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Last second shot downs Penguins
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Youngstown State’s Kendrick Perry (3) tries to get around Robert Morris defenders Lucky Jones (22) and Russell Johnson during their non-conference basketball game Thursday at YSU’s Beeghly Center. Perry had ateam-high 18 points for the Penguins, who fell to the Colonials, 59-56.
Youngstown
All the Penguins down at the Beeghly Center liked upsets a lot.
But the Colonials of Robert Morris did not.
The Colonials loved their winning streak of six games against Youngstown State.
And they extended it by escaping with a 59-56 win.
The Penguins did hold a seven-point lead with four minutes remaining and held the ball with 17 ticks left on the clock with it tied at 56. A poor pass by Kendrick Perry went out of bounds and RMU took possession with eight seconds left.
During a time out, whatever Colonials second-year coach Andrew Toole drew up worked — flawlessly.
Velton Jones took an in bounds pass driving to the paint. A host of Penguins keyed on him as Coron Williams sneaked almost Grinch-like along the baseline before popping out at the top of the key wide open. Jones kicked it out to Williams who nailed the decisive 3-pointer over the reach of a late-arriving Ashen Ward as time expired.
“I don’t know,” YSU coach Jerry Slocum said. “How he got that wide open after we just talked about the play — we’ll have to go back and look at it.”
The final play spoiled the Penguins’ effort where they led for most of the contest. Perry netted a game high 18 points and DuShawn Brooks followed right behind with 16. In the first half, YSU was 7-of-14 from behind the arc and Perry and Blake Allen each drained four 3-pointers.
However, the game was won on the glass.
The Colonials (10-3) out-rebounded the Penguins 43-28 and scored 22 points in the paint compared to just 10 from YSU. Also, the hot-hands of the home team faded down the stretch as the Penguins shot just 28 percent in the second half.
“You’re not going to shoot 28 percent in the second half and win basketball games against good teams,” Slocum said. “I’m very disappointed in the outcome.”
Slocum was, however, pleased with his team for keeping it so close and hanging tough with a team that beat them by 30 a year before. This was also the Penguins’ (6-6) first home game in 17 days. Since that 69-35 win over Fredonia State, YSU has lost three straight — all on the road.
“I’m very respectful for what our kids have gone through this semester,” said the seventh-year coach. “With so many road games to come back and give that kind of an effort against a good team.”
With six minutes, 34 seconds left, YSU went on a 6-0 run. It was Williams that halted the streak with a 3-pointer and two free throws by Anthony Myers made it 55-53, with the Penguins still leading. Ashen Ward made one of two free throws stemming from an off-ball foul on RMU, but Myers drilled a 3 from the right wing tying it up before Williams’ winning attempt.
Jones and Williams had 15 and 14 points, respectively, as it was the Colonials who wound up carving the roast beast.