Sunday, November 20, 2016
Staff report
Mobile, Ala.
Junior Cameron Morse scored a game-high 27 points and senior Jorden Kaufman posted a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for the Youngstown State basketball team.
Saturday, the Penguins dropped an 84-75 decision to South Alabama at the Mitchell Center.
Senior Brett Frantz tied a career high with 13 points for the Penguins, who fall to 1-3. Morse also had six rebounds and six assists.
Leading South Alabama (4-0) was Ken Williams with 19 points and Nick Stover with 16 points. Don MuepoKelly had 12 points and Herb McGee added 10 points.
The game featured eight lead changes and six ties but the Penguins led for just 3:15 while the Jaguars led the game for 33:37.
Youngstown State trailed by 14 points, 65-51, with 8:22 left in the game, but used a 19-10 run over the next five minutes to get within five, 75-70, with 3:51 to go.
Morse buried a 3-pointer, Latin Davis split a pair of free throws and freshman Braun Hartfield drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five.
Kaufman’s layup with 59 seconds left got the Penguins within four, 79-75, but the Jaguars scored the final five points of the game.
The Penguins broke a 36-36 halftime tie and took a 42-39 lead after three straight baskets by Kaufman.
The Jaguars, though, scored the next 12 points to take a 51-42 lead with 13:36 left.
For the game, the Penguins shot 37.7 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from 3-point range and 88.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Through four regular season games this year against Akron, Toledo, Jacksonville and USA, Youngstown State has given up an average of 87 points per game.