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Donlan’s tip-in wins it for Penguins
By STEVE WILAJ
YOUNGSTOWN
It was the second time this season that Matt Donlan found himself in the particular position. He used the first experience to his advantage.
Capping a thriller at Beeghly Center, Donlan tipped in a game-winning layup with 1.2 seconds remaining to lift Youngstown State to a 92-91 double-overtime win on Tuesday against UIC. Sophomore guard Cameron Morse paced the Penguins (10-17, 5-9 Horizon League) with 28 points, while sophomore point guard Francisco Santiago led the charge with 21 points, seven assists and great late-game defense.
But Donlan drew back to the game-winning tip-in by center Jorden Kaufman (11 points and 18 rebounds) on Jan. 4 at Oakland to down the Flames.
“I was in the corner and [Kaufman] went and tipped it in and I remember thinking, ‘Man, I should have been in there,’ because I would have felt bad if he missed that,” said Donlan, who scored 13 points. “So with that kind of time on the clock [against UIC], we had to go to the glass. So I just went up and was able to get a finger on it.”
UIC (5-20, 3-11) — which was led by freshman Dikembe Dixson’s 40 points on 16 of 39 shooting — pushed its lead to six points with just 1:18 left in the second OT. But Jordan Andrews made three free throws and Kaufman notched a layup with 29 seconds left to cut YSU’s deficit to 91-90.
Dixson was then fouled with 17.5 seconds remaining and missed both free throws to set up YSU’s final possession. After a near turnover by Santiago, Morse received an inbounds pass with 9.5 seconds left and missed a short jumper. But Donlan swooped in to notch the game-winning tip-in. The Flames’ Lance Whitaker missed on a full-court heave as time expired.
“I thought our guys played with great heart and great passion,” YSU coach Jerry Slocum said. “They just had some stuff to them — stuff that we hadn’t been able to generate.”
After trailing for the entire second half, YSU tied the game at 75 with 1:10 left in regulation. Morse then missed a jumper with the game tied and eight seconds left, before Dixson missed a 25-footer.
In the first overtime, Kaufman scored all six of the Penguins’ points. His third bucket came on a put-back and gave YSU an 81-80 lead with eight seconds remaining. But Whitaker split a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds left to send the game into a second overtime.
YSU outscored the Flames — winners of three of their last four entering the contest — 7-0 over the final 1:05 of the second overtime.
Santiago added five rebounds and committed just one turnover in playing the entire 50 minutes. He also switched and guarded Dixson admirably in the final four minutes of regulation, as well as the two OTs.
“There’s a leader evolving in this young group and it’s one that I’ve been waiting for,” Slocum said. “It’s Francisco Santiago. ... He dives, gets on the floor and set a tone for us tonight.”