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YSU Penguin Athletics => YSU Penguin Athletics => Topic started by: IAA Fan on December 31, 2011, 06:46:01 PM
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CLEVELAND (AP)—Damian Eargle scored 20 points and pulled down 10 boards, leading Youngstown State to a 73-67 win over Cleveland State Saturday.
DuShawn Brooks added 17 points and Ashen Ward 15 for the Penguins (7-6, 2-1 Horizon League), who used a run out of halftime to beat the Vikings. Youngstown State has now won two straight after a season high four-game losing slide.
Trailing 31-29 at the break, Eargle dropped in a layup followed by a pair of free throws to help spark a 16-9 run out of halftime to take a lead the Penguins wouldn’t relinquish. The Vikings pulled within one, 59-58, with 4:31 left to play, but an Eargle jumper 36 seconds later sparked a 14-9 run the rest of the way to secure the win.
Jeremy Montgomery led Cleveland State (12-3, 2-1) with a game-high 21 points. The Vikings came in with seven wins in their last eight.
Youngstown State Penguins
Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
A. Ward 31 4-7 3-5 4-4 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 15
K. Perry 36 3-5 0-1 2-3 0 1 5 3 2 0 0 8
B. Allen 37 3-9 2-5 1-2 0 3 4 2 2 0 1 9
D. Brooks 39 5-8 3-5 4-7 2 7 4 2 0 0 2 17
D. Eargle 25 8-11 0-0 4-5 3 10 0 5 2 1 4 20
F. Larson 9 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
N. Perry 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0
D. Cole 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
S. Amiker Jr. 10 1-1 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2
J. Chojnacki 6 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Totals 25-43 8-16 15-23 5 28 17 15 8 1 9 73
Percentages .581 .500 .652 Team Rebounds: 1
Cleveland State Vikings
Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
D. Brown 35 7-13 2-2 4-4 2 3 0 1 1 0 3 20
T. Harmon 22 2-7 0-3 0-0 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 4
J. Montgomery 37 7-10 6-8 1-2 0 5 3 4 2 0 3 21
T. Kamczyc 35 3-7 1-5 0-0 1 4 6 2 1 0 2 7
A. Pogue 19 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 2
S. Douglas 10 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
L. Ndaye 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A. Grady 22 2-7 0-1 3-4 3 5 1 1 0 0 3 7
C. Lee 13 2-5 1-2 0-0 0 0 1 2 0 0 4 5
I. Nwamu 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 24-52 10-21 9-12 6 22 13 12 4 0 18 67
Percentages .462 .476 .750 Team Rebounds: 2
Game Info
Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Wolstein Center, Cleveland, OH
Attendance:
3,513
Officials:
Bill Jacobson, Chris Beaver, Bryan Anslinger
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CSU Senior Forward D'Aundray Brown
"They have good guard play and good bigs down low. We took them for granted and came out on the wrong end today."
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I am on the west coast and it is now 11:50 in Ytown and the local paper has yet to post an article online about the Penguins victory over a team with an RPI of 44 and arguably their biggest rival (Cleveland State) in the Horizon League. You gotta feel bad for the players and coaches.
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We are able to listen to the game on our way home from a week in Ytown. Fortunately the game ended before the 570 signal faded around Mansfield.
Great win. I think just about every YSU fan would have signed up for a 2-1 start in the Horizon League given 3 road games to start the league season, including 2 of the top 3 teams in most pre-season prognostications (CSU and UDM) and a place we never win (Wright State).
Yes the non-conference games frustrated me, most fans and I am sure the coaches and players, but the HL games are what counts.
Great, great win. Eargle tremendous, nice for Ward to get a win in Cleveland.
December 31 and every team has at least one loss in the HL.
Big week coming up against two of the bottom dwellers in the league, UIC and Loyola. Nothing is ever easy with this team and one needs to look for no further than what CSU did today to see the danger of overlooking an opponent.
Practice hard and smart this week.
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By David S. Glasier
DGlasier@News-Herald.com
@nhglasier
Youngstown State senior guard Ashen Ward and his teammates believed.
