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Pleasant surprise: YSU women off to 5-0 start despite youth
By Steve wilaj
youngstown
Being totally honest, sophomore point guard Indiya Benjamin had to admit at Monday’s news conference that she was surprised to be sitting there discussing the Youngstown State women’s basketball team’s flawless 5-0 record.
“Coming into this year, I didn’t really know how this season would go losing [top scorers and rebounders] Heidi Schlegel and Latisha [Walker to graduation],” said Benjamin, a second-year starter. “But our freshmen are great. And the rest of us learned a lot from last year (21-11 record) and we’re continuing to do what we do.”
Third-year coach John Barnes — whose team features nine underclassmen and travels to Bucknell (4-2) on Wednesday for a 4:30 p.m. contest — didn’t deny it either.
“I’m definitely surprised,” he said. “With our youth ... but I do feel that this team is a very hard-working team. They don’t care who gets the credit — as long as we win games.”
The young Penguins won their first four games with defense by not allowing more than 54 points in a single contest.
But Saturday in a 19-point Horizon League win at Oakland, YSU’s offense broke out for the first time this season, posting 96 points and tying the school-record for made 3-pointers in a game (16). Prior, the Penguins scored in the 50s three times and 71 once.
“It was nice to see us make some shots since I really felt that all summer and all preseason, we really shot the ball well the whole time,” Barnes said. “Then once the season hit, it felt like we tightened up a bit, missed a few early and it kind of kept going.
“I guess, inside, I felt that one of these days we were gonna break away and shoot how we’re capable of. It was nice to do it on the road where we needed it.”
Breaking out of a shooting slump, junior forward Kelsea Newman led the offensive onslaught with a school-record-tying eight 3s. Sophomore’s Nikki Arbanas (15 points) and Sarah Cash (14 points) also did their part, while Benjamin was excellent with 21 points, 13 assists and just two turnovers.
Coming into this season, Barnes wanted balance on offense. Right now, Cash averages 14.8 points per game, Arbanas 10.8, Benjamin 9.8, Newman 8.6 and freshman guard Alison Smolinski 7.6.
“Everybody’s getting involved,” said Benjamin, who is averaging 6.6 assists per game. “We know who our shooters are on the team, who our runners are to get up and down the court and we’ve been making great passes.
“My job is to get open looks for my teammates, attack when I can and just open the floor up for everybody. I just make sure everybody’s doing their jobs.”
Basically, that’s what is happening. In turn — whether Barnes, Benjamin or whoever else believe it or not — YSU still hasn’t lost.
Then again, the results go hand-in-hand with the Penguins’ mantra.
“It’s just about doing whatever we have to do,” Benjamin said. “Not letting fatigue or letting the refs or the atmosphere get to us. And just fighting through the pressure and everything until we get the final result of a win.”