Detroit downs YSU men in OT

Staff report

DETROIT

Junior Shawn Amiker scored a career-high 25 points and hit a 3-pointer to force overtime, but the Youngstown State men’s basketball team dropped an 83-81 decision to Detroit on Sunday at Calihan Hall.

Amiker connected on 9-of-12 from the floor and made 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Senior Kendrick Perry scored 22 points with seven rebounds and seven assists, and tied the YSU Division I scoring record with 1,821 career points.

Senior Kamren Belin and junior DJ Cole each had 13 points and Cole also dished out seven assists for the Penguins (13-12, 4-6 Horizon League).

Juwan Howard, Jr., led Detroit (12-14, 5-6 HL) with 24 points while Evan Bruinsma had 19 points and Jarod Williams added 14 points.

Trailing by five, 69-64, Perry drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner to make it a two-point contest, 69-67, with 1:31 left.

Howard made a pair of free throws and Amiker split his to keep it a one-possession game, 71-68. Bruinsma was called for an offensive foul and, on the ensuing possession, Cole found Amiker alone in the left corner for the game-tying 3-pointer with nine seconds left.

Williams’ jumper and Bruinsma’s last-second putback attempt were no good.

In the overtime, Cole gave the Penguins a three-point lead, 74-71, with his third 3-pointer of the game. The Titans outscored the Penguins, 9-4, to take an 80-78 lead with just over a minute left on two free throws by Bruinsma.

Perry made two charity tosses to tie the game at 80, but Howard hit a jumper with 18 second left to put the Titans up 82-80. Perry and Detroit’s Patrick Onwenu each split a pair of free throws to keep the two-point Detroit advantage, 83-81, with eight seconds left.

Perry took a contested 3-pointer with three seconds left, and Belin’s game-tying putback attempt with under a second remaining rimmed out.