Ursuline’s Mark Hughes shines as Wright State defeats YSU

January 18, 2019 at 12:10a.m.

Ursuline’s Hughes shines as Wright State defeats YSU

YOUNGSTOWN

Mark Hughes will always have a soft spot for the Beeghly Center.

The Ursuline graduate that’s in his senior season at Wright State said he saw “70 to 80” people that he recognized in that stands when the Raiders played the Youngstown State Penguins Thursday night. On the court, Hughes is undefeated when playing college basketball in his hometown as the Raiders outlasted the Penguins, 80-74.

“It’s bittersweet. This is my last time playing here. I haven’t lost here and that’s good,” Hughes said. “I had a great time. I love Youngstown and everything about it. I love coming home and playing in front of my friends and family.

“I obviously wanted to play well and I did alright today. We got the win, so it worked out for us.”

Hughes is 6-1 against the Penguins in his career and was one of four Raiders in double figures with 16 points. Hughes said he could hear his former high school coach, Keith Gunther, yelling at him from the stands.

“It’s Keith Gunther and it’s not even close,” said Hughes when asked who yells at him more between Gunther and Raiders’ coach Scott Nagy. “In high school, he was on me everyday and it made me the player that I am. I’m very grateful to have had him as a coach.”

YSU (6-14, 2-5 Horizon League) had Wright State on the ropes through most of the contest, but couldn’t build on its eight-point halftime lead.

A Hughes three with 6:47 left to play signaled the 15th and final lead change in the game at 66-65 in favor of the visitors. After a Jelani Simmons’ bucket made it 70-69 Wright State at 4:22, the Penguins didn’t score for the next three minutes.

“We played well for 38 minutes. It’s a 40-minute game and we need to learn to play 40 minutes — not 38 and not 35,” YSU senior forward Noe Anabir said. “We have a lot of young guys who are trying to get there and we’re going to get there.”

The Penguins’ lone senior scored a career-high 14 points, pulled down four rebounds and three blocks. Freshman Darius Quisenberry led the Penguins with 18 points — 15 of which were scored in the first half. Fellow first-year Jelani Simmons added 12 points.

Wright State’s (9-10, 3-3 HL) leading scorers came off the bench with Bill Wampler and Malachi Smith each scoring 17 points. Smith was a rebound shy of a double-double. Louden Love scored 15 points and had seven rebounds.

The Raiders’ starting five features three seniors in Hughes, center Parker Ernsthausen and guard Alan Vest. YSU coach Jerrod Calhoun cited Wright State’s experience as a factor.

“When you’re coaching three freshman and two sophomores who are playing 30-plus minutes and when you have a lead, you’ve got to build on that,” Calhoun said. “Eventually, the cream rises to the top and I think their players did in that second half. It wasn’t anything that I thought wasn’t going to come. They were going to make a run.”

Hughes is having good year in his final season for the Raiders. He’s the fourth-leading scorer averaging 10.5 points per game and is second on the team in assists with 57. He’s eyeing professional basketball overseas once he graduates and has been keeping in touch with LaBrae grad Peyton Aldridge, who is playing in Italy. If Hughes goes pro, it could be the first time he’s played in different colors than green and gold.

“I never had to change. I always thought I looked good in green and gold,” Hughes said. “I think it worked out well for me.”