YSU bucks trend, wins on the road

Staff report

Valparaiso, Ind.

It may have taken a little while, but first-year head coach Bob Boldon and the Youngstown State women’s basketball team got their first win of 2011.

The Penguins snapped a 10-game losing streak, and 39-game skid on the road, with a 61-55 victory over Valparaiso on Thursday. It was also Boldon’s first conference win. It also avenged an 80-28 loss to the Ramblers last season. The Penguins never trailed in Thursday’s game.

The win gives the Penguins three wins, which matches its win total for the past two seasons combined. The also improve to 1-4 in the Horizon League. Valparaiso (3-13, 0-4) falls below the Penguins in the conference standings.

Sophomore Brandi Brown had yet another double-double, leading all scorers with 29 points and bringing down a game-high 18 rebounds. She matched her career high in points, which she set earlier this year.

Senior Bojana Dimitrov and junior Kenya Middlebrooks, who each had key free throws late to ice the game, scored 13 and 11, respectively. Both players were a combined 10-of-12 from the free-throw line.

The Penguins led by 13 points early in the first half, and held onto a 30-26 at halftime. They forced 19 Rambler turnovers, committing 11 themselves.

Junior forward Tieara Jones had seven rebounds and three points, Dimitrov added three steals and junior point guard Macey Nortey had five points.

The Penguins will remain on the road and play Butler on Jan. 15. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.