They believed the four straight losses they carried into Saturday's game at Cleveland State didn't accurately portray their talent or the progress they are making under veteran coach Jerry Slocum.
Ward and the Penguins believed they could come into the Wolstein Center and spring an upset on the Vikings, who were 13-2 overall and 2-0 in the Horizon League.
Ward and company turned belief into action, outplaying the Vikings from beginning to end en route to a 73-67 victory.
"This is a huge win for us, sitting on four losses and knowing we're so much better than that,'' Ward said.
The former Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School standout scored nine of his 15 points in the final three minutes of the game as the Penguins refused to wilt under the pressure.
YSU improved to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in league play.
"Nobody was afraid," Ward said. "We were ready for the challenge, and we took it. I'm not surprised we won.''
Ward, sturdily built at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, made two important baskets in crunch time to give the Penguins much-needed breathing room.
With three minutes remaining and YSU clinging to a 61-59 lead, Ward drained a 3-pointer to make it 64-59. One minutes later, Ward drove through the heart of CSU's usually stingy defense to cash in a layup that extended Youngstown's lead to 66-60.
"When the game is on the line, Ashen makes plays,'' Slocum said.
CSU coach Gary Waters gave Ward and his teammates all the credit in the world for securing the victory, shooting 58 percent from the field and scoring 73 points against a CSU squad that came into game yielding a league-low 57.8 points per contest.
"Youngstown outplayed us. They deserved to win,'' Waters said.
The Vikings slipped to 12-3 and 2-1 in the league.
"It's a crushing loss because it's at home,'' Waters said.
The Penguins got 20 points and a game-high 10 rebounds from junior forward Damian Eargle. The former Warren Harding star was 8 of 11 from the field. On defense, he limited CSU senior center Aaron Pogue to two points and two rebounds.
YSU senior forward DuShawn Brooks also was a thorn in CSU's side with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The Vikings were a two-man show Saturday, getting a game-high 21 points from senior guard Jeremy Montgomery and 20 points from senior forward D'Aundray Brown.
CSU got off to a sluggish start, falling behind by as many as 12 points midway through the first half. Brown and Montgomery caught fire, though, helping CSU overcome a 19-7 deficit with a 21-8 run over the next nine minutes.
Montgomery accounted for 12 of those points when he drained four straight shots from beyond the 3-point line. The last of those four treys, from 25 feet, was a "heat-check'' special.
CSU had a 31-29 halftime lead.
The Vikings suffered a blow when senior guard Trey Harmon was knocked to the floor at the 15:27 mark of the second half while chasing a long rebound. Harmon lay prone for a few minutes before heading to the locker room with a trainer.
The 6-foot-1 senior from California, averaging 11.4 points, suffered a concussion and did not return. Waters said he'll play it safe with Harmon, given the fact the player has been sidelined in the past with concussion symptoms.
Montgomery acknowledged that the Vikings got caught looking past the Penguins.
"We took them for granted and came up on the wrong side,'' Montgomery said.
CSU swings back into action Thursday, hosting Horizon League foe Illinois-Chicago.
http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2011/12/31/sports/nh4920151.txt?viewmode=fullstory (http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2011/12/31/sports/nh4920151.txt?viewmode=fullstory)
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Damian Eargle scored 20 points to lead three Youngstown State players in double figures and push the Penguins to a 73-67 win over host Cleveland State in men's college basketball before 3,513 fans on New Year;s Eve at the Wolstein Center.
Eargle was joined by DuShawn Brooks with 17 and Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph High graduate Ashen Ward who scored 15 as the Penguins broke a 4-game losing string, improved to 2-1 in Horizon League play and 7-6 overall.
Cleveland State, which had won two in a row and seven of eight, fell to 2-1 in league play and 12-3 overall with the loss.
The Penguins led by as many as 12 in the first half before Cleveland State's Jeremy Montgomery hit three straight 3-pointers in the last 2:24 of the opening 20 minutes to help the Vikings to a 31-29 lead at intermission.
