YSU women top CSU in regular-season finale

Penguins will host Milwaukee in quarterfinals Wednesday

Staff report

CLEVELAND

The Youngstown State women’s basketball team had too much depth and perimeter shooting for Cleveland State.

The Penguins made 13 3-pointers and had five players score in double figures in a 74-61 win over the Vikings on Saturday at Wolstein Center.

The Penguins led for more than 37 minutes and went on a 16-4 run in the fourth period to hold off the Vikings in the regular-season finale for both teams.

YSU (21-8, 13-5 Horizon League) clinched the third seed in the opcoming league tournament. The Penguins’ 13 Horizon League victories set a program record. YSU will host sixth-seeded Milwaukee in a quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Beeghly Center.

CSU (10-19, 7-11) will be the seventh seed in the tournament.

Alison Smolinski made four 3-pointers in the first 12 minutes, and the senior from nearby North Royalton finished with five 3s and a game-high 19 points. Sarah Cash posted her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Chelsea Olson nearly had a triple-double with a career-best 12 assists, nine points and nine rebounds.

McKenah Peters made four 3s for 12 points, Melinda Trimmer had 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds and Mary Dunn had 10 points.

Savanna Crockett and Mariah Miller both had 16 points to lead CSU.

The Penguins swept the season series with the Vikings for the second straight season and have beaten their nearest conference rivals in five straight meetings.

YSU had to find its points in a much different fashion in this meeting than in its 73-55 win over the Vikings in January. The Penguins pounded the ball inside for 50 points in the paint and attempted just 13 3-pointers in the win five weeks ago, but they went 13-for-28 from long distance at the Wolstein Center.

CSU scored the final five points of the third period and the first two of the fourth to get within 54-52, and the margin was still just a basket at 58-55 less than six minutes remaining. That’s when Trimmer hit a big 3-pointer at the 5:29 mark to ignite a 16-4 run.

For quarterfinal ticket information, call the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at 330-941-1YSU.