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Shooting woes hamper women
By Jon Moffett
Photo
COLLISION COURSE: YSU’s Rachael Manuel (15) collides with Wright State’s Erica Richardson (25) during a rebounding attempt during the second half of Thursday’s game at Beeghly Center. The Penguins lost 57-38.
YOUNGSTOWN — For the first time in a long time, the Youngstown State women’s basketball team had the numbers advantage on the court.
Unfortunately for the Penguins, that figure wasn’t the final score.
The women’s team kicked off Thursday’s doubleheader at the Beeghly Center with a 57-38 loss to Wright State. The loss extended the Penguins’ (0-26, 0-15 Horizon League) losing streak at 27 games dating to last season.
“I thought we actually played really, really well tonight,” YSU coach Cindy Martin said. “I thought that we missed too many shots, we missed a few boards and we turned the ball over a few too many times.”
The Raiders (10-16, 6-10 Horizon League) dressed only seven players, one fewer than the Penguins. YSU had its full compliment of players, but because of season-ending injuries earlier in the season, that consists of just eight.
Wright State also lost a player to fouls late in the second half. Sophomore Molly Fox was called for an offensive foul with 5:47 left in the game, leaving the Raiders with only six healthy bodies — which were further limited by a bloody nose to senior Kanisha Ward — to finish the game.
YSU shot itself in the foot early and was not able to recover.
As a team, the Penguins had 19 turnovers, including 13 in the first half.
“This game was very difficult because we feel like [Wright State] didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves,” said sophomore guard Kenya Middlebrooks, who fell one rebound short of her first career double-double. “We missed a lot of layups and missed some free throws. I mean, this is a game we had in our hands, was in our control and we kind of beat ourselves.”
Wright State had 14 turnovers, but the biggest difference was those gaffes led to only one YSU point. The Raiders scored 21 points off Penguin turnovers.
Martin agreed with Middlebrooks.
“I think we beat ourselves a little bit tonight, just not executing things perfectly,” she said. “I think Wright State executed their stuff, and, no discredit to Wright State, I thought we did a good job defensively tonight, we just couldn’t find a way to put the ball in the basket.”
Offensively, the Penguins struggled to find any momentum.
YSU shot 29 percent from the field and only 24 percent in the second half. YSU missed five shots, including two wide open layups, in the game’s final five minutes.
When asked if it was more disappointing to a lose to a team the Penguins outmanned, Martin said the roster figures had to be taken with a grain of salt.
“We don’t outnumber anybody,” she said. “I mean, technically, they had seven girls and technically we had eight, but they had three post players and we only had two ... I thought it was a pretty even matchup tonight.”
Four Raiders to score in the double-figures and another pulled down 10 rebounds.
LaShawna Thomas and Maria Bennett each had 12 points. Fox and Erica Richardson each added 10 points, and Ta-myra Davis grabbed 10 rebounds (seven on defense) and scored six points.
The Penguins were led by Middlebrooks, both in scoring and on the glass. She tied the two Raiders with a game-high 12 points and added nine rebounds. Junior guard Bojana Dimitrov had nine points and added four rebounds.
The Penguins have three regular season games remaining, and will close out their home campaign Saturday. The women will play the second game, with tip-off scheduled for 4:35 p.m. Seniors for both teams will be recognized during those games.
jmoffett@vindy.com