But Youngstown State, with its first win over Cleveland State after losing the five previous meetings and eight of nine, bounced back, scoring on eight consecutive possessions in the second half to take a 52-44 edge with 10:47 left on a jumper by Josh Chojnacki.
Cleveland State, which lost starting guard Trey Harmon to a possible concussion with 14:27 left in the second half, rallied behind a 10-2 run that included 3-pointers by Tim Kamczyc and Montgomery along with a shot clock-beating jumper by Kamczyc to trail 59-58 with 4:31 remaining.
But the Penguins got a jumper from Eargle for a 61-58 lead with 3:50 left and never let Cleveland State to get any closer the rest of the afternoon by hitting seven of 10 free throws in the final 1:16.
"We had an advantage in the league race by winning two on the road but we gave it back today with a loss at home," said Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters. "It's crucial that you win your home games in this league. It's so tough to win on the road."
Waters knows what went wrong in the Vikings's first league setback.
"We had a nice crowd (3,513) and we didn't give them what they deserved. We have to get back to basics and get it right defensively."
The Penguins used a 58% shooting day from the field with Eargle leading the way by hitting 8-for-11 from the field on his way to 20 points.
Youngstown State hit 25-of-43 field goal tries and went 8-for-16 from behind the arc, led by Brooks and Ward who each went 3-for-5.
"It's a big win," said Ward, a 6-3 senior who played his high school basketball just east of the Cleveland State campus at VASJ. "We lost four in a row and we're better than that. We were were up for the challenge. We are an unselfish team. We don't care who gets the shot as long as it's a good shot."
With the win, Youngstown State coach Jerry Slocum's team is one of seven with one loss in Horizon League play.
Cleveland State and Milwaukee entered New Year's Eve as the only two unbeatens in league play but Butler edged Milwaukee, 54-50 in another Saturday afternoon game to give the Panthers their first league loss after three wins.
"You can't give away possessions against Cleveland State and today we executed for the full 40 minutes," said Slocum.
Cleveland State got a game-high 21 points from Montgomery who was 6-for-8 from behind the 3-point arc while D'Aundray Brown added another 20 that included 2-for-2 on 3-pointers and 4-for-4 from the line.
The 73 points for YSU were the most allowed this season by the Vikings, who earlier suffered a 70-55 loss at South Florida.
"We didn't play Cleveland State basketball," added Waters. "We made it an offensive game and we have to make it a defensive game to win. We scored our 65 points today but that was not enough. Give Youngstown State credit. They shot the ball very, very well."
The Vikings also shot well, especially from behind the 3-point line, hitting 10-of-21 with Montgomery leading the way on 6-of-8, tying a career-high with his six successful tries.
The Cleveland State loss snapped a 17-game win steak for the Vikings against Ohio opponents. The last loss for Cleveland State to an Ohio school was a 72-59 setback to Ohio State on Dec. 22, 2009.
Youngstown State's win at the Wolstein Center snapped a 5-game slide on visits to Cleveland, winning a 68-63 decision over the Vikings on Jan. 28, 2006.
Cleveland State, now 4-1 on its home floor, remains home for its next two, facing Illinois-Chicago on Jan. 5 and hosting Loyola on Jan. 7 at the Wolstein Center.
Youngstown State, the Horizon League travel partner of the Vikings, will entertain Loyola on Jan. 5 and face Illinois-Chicago on Jan. 7 at the Beeghly Center.
The Vikings and Penguins meet again Jan. 28 in Youngstown
Continue reading on Examiner.com Youngstown State upends Cleveland State on New Year's Eve, 73-67 - Cleveland Cleveland State Vikings | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/cleveland-state-vikings-in-cleveland/youngstown-state-upends-cleveland-state-on-new-year-s-eve-73-67#ixzz1iJG7x112 (http://www.examiner.com/cleveland-state-vikings-in-cleveland/youngstown-state-upends-cleveland-state-on-new-year-s-eve-73-67#ixzz1iJG7x112)
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From the Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Forty-one points, 20 rebounds and nine assists.
That's what it took for Cleveland State to beat Youngstown State in the final game between these two teams last season. For Norris Cole, it was one of the greatest boxscore lines ever: 41-20-9. It also was a strong hint that the senior guard could be a valuable part of an NBA team.
