Youngstown State men’s basketball team season ends with 81-67 loss

STAFF REPORT

GREEN BAY, Wis.

Youngstown State, the 10th seed in the Horizon League tournament, had its season end with an 81-67 loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay in a first-round game on Tuesday night.

The Penguins’ season ends with a disappointing 8-22 record.

Youngstown State lost its last 10 games of the season and 14 of its last 15.

Youngstown State trailed 36-28 at halftime after the Penguins closed to within two points, 30-28.

The Penguins got to within two points (48-46), and had the ball with about 12 minutes to go, but Green Bay scored 10 straight ponts to take command.

Green Bay’s Seth Evans and Rahmon Fletcher hit a pair of 3-pointers after that and the Phoenix took their largest lead of the opening 20 minutes into the locker room.

DeAndre Mays led the Penguins in the first half, scoring six points. But YSU was cold from the field, shooting just 35.5 percent (11 of 31). The Penguins were only 1 of 7 on 3-pointers and just 5 of 10 at the foul line.

Youngstown State did hold a 20-17 edge in rebounds in the opening 20 minutes, but committed six turnovers to four for Green Bay.

Fletcher scored 11 points in the first half, and Green Bay shot 48 percent (12 of 25) from the field. The Phoenix were 3 of 10 on 3-pointers and 9 of 11 at the foul line.

The Penguins were 0-17 this season when trailing at halftime.