46 on Feb. 2, 2002. The program’s worst defeat was by 57 points (99-42) at Pittsburgh on Nov. 29 of last season.

The 38-point output by the Penguins also matched the five-lowest single game total in school history.

YSU has been held to under 40 points in two of their last three games.

Youngstown State’s Bojana Dimitrov scored 13 points in her return from a two-game absence, and Rachael Manuel added 10 points for the Penguins, who were outrebounded 51-23.

Brittany Hedderson scored a career-high 25 points and was 9-for-13 from the floor to lead Buffalo.

YSU missed its first four shots of the game and started 2-for-9 as Buffalo built a 15-4 lead with 14:38 remaining.

Kenya Middlebrooks’ jumper cut the score to 15-6 on the Penguins’ next possession, but Buffalo scored 12 of the next 15 points to go up 27-9.

Nytor Longar hit back-to-back buckets to give the Bulls their 27-9 lead with 9:14 left, then Dimitrov scored the next five points to make the score 27-14 with 8:03 remaining. The Penguins, though, did not make another field goal until Manuel’s bucket with 48 seconds remaining. By then, Buffalo had taken its largest advantage of the half at 47-16.

The Bulls shot 52.9 percent (37 of 70) while YSU shot 25 percent (12 of 48).

Buffalo also held a 50-10 edge in points in the paint and 39-11 in points off turnovers.

The Penguins will conclude a three-game road trip on Thursday at Saint Francis (Pa.). Tipoff in Loretto, Pa., is set for 7 p.m.