Just ask the Miami Heat, where Cole comes off the bench and is averaging 11.0 points and shooting 45 percent in his first four pro games.
But no more Cole was just part of the reason that Gary Waters feared Saturday's game with Youngstown State. "They start five guys, and all five can score," said the Cleveland State coach. "And they knew it took Norris having that great game to beat them. They were ready for us."
CSU was not prepared for the Penguins, who upset CSU, 73-67, at Wolstein Center. It was YSU's second victory in three Horizon League games, matching CSU (12-3) in conference records.
Youngstown State was sizzling from the field, shooting 58 percent -- 8-of-16 on 3-pointers. This against a team that ranked No. 8 in the country in defensive 3-point field goal percentage (25 percent). The Vikings were outrebounded (29-24) by a smaller team and seemed baffled by the different zone defenses employed by the Penguins.
"Flat" was the operative word from CSU after the game. Flat-footed defense. Flat-footed rebounding. Flat emotionally against a team fired up to knock off a local rival.
Consider that Warren Harding product Damian Eagle scored 20 points with 10 rebounds, while Ashen Ward (Villa Angela/St. Joseph) had 12 of his 15 points in the second half.
Waters has some issues. Starting center Aaron Pogue is hobbled by thigh injury, and in the second half, starting guard Tre Harmon suffered a concussion.
"But we just didn't play well," he said. "There is only one way for us to play -- it's win with defense."
This is an experienced CSU team that starts four seniors and a junior. But it lacks a future NBA first-rounder such as Cole. Nor does it have a reliable scorer, as D'Aundary Brown leads the team at 12.4 per game. Next is Harmon at 11.4. Saturday, Jeremy Montgomery delivered 21 points, Brown scored 20. So offense wasn't the problem. At least, that would have been true had CSU held Youngstown under 60 points, Waters' goal for his team in each game.
YSU's 73 points was the most Cleveland State has allowed all year.
"We had a good crowd [3,513] and they gave us energy," said Waters. "We didn't give them the performance they deserved."
In many ways, it's amazing the Vikings are 12-3. They have been winning while shooting only 43 percent from the field. They have knocked off Vanderbilt, Kent State, Akron, Toledo and Wright State despite a huge deficit in free throws attempted (339-206). They also are being outrebounded, and the key to their victories is forcing nearly 20 turnovers a game.
But not Saturday, as Youngstown lost the ball only 15 times.
Long after the game was over, Waters let out a long sigh. His team is 58-13 at home since the start of the 2007-08 season. That's part of the reason he called this "a crushing loss."
"Now, we start over," he said. "We go back to the basics. Back to defense. Back being the team that can't rely on someone like Norris Cole to bail us out in a game like this -- because he's gone."
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2011/12/without_a_star_leading_the_way.html (http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2011/12/without_a_star_leading_the_way.html)
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Another cheap shot from YSU hater and MAC worshipping PD honk Elton Alexander. What a piece of work this guy is - 20 years of shots at YSU while worshipping at the Kent and Akron altar
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Facing the bottom of the Horizon League barrel in Youngstown State, the Cleveland State Vikings dove in and rarely surfaced, suffering a stinging 73-67 loss Saturday afternoon before 3,513 in the Wolstein Center.
Senior Ashen Ward, a 6-3 swingman out of Villa Angela-St. Joseph, delivered nine of his 15 points down the stretch to keep the Penguins on top in a game they led much of the way. The Vikings did nothing they traditionally do against opponents more highly regarded than YSU, and paid for it dearly.
Adding to CSU's woes was the loss of senior guard Trevon Harmon to a concussion early in the second half. His availability is day-to-day.
CSU entered the game holding the opposition to 26.7 percent 3-point shooting. The Penguins made 50 percent (8-of-16). The Vikings average forcing 19.2 turnovers. The Penguins committed 15, and only three came in the final 3:36, when CSU was within 61-58. Before Saturday, only one team had reached 70 points against the Vikings. Now it's two.
