YSU hoops schedule has a road trip to NC State

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State’s men’s basketball team will play four of its first five games at home in 2010-11, and has a road game at North Carolina State.

The schedule was released on Tuesday.

The Penguins also will play four Mid-American Conference teams in the non-conference, playing host to Buffalo on Nov. 16, then traveling to Akron four days later. YSU then plays host to Toledo on Nov. 24 and visits Kent State on Dec. 21.

Youngstown State finished 8-22 overall and 2-16 in the Horizon League last season, Jerry Slocum’s fifth at the school.

Slocum is 49-93 at YSU.

The season is scheduled to begin on Nov. 12 with a non-league game against Samford.

The teams have played only once before, a YSU victory in the 1974-75 season.

YSU’s most common opponent all-time is Akron. The teams have played 85 times, with the Zips holding a 54-31 series lead.

The teams didn’t play last season.

The Penguins have played Kent State 43 times, with the Golden Flashes holding a 26-17 series lead.

Last season Kent State defeated YSU 70-61 on Nov. 17 at Beeghly Center.

After the early-season flurry of home games, the Penguins go on the road for three straight contests, including their Horizon League openers at Milwaukee on Dec. 2 and Green Bay on Dec. 4.

Youngstown State also visits back-to-back NCAA tournament participant Robert Morris, coached by Mike Rice Jr., a Boardman native whose father coached the Penguins from 1983-87.

The game on Dec. 16 at North Carolina State will be YSU’s fourth against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, and the first since a 73-49 loss at Maryland in the 2008-09 season.

The Penguins have also played Clemson and Georgia Tech. YSU also played current AAC member Boston College when the Eagles were in the Big East.

Youngstown has only two games at Beeghly Center in December — a non-conference game against Malone on Dec. 13, and the Horizon League home-opener against UIC on Dec. 30.

The Penguins also play host to Loyola on New Year’s Day in a scheduled 1:05 p.m. tipoff.

The 2011 portion of the schedule will feature 17 games, all but two against Horizon League opponents.

Youngstown State will play host to Wilberforce on Jan. 11, and participate in the Bracket Buster Game on Feb. 19, which will be played at Beeghly Center.

The Horizon League tournament begins March 1, with the championship game to be televised on ESPN on March 8.