YSU’s Amiker records double-double in loss

Staff report

CLEVELAND

Senior Shawn Amiker recorded a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, but the Youngstown State men’s basketball team fell to Cleveland State, 73-60, Wednesday night at the Wolstein Center.

Junior Bobby Hain and sophomore Osandai Vaughn each scored 12 points and sophomore Marcus Keene added 11 points for the Penguins, who fall to 10-16 overall and 1-10 in the Horizon League.

Anton Grady led CSU (14-10, 8-2) with 17 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Charlie Lee scored 16 points and made three 3-pointers and Trey Lewis added 10 points.

The Vikings scored the first nine points of the second half to extend a nine-point halftime lead into an 18-point advantage, 46-28, with 17:42 to go.

The Penguins made a late surge and cut the deficit to nine points, 69-60, after a jumper by Amiker, a tip-in by Hain and a free throw by D.J. Cole with 2:27 to go.

YSU missed its final three field-goal attempts and the Vikings made four of six free throw attemtps to seal the victory.

The Penguins struggled early from the field making just five of their first 15 field-goal attempts and trailed by as many as 10 points, 25-15, as the Vikings made 10 of their first 20 shots.

The Penguins made seven of the next nine shots to whittle the deficit down to one.

A jumper by Hain and two Amiker baskets cut the deficit to four and, after two free throws by CSU’s Terrell Hales pushed the lead back to six, Vaughn hit a 3-pointer to get within three, 27-24 with 5:309 left in the half.

Layups by Amiker and Cole got the Penguins within one, 29-28 with 4:16 left. However, the Penguins turned the ball over three times, missed two shots and went scoreless over the final 4:16 of the half.

During the span, CSU scored the final eight points of the half to take a 37-28 lead into the lockerroom. Kaza Keane hit a jumper and Charlie Lee and Trey Lewis each hit a 3-pointer to lead the Vikings’ surge.

The Penguins shot 48 percent from the field, but committed eight turnovers that turned into 10 points for the Vikings.

YSU returns to action against Horizon League rival Green Bay at 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 11 at Beeghly Center.