While this is only the third loss for the Vikings (12-3, 2-1 Horizon) on the season, it's the first setback at home.
"It's a crushing loss, because it is at home," CSU head coach Gary Waters said, noting the Vikings' first two league wins were on the road. "We just gave that advantage back."
The Penguins were the better team for most of the 40 minutes as they calmly handled CSU's defensive pressure. Three players posted double figures, led by Damian Eargle's 20 points. But it was Ward who knocked down a big 3-pointer for a 64-59 YSU lead, then followed with a driving, twisting layup for a 66-59 lead before YSU closed the game out at the line.
Ward's first basket in that run came after CSU's Charlie Lee kicked the ball off his foot and out of bounds. Ward's second came after Jeremy Montgomery did the same thing.
"Two unnecessary turnovers," Waters said.
The Penguins (7-6, 2-1) snapped a four-game winning streak, and are tied for first place in the HL standings.
"These guys are a sneak-up team," said CSU's Montgomery, whose 21 points and torrid 3-point shooting in the first half gave CSU a 31-29 lead at halftime. "We took those guys for granted and came out on the wrong side."
Youngstown State built a 19-7 lead as the Penguins limited their turnovers early. Then Montgomery went to work.
The first 3-pointer from the stocky 6-2 senior guard from Chicago tied the game at 20. The second came with a finger pointed at his defender. The third came with three fingers raised to the CSU band, then the fourth came with a scream as he back-pedaled down the court.
YSU took the lead back to start the second half before a Montgomery trey tied it at 40. But Ward answered with a 3-pointer and YSU never trailed again.
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2011/12/cleveland_state_absorbs_a_pain.html (http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2011/12/cleveland_state_absorbs_a_pain.html)
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goodnews,
The Vindicator did not even send a sportswriter to the game. That is how much that rag cares about YSU.
Indy,
Didn't that Alexander hack actually pick us in the middle of the pack this season? So, we revert to bottom feeders when we defeat CSU. Nice touch. Horizon League bottom feeders always win two out of three road games.
As Indy noted, let us hope that this team does not rest on its laurels and puke away this start with poor performances at home against UIC and Loyola. Besides the outside shooting yesterday, it was really encouraging to see our players take the ball to the hoop and finish when CSU overextended on defense. How many of us thought they would fold down the stretch? Perhaps the lessons learned from the RMU game took hold.
Before we get carried away, the bench scored only four points and had only four rebounds. Perry, Allen, and Brooks all played 36 minutes or more. They cannot continue to carry that much of the load as we go through the league season. But with no depth, what can you do?
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I thought there were several really good thing that happened.
1. CSU is not that good of a basketball team. I should say not as good as I thought.
2. With Eargle scoring ...we have a team that is really 5 offensive shooting guards.
3. We had 32-minutes of play off the bench ...getting better each week. Chojnacki was a presence inside for us.
4. 28-rebounds & we cut down on the turn-overs just a bit.
5 Perhaps the biggest ...24-points in the paint.
6. Slocum planned and called a very good game. This is why think we will do well in conference. We can put up numbers. CSU tried to out-shoot us ...I thought they were going to get it right at the end but they kept trying for threes & the rebounds came way back. The Slocum moved everyone back & we were in position late. Then we had a really bad turn-over and thought we lost the game. We were up by one & Ward dropped a 3-pointer.
7. When CSU turns up the defense they foul constantly.
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All great posts.
I don't ever listen to YSU games but I caught it yesterday while driving and I've got to say Rob Schmitt does a TREMENDOUS job.
This win and listening to Slocum's comments postgame will get me out to see the Guins this year.
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This guy from Cleveland.com outta proofread his articles prior to posting as he published that the Penguins snapped a 4-game winning streak...?
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We will get respect when we start to consistantly win and make them notice us.
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Wick - you are correct. Alexander picked YSU fourth in his pre-season article. What a joke.
Lecter - we also caught the game on the radio. I just wish Schmidt would can the obsession with meaningless statistics. For example, CSU scored on a three in the closing moments. YSU inbounded and was fouled. But we didn't know that for about 10 seconds because Schmidt was too busy telling us that was the third three pointer of the season for the guy from CSU who made the shot. When the game is on the line, call what is on the floor, don't look at your stat sheet. How many points a player had last year against CSU is simply filler.
