Keene leads Penguins past Greensboro

Staff report

Ypsilanti, Mich.

Sophomore Marcus Keene scored a career-high 28 points and junior Bobby Hain posted 20 points with nine rebounds to lead the Youngstown State men’s basketball team to Sunday’s 76-67 win over University of North Carolina-Greensboro at the Eastern Michigan University Showcase.

Keene connected on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, including a career-best six 3-pointers for YSU (3-3).

Hain just missed a double-double with nine rebounds.

Senior DJ Cole dished out nine assists with seven points while senior Shawn Amiker added nine points with a team-high 10 rebounds.

The Penguins made a season-high nine 3-pointers, shot 46 percent from the floor and went 21-of-27 (77.8 percent) from free throw line.

UNC-G (1-4) was led by RJ White with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Tevon Saddler added 11 points.

The Penguins withstood a 22-5 run and overcame a seven-point second-half deficit and led for the final 13:30 of the game.

Trailing, 39-32, just minutes into the second half, Keene drilled a 3-pointer and Amiker hit a jumper to get the Penguins within two.

After the Spartans rebuilt their lead back to five, 46-41, the Penguins went on a 20-6 run to take a nine-point lead, 61-52, with 6:17 left.

A pair of 3-pointers by White and Clay Byrd brought the Spartans within three, 61-58, and a Saddler layup kept the lead at three, 63-60, at the 3:34 mark.

A jumper by Cole and a free throw by Amiker pushed the lead up to six, 64-58, and the Penguins made their final 10 free throws over the last 1:36 to seal the victory.