Slow start dooms YSU in tourney

Staff report

Valparaiso, Ind.

A slow start led to a fast finish for Youngstown State’s upset hopes.

Third-seeded Detroit raced out to a 24-point lead in the first half Friday en route to a 93-76 victory over the sixth-seeded Penguins in the second round of the Horizon League men’s basketball tournament at the Athletics Recreation Center.

“We executed poorly in the first eight to 10 minutes of the game and that hurt us,” said YSU coach Jerry Slocum. “We had way too many turnovers. I think we had 12 in the first half and that led to a lot of points for them.”

The Titans (20-13) scored 16 of the game’s first 19 points and never looked back. While it would take 8:39 before Ray McCallum scored his first points of the game, the sophomore led Detroit with 22 as the Titans had to fend off a Penguin rally to start the second half.

Youngstown State (16-15) closed within 10 points on three separate occasions in the second half, but could draw no closer, despite Damian Eargle’s 25 points. The junior matched his career high in points, going 10-for-14 from the floor.

The second half featured a spirited duel between two of the sophomores voted to the All-Horizon League first team: McCallum and YSU’s Kendrick Perry. Each player recorded 15 points in the final 20 minutes, with Perry finishing with 15.

McCallum was joined in double figures by a quartet of Titans, as Chase Simon had 14, LaMarcus Lowe 13, and Doug Anderson and Eli Holman each chipped in 11. Detroit’s 93 points were the most by a team in the Horizon League Tournament since 2005.

The Titans advanced to today’s semifinal versus No. 2 Cleveland State.

DuShawn Brooks closed his career with 19 points for the Penguins. YSU’s 16 wins were the most by the Penguins since 2000-01 — their last season in the Mid-Continent Conference.

YSU fell to 3-10 all-time in the Horizon League tournament. The Penguins are 0-3 in the second round, losing to Green Bay in 2007 and UIC in 2003.

“I’m proud of what our team accomplished this season,” said Slocum. “Obviously tonight is disappointing, but this year’s team has set the bar for our expectations in future years.”