Cash, Smolinski lead YSU women

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Sarah Cash and Alison Smolinski each scored 22 points and McKenah Peters provided a spark to help the Youngstown State women’s basketball team beat Wright State 83-68 on Friday night at Beeghly Center.

Peters scored 14 of her 17 points — matching a career-high — in the second quarter and to help the Penguins build a 37-26 halftime lead, and YSU led by double digits for the final 19:18 of the game.

YSU (13-5, 9-1 Horizon League) shook off a disappointing two-loss trip to Wisconsin last week. The Penguins handed Wright State (13-5, 5-1) its first loss in league play.

Cash scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half and played just 24 minutes. Smolinski, who was honored before the game for breaking the school’s career 3-pointers record, added four more triples to her mark.

Angel Baker came off the bench to score 27 points in 27 minutes to lead WSU.

YSU made nine of its first 10 field-goal attempts in the third period and extended its lead 50-30 with seven minutes left in the quarter. The margin was at least a dozen the rest of the game.

The Penguins shot 46.8 percent in the game and 54.8 percent in the second half. YSU was 10 of 23 from 3-point range.

YSU host Northern Kentucky at 1 p.m. on Sunday.