YSU's Brandi Brown enjoys new system
YSU's Brandi Brown and IPFW's Stephanie Rosado go for the ball during Saturday action at YSU.
GAME TIME
Who: Bucknell Bison (1-2) vs. Youngstown State Penguins (0-3)
Where: Beeghly Center
When: Wednesday, 5:15 p.m.
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
After spending last season as a 5-foot-11, back-to-the-basket freshman post player, one of the biggest questions surrounding Brandi Brown in the offseason was where she was going to play as a sophomore.
Problem was, the question wasn’t about her position on the court.
“I think that people talked about me leaving more than I actually thought about myself leaving,” said Brown.
Maybe, but it’s hard to blame fans for asking.
Brown was coming off a freshman season in which she was forced to play 32 minutes a game for an 0-30 team equally lacking in depth and talent. When coach Cindy Martin resigned after the season, most people figured the California native would leave too.
Fortunately for YSU — and Martin’s successor, Bob Boldon — it didn’t happen.
“Her leaving, really all that stuff was before I ever got here,” said Boldon. “In my conversations with Brandi, it was never about her leaving or coming back, just her coming back.”
A preseason second-team all-conference player, Brown is averaging 20.3 points per game for the Penguins (0-3), including a career-high 29-point effort in Saturday’s loss to IPFW.
She’s also playing a more reasonable 27 minutes per game, allowing her to improve on her field goal and free throw shooting percentages from last season.
But the biggest change this season has been with her style of play. Per Boldon’s request, she’s transitioned from a back-to-the-basket player to one that faces the basket and looks to drive.
“She’s been very open, very easy to coach,” Boldon said. “A new coach came in and said, ‘You’re going to play facing the basket’ and there was really zero resistance. It was just, ‘OK, Coach. Whatever you want me to do.’”
Brown leads the Horizon League in scoring — Loyola’s Ellen Ayoub is second with 17.7 per game — so, clearly, it’s been a smooth transition.
“She’s turned into our best driver,” Boldon said. “To see that sort of improvement from a ball handling perspective and understanding the game and being able to find driving lanes, it’s just ...”
At that, Boldon paused.
“We have kids who spent their whole lives as drivers and can’t figure out how to get to the rim,” he said. “For her to do it in essentially two months, that’s fantastic.”
Brown’s play has been a positive in a team looking for some. The Penguins have lost 34 straight — by far the longest streak in school history. (They have a ways to go before they match the NCAA women’s record of 58 straight, set by Long Island from 1987-89.)
On the plus side, they have a decent chance of ending the streak tonight against Bucknell (1-2). If they do, it’s a pretty safe bet Brown — and her decision to stay — will be the biggest reason.
“I’ve built lots of relationships here I know I won’t be able to build anywhere else,” she said. “I’m happy with my teammates and I’m happy with the coaching.
“I’m blessed to be here.”