YSU women falter in overtime at NKU

Staff report

Highland Heights, Ky.

The Youngstown State women’s basketball team outscored Northern Kentucky by 14 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but the Penguins fell 87-81 to the Norse on Saturday night at BB&T Arena.

Mary Dunn led YSU (4-10, 0-3 Horizon League) with 18 points while Indiya Benjamin had 17 points and nine assists. Freshman Morgan Brunner had a career-high 16 points, including three 3-pointers. Jenna Hirsch added 12 points.

Entering the fourth period, YSU trailed 58-44 before mounting its comeback. NKU (5-11, 1-3) scored to open the period to build its biggest lead of the game at 60-44 before the tied the game at 71 on a free-throw by Benjamin with three seconds left.

YSU made 27 of 64 attempts (42.2 percent) from the field. NKU was 28 of 55 (50.9 percent).

YSU trailed 14-13 following a Dunn basket at the 1:34 mark of the first period. NKU scored the final four points of the period and the first two of the second to go up 20-13.

YSU cut the deficit down to 23-21 with 6:46 remaining when Mailee Jones hit a jumper, but that’s as close as the Penguins would get. Northern Kentucky scored the next nine points to take its first double-digit lead, and the Norse held a 42-29 advantage at halftime.

NKU led for double digits for most of the second half, but the Penguins made a run in the fourth and got within 64-56 on a Benjamin 3-pointer with 5:58 remaining – down to four at 64-60 on a Wright layup.

YSU hosts UIC at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday at Beeghly Center.