Rebound woes wobble Penguins

Morse, Donlan combine for 46

Staff report

Detroit

Sophomore Cameron Morse scored 24 points and junior Matt Donlan recorded a career-high 22 points, but the Youngstown State men’s basketball team dropped a 96-87 decision to Detroit in Saturday’s Horizon League opener at Calihan Hall.

The contest marked Morse’s fourth 20-point effort this season and was Donlan first 20-point performance. Donlan also set a career high with six 3-pointers.

The game marked the first time two YSU player scored at least 20 points in the same game since Shawn Amiker and Marcus Keene accomplished the feat last season.

The Penguins outshot the Titans 51.5 percent to 47.8 percent and made more 3-pointers. Detroit, though, made 25-of-29 free-throw attempts and outrebounded the Penguins, 53-20.

The Titans had 21 offensive rebounds that led to 22 second-chance points.

Freshman Jordan Andrews scored a career-high 13 points while sophomore Sidney Umude added 13 points for the Penguins (5-9, 0-1). Leading Detroit (7-5, 1-0) was Anton Wilson’s 34 points and Jaleel Hogan’s 17 points.

The Penguins led by six at halftime and by seven, 50-43, after a 3-pointer by Andrews with 17:12 left in the game.

Detroit scored the next seven to tie the game and used a 15-2 run to take a 58-52 advantage with 13:11 remaining.

After Brett Frantz hit a jumper to get back within four, 58-54, Detroit scored nine straight to push its lead to 13 points, 67-54, midway through the half.

The Titans extended their lead to 17, 90-73, with 1:55 to go, but the Penguins rallied and trimmed the deficit to seven, 94-87, after a layup by Latin Davis, a jumper by Andrews and a 3-pointer by Donlan with six seconds to go.

The first half featured five ties and three lead changes and for the first 17 minutes of the game neither team led by more than four points.

After the fifth tie of the half, 35-35, the Penguins went on an 8-0 run to take a 43-35 lead after Donlan drained a 3-pointer, Morse made layup, an Andrew’s free throw and a layup by Francisco Santiago with 1:57 left. Wilson made two free throws with 1:21 remaining to end the first half scoring.