YSU’s Newman hits game-winner at buzzer

January 8, 2016 at 12:10a.m.

YSU junior beats buzzer, Milwaukee

By STEVE WILAJ

YOUNGSTOWN

Sometimes after practice, the Youngstown State women’s team “messes around” — as Kelsea Newman put it — by shooting jumpers as it counts down a game-clock.

“We’re always practicing ‘3, 2, 1 ...,’ ” Newman said.

On Wednesday against Milwaukee, the junior forward found herself having to beat the buzzer in a slightly different setting: with the game tied in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

Apparently, practice makes perfect, as Newman drained a step-back jumper just inside the 3-point line as time expired to lift YSU to a 69-67 win over the Panthers at the Beeghly Center.

“It wasn’t the [original] play, but I honestly couldn’t see anything in front of me, so I kind of just went for it,” said Newman, who finished with six points. “It was cool to do. But it was also cool we came out with the win because of it.”

It marked yet another comeback victory for the Penguins (12-2, 3-0 Horizon league), who trailed Milwaukee (6-7, 0-2) by 12 after the first quarter and were still behind by one point with a minute left in regulation.

Sophomore guard Nikki Arbanas paced YSU by matching her career high with 25 points on seven 3-pointers, while fellow sophomore guard Indiya Benjamin added 14 points and five assists.

“[Newman] felt it and made a great move,” Penguins coach John Barnes said. “It had nice arc on it and went right through the bottom of the net. It was a pretty fantastic shot and I’m glad we got the win.”

A Newman 3 with 2:25 remaining gave YSU a 66-64 lead. But Panthers guard Alexis Lindstrom answered with a triple on the next possession to put Milwaukee back ahead by one.

The score stayed the same for the next minute until Benjamin was fouled with 55.8 seconds remaining and made one of two free throws to tie the game at 67.

After YSU got a defensive stop, it received the ball with 23.8 seconds remaining. Benjamin dribbled the clock down to five seconds before passing to Newman on the left wing, and the reserve shook off two defenders with a step-back move before burying the game-winner.

“As soon as it left her hand, all four coaches said they felt like it was going in,” Barnes said.

YSU shot 19 percent in the first quarter and starters Sarah Cash and Allison Smolinski picked up two fouls each as Milwaukee took a 20-8 lead.

But the Penguins, who finished 12 of 28 from long distance, knocked down six 3-pointers in the second quarter (three by Arbanas and two by Benjamin) as they outscored the Panthers 26-14.

Arbanas stayed hot in the third, connecting on three more 3’s — including back to back treys around the one-minute mark — to give YSU a 54-48 lead heading into the fourth.

“We just came out and our energy wasn’t up,” Arbanas said. “We weren’t being aggressive like we needed to be right from the start. That really put us in the hole. Once our energy picked up and we realized we needed to start get it going, that’s when we really brought it on them.”

Janae Jackson added 12 points and eight rebounds for YSU, while Cash struggled as she scored just six points. Freshman forward Marissa Brown scored two points in nine reserve minutes. Barnes credited her for playing well in the second-quarter comeback.

Next, the Penguins host conference power Green Bay on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

“The kids won’t quit,” Barnes said. “They won’t stop grinding. They’ll do whatever it takes to get the win and they did it again today.”