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YSU’s shooting ice cold in season-opening loss
YSU’s shooting
chilly in opening
loss at Pittsburgh
By Brian Dzenis
PITTSBURGH
Youngstown State died by the 3 in its season opener.
The Penguins weren’t bombarded from downtown by the Pittsburgh Panthers, who didn’t need the three-ball to dispatch YSU, 69-53, in the season opener for both teams.
Instead, the Penguins clanged jump shot after jump shot Tuesday night at the Petersen Events Center.
“You don’t go into a game thinking you’re going to shoot the ball that bad. The crazy thing with our team is that with our two closed scrimmages, we averaged 13 made 3s a game,” head coach Jerrod Calhoun said. “Obviously when you’re playing a Power Five school, the size of the athletes are different. They’re so much more physical.
“It was good for our guys. I think this game with Pitt should happen every other year. If [Pitt coach Jeff Capel] would agree to it, we would love to do it.”
YSU made seven of a school-record 38 3-point attempts. Darius Quisenberry’s 3-pointer had the Penguins (0-1) trailing the Panthers 27-24 at the half. The Penguins were able to hang around in the contest despite shooting 22 percent to that point.
“It was early November basketball, it’s like going to the dentist for both teams. It was painful to watch and I’m sure it was [painful] for the fans,” Calhoun said. “The kids were playing hard and it’s really early.”
Quisenberry hit another three 17 seconds into the second half before the Penguins embarked on a four-minute scoring drought. YSU’s next five shots were all missed 3-pointers as the Panthers got the lead into double figures.
“Pitt’s radio broadcaster asked me how many 3s we plan to shoot and there isn’t a set number, but we’ve been averaging close to 35,” Calhoun said.
“If we make seven, six or five more, it’s a different ball game.”
Denmark import Olamide Pederson asserted himself in his Division I debut with four points and three blocks through the first five minutes. Foul trouble kept him to just 18 minutes on the floor, grabbing three rebounds in addition to his aforementioned numbers.
“I think we did an ok job coming out in the first half,” Pederson said.
“We just needed to keep our composure in the second half and stay strong — finish strong.”
Junior college transfer Kendale Hampton came off the bench to lead the Penguins with 15 points while shooting 4 for 10 from 3 as the only YSU player in double figures. Michael Akuchie had nine points and Quisenberry finished with seven. Naz Bohannon pulled down 10 rebounds and scored three points.
The Penguins debuted seven new players at the Division I level.
Pitt (1-0) attempted just 11 3-pointers and made two to earn the victory in Capel’s debut. The Panthers had three freshmen — Trey McGowans, Au’Diese Toney and Xavier Johnson — and sophomore Terrell Brown in the starting five.
McGowans lead the Panthers with 17 points. Johnson and Malik Ellison had 16 and 13 points, respectively. Toney was a rebound short of a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Panthers won their first game since a 63-59 win against Towson on Dec. 22, 2017.
YSU plays Akron on Saturday at Cleveland State in a Coaches Vs. Cancer doubleheader. CSU and Kent State will meet in the other game.