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YSU rallies to upend Radford with big finish
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
For the second straight Youngstown State women’s basketball home game, Sarah Cash was money in the bank late at the free-throw line.
With 2.9 seconds remaining Friday at Beeghly Center, the sophomore from Lordstown sank two foul shots to lift the Penguins to a 54-53 victory over Radford.
“It feels real good,” Cash said. “I was way less nervous this time.”
So was her coach, John Barnes.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Barnes said of Cash’s opportunity repeating. “I wasn’t nervous, I really felt like she was going to step up there and make them.
“The first time around, she was really nervous and I think we all were for her,” Barnes said of the Penguins’ 53-51 victory over Canisius on Nov. 13. “Nothing but net on both of them.”
The Penguins (3-0) led 51-46 with 2:55 to go. The Highlanders (1-2) surged, taking the lead 53-52 when Jayda Worthy sank a baseline jumper with 4.4 seconds remaining.
After a timeout, the Penguins inbounded in the attacking zone. Sophomore guard Nikki Arbanas from Hermitage, Pa., tossed the ball toward the paint where Cash caught it then briefly lost control.
“Nikki made a great pass and I fumbled it,” Cash said.
She recovered for a shot attempt and was fouled by Radford’s Jen Falconer.
“I was pretty surprised,” said Cash who wasn’t sure a late call would be made. “She hit me pretty low, slammed me.”
The Highlanders dominated early, opening up a 23-13 lead late in the second quarter.
“They are a very good team,” Barnes said. “We are fortunate to come out with a win. Defensively, they were pretty stingy not letting [us] get anything easy.
“We’re not shooting the ball very well and that’s a credit to their defense.”
The Penguins finished the first half with an 11-4 run.
“They were definitely beating us on the boards at first,” senior guard Janae Jackson said of the Highlanders’ 20-13 rebound advantage in the first half. “We needed to step it up in that area.”
Radford finished with 34 rebounds, just two more than YSU.
Cash led the Penguins with 13 points and six rebounds. Arbanas scored 11 points and Jackson finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
The Penguins’ victory spoiled the return of Ursuline High School graduate Courtney Davidson, one of Radford’s assistant coaches. Two years ago, Davidson was YSU’s director of team operations in Barnes’ first season as head coach. After holding the same position at the College of Charleston last season, Davidson joined Mike McGuire’s staff in July.
“It’s always great to be home — I wish the result was a little bit different,” said Davidson who played on Ursuline’s 2004 state championship team, played at Michigan State and coached at Ursuline. “But it’s always great to see friends and family.
“I feel very blessed to be in the situation I’m in — I can’t ask for anything more in life than what I am doing right now.”
Barnes said he spoke briefly with Davidson.
“Great person, great family,” Barnes said. “She’s living out her dream of being a coach and she’s gonna go places in the coaching business.”