Central Michigan outlasts YSU in triple overtime

December 5, 2018 at 12:08a.m.

Turnovers, missed shots doom YSU to third straight loss

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State had multiple chances to beat Central Michigan on Tuesday and came up with nothing.

The visiting Chippewas took advantage of the gassed Penguins and the home side took a 100-94 triple overtime loss in the Beeghly Center.

A 9-0 run in the third overtime provided the knockout punch after the Penguins rallied from a 13-point deficit in regulation and two overtimes where both sides had opportunities to win the game.

“[It was] mental breakdowns. It was not being in the gap,” said sophomore guard Garrett Covington of the final overtime. “It was just mental things.”

The loss extends the Penguins’ (3-7) losing streak to three games. YSU’s last Division I victory came against Columbia, 94-83, on Nov. 16.

YSU’s best chances to win the game came near the end of regulation and at the end of the second overtime, both tries ended with missed threes.

Even more painful for the Penguins was the self-inflicted injury of conceding 28 points off 22 turnovers.

“We really gave away the game. That’s the frustrating part,” YSU coach Jerrod Calhoun said. “If you can limit five to seven of turnovers, you turn the ball over about 15 or 16 times and you probably win the game.

“It comes with the territory with a young team and that’s a lot of teaching moments.”

Devin Morgan’s 25-point effort kept the Penguins in the game.

A Morgan three tied the game at 61-61 with eight minutes left in regulation. Central Michigan’s Rob Montgomery scored to put the Chippewas up by two and a Penguin turnover followed by an Shawn Roundtreebucket had the road side up by two scores.

Noe Anabir hit a layup to cut the deficit to three points and a traveling call on Central Michigan set up Morgan to tie the game with another three at 66-66. Morgan later missed two more three-point attempts in the final 30 seconds.

Neither team could manage a lead larger than three points in the first OT. Morgan hit a layup as he was falling down to tie the game at 76-76 with 22 seconds left. Central Michigan (7-2) ran the clock down, but Roundtree got lost as he was swarmed by Naz Bohannon and Olamide Pederson, who forced Roundtree into a travelling call. YSU didn’t have enough time to get a shot off.

In the second overtime, Covington scored to give the Penguins a 82-81 lead with 1:09 left. Central Michigan turned the ball over and then sent Morgan to the line. He missed both free throws and Roundtree tied the game at the other end by going 1 for 2 at the line with 11 seconds left. Morgan and Bohannon chucked airballs to send the game to the third and final overtime.

“It would have been huge, but life’s tough. These jobs are tough,” Calhoun said. “I told our guys that they’re 7-2 and we’re just as good as they were.”

Covington had a double double of 26 points and 14 rebounds and Bohannon had 14 points and 17 rebounds.

Austin led the Chippewas with 24 points and Roundtree had 23.