Cold-shooting YSU routed

Staff report

INDIANAPOLIS — The Youngstown State women’s basketball team got off to a slow start and Butler was hot the entire night as the Penguins remained winless with an 82-36 defeat at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Thursday night.

YSU (0-23, 0-12 Horizon League) freshman Brandi Brown notched her 11th double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Penguins have lost 42 of their last 43 games, dating to last season, and have lost 28 consecutive road games.

Butler’s (15-7, 8-3) Melanie Thornton also recorded a double-double with a game-high 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Rachael Manuel added eight points on 4-for-9 shooting, and Macey Nortey had six assists for the Penguins.

The Bulldogs also got 16 points from Chloe Hamilton and 10 from freshman Claire Freeman as they won for the sixth time in seven games.

YSU was outshot 53.3 percent to 26.3 percent, and Bulldogs were 6-for-13 from 3-point range despite missing its final six attempts from behind the arc. Butler outscored YSU 46-18 in the paint and 23-6 off turnovers, although YSU committed just 15 miscues.

The Penguins hit five field goals in the first 4:06 of the second half after having just six in the first 20 minutes. YSU, though, had one field goal in the final 8:18 of the second half after playing the first 12 minutes relatively even with the Bulldogs.

Youngstown State struggled in the first half as it shot 20.7 percent to Butler’s 55.9 percent. The Penguins went scoreless for six minutes twice in the period.