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Down year in the Horizon...chance for us to move up...just like last years Butler's game...favorite played poorly and we ambushed them...lets hope this was a good win...not a lucky one!
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If you watched the game on the internet....
you would know. it was not LUCK, it was
absolute good coaching and performance
GO PENGUINS
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Sorry I disagree Pita, we always win one we aren't supposed too. We aren't going to shoot 58% every nite. Cleve State played poorly and was flat. This team did the same thing against Butler last year and then did nothing the rest of the season. We are a jump shooting team that will wear down as the season goes unless all of the sudden our Bench puts something together. Come the end of the season and they have 14-15 wins I will admit that I was a dumbass and was wrong...I hope that I am wrong...
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Found this game recap on midmajority.com
Well worth the read and very well written
http://www.midmajority.com/p/2377 (http://www.midmajority.com/p/2377)
Game #8-317: Youngstown State Penguins at Cleveland State Vikings
December 31, 2011 2:00 pm
H. J. Goodman Arena
BBState Stats/Recap
As 3,513 Cleveland State basketball fans filed into the Wolstein Center on an overcast, unseasonably moderate 40 degree afternoon for the Vikings two o'clock New Years Eve day Horizon League game against Youngstown State, I recalled a conversation which I had earlier in the day with a friend of mine.
He mentioned that today's game would be a test for Cleveland State and I could not have agreed with him more.
For years, Youngstown State has been an afterthought with regards to basketball and looked upon by fans of their opposition as not much more than that of an exhibition game. YSU Head Coach Jerry Slocum, who is in his seventh season at the easternmost member of the Horizon League, has had the trust of the athletic department's administrator's throughout the past three seasons of fans calling for his dismissal. The past three seasons have been a collective nightmare for fans of Penguin basketball while they have watched their team go a collective 28-62 overall and 11-44 in Horizon League play. This season (albeit young) is proving to be a reward for the exercising of patience, which is virtually non-existent in the society to which we find ourselves currently residing.
Youngstown State enters today's contest with a 6-6 overall record and 1-1 in Horizon League play. Both their games have been on the road. The December 1st, 64-61 win at Detroit Mercy was thought to have been an aberration on my part. I was wrong! Two nights later they traveled to Dayton Ohio to play Wright State (which by the contention of any Horizon League coach, always fields a quality team) and suffered a one point 63-62 loss on a Raiders free throw with 1.4 seconds left in the game. (Ironically, CSU has played both of their Horizon League games against the same two opponents, both on the road) Many choose to look at the loss as to what it is in it's simplest form, a loss. I recognize that one point road loss to a quality opponent as a sign of things to come for Coach Slocum's Penguins. One of the most difficult aspects of a coach's job is to get your players to believe in what you are asking them to do, which in the case of the Youngstown State University men's basketball program is changing the culture inside it, and the perception of those outside it.
There is common ground held between both Jerry Slocum and Gary Waters. Both were asked when hired by their respective universities, to change the culture of the program and re-invigorate the fan base. Although Coach Waters has enjoyed much more success than his counterpart to this point, the improvements visible in the 2011/2012 version of the Penguins basketball program can not be under-stated. I am not a card carrying member of the Jerry Slocum fan club, but I have always been one to recognize the opportunity to lend credit when it is deserved, much as I have been with bestowing accolades to Coach Gary Waters and the under-rated job he has done with establishing Cleveland State as being a perennial favorite to win the Horizon League over the past three seasons.
To those who do not follow Horizon League basketball, the names of the participants in today's game are an afterthought of sorts and I am understanding to a degree. The 800 Game Project has afforded all who follow the sub Red-Line consortium an opportunity to bring about change, and I feel quite honored to offer up my humble dissertation on the reasons why today's game should warrant a 180 degree assessment when passing judgment upon the oft used doormat, formerly known as Penguin basketball.
