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NKU’s Norse are next for YSU
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
On Wednesday, the Northern Kentucky men’s basketball team will try to prove it can compete with teams in the Horizon League.
Jerry Slocum is hoping his team does the same thing.
Youngstown State (8-6) will play its final non-conference game of the season when it hosts Atlantic Sun-member NKU (6-7) at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Beeghly Center.
The Norse, who recently moved up from Division II, are a natural geographic fit for the Horizon League — NKU is just across the river from Cincinnati — and have expressed interest in joining the conference, which has lost two members (Butler and Loyola) in the last three years and added just one (Oakland).
“It’s a big game for them for those kinds of reasons,” said Slocum, whose team will immediately drive to Chicago afterward for Friday’s league opener at UIC. “It better be a big game for us because we’re traveling with me on a bus after the game for the next seven hours.”
After playing 14 games in just over a month to start the season, YSU had 12 days off between a Dec. 19 game against Wilberforce and Wednesday’s matchup.
Slocum has used the past few days to shake off the rust and the (pie) crust.
“They had a really good break,” he said, grinning. “Basketball wasn’t their first priority when they were gone.
“Today was the first day where they aren’t bent over [catching their breath] every time I was talking to them.”
Still, Slocum said the break was welcome, believing fatigue contributed to losses to Texas A&M (81-63 on Dec. 13) and Kennesaw State (90-84 Dec. 17).
“That was as tough of a stretch I think that I’ve been in in coaching,” said Slocum, who said the fatigue was more evident defensively than offensively. “You really saw it at the end. We were a tired group and rightfully so.”
Scouting NKU
Northern Kentucky has played three times since Dec. 19, beating Morehead State and Idaho before falling to Northwestern on Saturday. Led by freshman guard Tayler Persons (13 points per game), the Norse can score in bunches, averaging nearly 70 points.
“They’re a very gifted offensive team,” Slocum said. “This is going to be a strong test for us.
“I’m concerned about rust. We’ve had a couple really good practices and I think we’ll be ready, but the first part of the game concerns me.”
Three is key
Slocum is also concerned about his small forward spot, which has been the team’s biggest weakness so far. Sophomore Jalon Plummer has started 11 of 14 games while averaging 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds, but freshman Cameron Morse started against Texas A&M and sophomore Osandai Vaughn will also get playing time at that position, Slocum said.
“We really haven’t gotten the production we were hoping to get out of that spot,” he said. “It don’t have to be 12 points. It’s got to be a bunch of stops and rebounds.”
Grandfather again
Slocum got an early Christmas present when his son, Aaron, and his daughter-in-law had a baby boy on Dec. 24. He is Slocum’s third grandchild.
“Mother and baby are doing well,” Slocum said. “My son’s happy, so I’m happy.”