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Penguins hit their stride
The YSU women scored a season-high in points to beat Loyola and grab the tournament’s ninth seed.
By Jon Moffett
Youngstown
YSU coach Bob Boldon said when the season began back in November he hoped the women’s basketball team would be playing at its best late in the season.
The Penguins listened.
The team posted its best effort of the season, earning an 84-65 victory against Loyola at the Beeghly Center on Saturday to close out the regular season. It was the most points the Penguins had scored all season.
Sophomore Brandi Brown had her usual 20-point performance, leading the team with 27. Brown, the Horizon League’s leading scorer, has scored 20 or more points in the past six games, and 17 this season.
She also has her eyes set on the record book.
Brown climbed into 18th place on the school’s all-time scoring list and is one point shy of breaking the record for most career points by the end of a sophomore season.
But the Penguins (6-23, 4-14 Horizon League) also got solid offensive performances all around. Four other players scored in the double figures —the first time for the feat since 2004. Juniors Kenya Middlebrooks (12) and Tieara Jones (11) and freshmen Liz Hornberger (12) and Monica Touvelle (12) also had big nights.
And it’s a good thing, too. Brown took an elbow to the nose 43 seconds into the game and sat out for seven minutes. When Brown left, there was no score. And when she came back — with a roll of gauze in her nostrils — the Penguins were up by two.
Boldon said that feat showed how far the team has come. Early on, when Brown was taking a breather the team would watch their opponents go on run after run. But the Ramblers (11-18, 5-16) couldn’t break the game open.
When Boldon asked what his thoughts were when he saw Brown, by far the team’s most productive player, go down, he gave the censored version.
“Oh no, we’re doomed,” he said with a laugh. “Obviously Brandi does a lot for us. You see that she scores and rebounds the ball statistically, but just the attention she commands.
Some of the threes we got were just basically because they had three girls on Brandi on the catch,” he added. “And if you’re going to guard her with three, that only leaves two guarding the other four players. So there are going to be some open shots.”
Hornberger, who set a career mark for points, said the team has had the potential to play like this all year. But with the conference tournament on the horizon, things have gained some momentum.
“I think our practices have picked up in their intensity, and I think that helps and everyone is starting to get more confidence,” she said. “Brandi always shows up. We know we’re going to get a consistent effort from her. And once everyone else picks their game up, we can play with anyone.”
With Butler having defeated Valpariaso on Saturday, the Penguins earned the ninth seed in the 10-team tournament. That means they’ll travel to play Loyola again March 7 for first-round play. Valparaiso and YSU have identical conference records, but the Penguins swept the Crusaders this season.
Hornberger said the Penguins can be a tough out in the tournament. The team is on a two-game winning streak and may have hit its stride.
“I think they should be [concerned to play us],” she said. “I mean, we’re going in hot and I think we can play with anyone in our conference ... If our intensity is there and we play defense, even if our shooting isn’t on, our defense can be awesome. We just need to get down and be feisty about it.”
The only bittersweet part centered around senior Bojana Dimitrov, who was honored as the lone player on Senior Day. She sprained her ankle midway through the first half and did not return. Her availability for the tournament game is questionable.