Cleveland State takes the floor with a 12-2 overall record and a 2-0 mark in Horizon League play. Both of the losses which the Vikings have incurred have come away from the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center. The first of those two was a 10 point loss to Hofstra in the Tickets City Legends Classic in Kingston RI, and the other being a 15 point loss to Big East member South Florida on December 19th in Tampa. Outside of those two games, the Vikings have a record that would make Clearasil blush.
Moments before the tip, I had the opportunity to see the face of Coach Waters, and what I saw from my seat five rows behind the CSU bench was one of concern. I am cognizant that each and every coach has an edge to him, but I have seen quite a few pre-game faces from Coach Waters and this one differed from the calm and confidence to which I've seen in the past. Immediately I recalled the conversation to which I had with my friend Mark Slavik earlier in the day about the potential of this particular game. I did not dismiss the thought entirely, but factored in that CSU has not lost a home game this season and have defeated the Penguins five straight times, including eight of the last nine.
In most games Cleveland State plays, the outcome hinges upon a few constant variables. Team defense, taking care of the basketball on offense, making the extra pass, and taking good shots which are staples of the Gary Waters doctrine. This is not a secret to success only known to Coach Waters (or any other coach for that matter) but it is something that he and every other basketball coach on the planet must emphasize before their team takes the court in any given game, today's being no different.
Having four senior starters is a luxury that very few coaches possess. Having three senior guards like Jeremy Montgomery, Trey Harmon and D'Aundray Brown, who average 9.3 , 11.4 and 12.4 points respectively is invaluable. Prior to today's tip, Jeremy Montgomery ranks second all-time in CSU history with 173 three point baskets made and Trey Harmon sits three spots behind at number five all-time with 164.
Youngstown State counters with a three guard lineup of their own with leading scorer Kendrick Perry and Blake Allen combining to average 29.2 points per game. With 6-6 Senior Forward DuShawn Brooks (only Sr starter), the Penguins fashion three starters that average double figures with his 10.5 per game contribution. This game was to match the experience of CSU and the resiliency of a young but talented YSU team.
The opening tip went to Youngstown State and the Penguins opened the scoring with a left wing three pointer by Blake Allen who finished the game with 9 points. Cleveland State's D'Aundray Brown countered two possessions later with a jumper from the left wing. After trading turnovers and missed shots, Aaron Pogue's up and under layup gave the Vikings a 4-3 lead off of a Trey Harmon assist. The ensuing 6:36 would produce a 16-3 Penguin run that silenced the Viking faithful and forced CSU coach Gary Waters to call a 30 second timeout.
As is usually the case when a coach calls a timeout to squelch an opposing team's run of that magnitude, Coach Water's squad answered with 24-10 run led by Montgomery's 14 points which included four 3 pointers, to close out the half with a two point 31-29 Viking's lead.
Youngstown State's Kendrick Perry opened up the 2nd half scoring with a pair of free throws off of a Montgomery foul to knot the score at 31 all. YSU would then take the lead on the next possession on a Damian Eargle layup and the teams would trade baskets and leads until CSU's Brown nailed a three pointer to give the Vikings a one point, 36-35 lead with 16:12 remaining in the game. No one in the Wolstein Center knew it, but that would be the last lead that Cleveland State would see for the remainder of the game. Youngstown State would embark upon a 17-8 run over a span of 5:25 that would provide a cushion that the Vikings cut into as they came within one after Anton Grady sank a pair of free throws to make the score 59-58 at the 4:31 mark, but could not overcome, even on it's own floor. That's a staple of Gary Waters' teams, they never quit, regardless of the score and/or circumstances. On this day, their resolve fell short as the Penguins afforded Cleveland State their first home loss of the season 73-67, which subsequently was CSU's first conference loss. Youngstown State and Cleveland State are now tied at 2-1 in conference play, and Coach Jerry Slocum is well aware of the importance of this victory as he has now defeated two of the top three teams in the conference, all on the road. All coaches understand the difficulty of winning on the road and more importantly, the necessity of winning at home.
I was truly impressed by Coach Jerry Slocum's team's effort. Most notably the double-double posted by Damian Eargle with 20 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes of court time. Ashen Ward and DuShawn Brooks added 15 and 17 points respectively and the team shot a lofty 58% from the field (50% 3pt) which proved to be the difference.
Cleveland State was led by Jeremy Montgomery's 21 (which led all scorers) and D'Aundray Brown's 20 point efforts as the Vikings shot a modest 46% from the field and 47% from behind the arc. Some in attendance point to the disparity in free throw attempts between the two teams which saw YSU make 11 more than CSU, but I disagree with that contention as the majority of those attempts came late in the second half when CSU was relegated to fouling the Penguins to maximize possession opportunities in the closing minutes of the game.
The importance of this win for the confidence of a young Youngstown State team can be put into context by one defining statistic. Youngstown State, after only three Horizon League contests this season, has equaled the win total (two) that they have achieved in each of the past two seasons in conference play. It seems that the continuous efforts of Coach Slocum to instill in his players the importance of belief and effort, truly can change the culture inside the program. Now the only thing to witness is the change in perception outside the program.
I am a believer as is my friend, and I am glad to see that the administration within the confines of the Youngstown State athletic department are seeing the results they had hoped for when lending a coach the support he deserved.
As much disappointment as I felt for Coach Waters, I felt equally as good for Coach Slocum, who I am guessing truly will have a Happy New Year!
YOUNGSTOWN STATE 73, at CLEVELAND STATE 67
12/31/2011
YOUNGSTOWN STATE 7-6 (2-1) -- D. Brooks 5-8 4-7 17; B. Allen 3-9 1-2 9; K. Perry 3-5 2-3 8; A. Ward 4-7 4-4 15; D. Eargle 8-11 4-5 20; J. Amiker 1-1 0-2 2; F. Larson 0-1 0-0 0; J. Chojnacki 1-1 0-0 2; N. Perry 0-0 0-0 0; D. Cole 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-43 15-23 73.
CLEVELAND STATE 12-3 (2-1) -- J. Montgomery 7-10 1-2 21; D. Brown 7-13 4-4 20; T. Kamczyc 3-7 0-0 7; A. Grady 2-7 3-4 7; T. Harmon 2-7 0-0 4; A. Pogue 1-3 0-0 2; C. Lee 2-5 0-0 5; S. Douglas 0-0 1-2 1; L. Ndaye 0-0 0-0 0; I. Nwamu 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-52 9-12 67.
Three-point goals: YSU 8-16 (A. Ward 3-5; B. Allen 2-5; D. Brooks 3-5; K. Perry 0-1), CLST 10-21 (D. Brown 2-2; T. Harmon 0-3; J. Montgomery 6-8; T. Kamczyc 1-5; A. Grady 0-1; C. Lee 1-2); Rebounds: YSU 28 (D. Eargle 10), CLST 22 (J. Montgomery 5); Assists: YSU 17 (K. Perry 5), CLST 13 (T. Kamczyc 6); Total Fouls -- YSU 9, CLST 18; Fouled Out: YSU-None; CLST-None.
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Nice article, I would say the difference was not the 50% from 3-point, as much as 24-points inside. We have been dropping threes all season ...we have not been scoring effectively though.
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Sorry I disagree Pita, we always win one we aren't supposed too. We aren't going to shoot 58% every nite. Cleve State played poorly and was flat. This team did the same thing against Butler last year and then did nothing the rest of the season. We are a jump shooting team that will wear down as the season goes unless all of the sudden our Bench puts something together. Come the end of the season and they have 14-15 wins I will admit that I was a dumbass and was wrong...I hope that I am wrong...
Good to see Paladin is back with us!!
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Wick - you are correct. Alexander picked YSU fourth in his pre-season article. What a joke.
Lecter - we also caught the game on the radio. I just wish Schmidt would can the obsession with meaningless statistics. For example, CSU scored on a three in the closing moments. YSU inbounded and was fouled. But we didn't know that for about 10 seconds because Schmidt was too busy telling us that was the third three pointer of the season for the guy from CSU who made the shot. When the game is on the line, call what is on the floor, don't look at your stat sheet. How many points a player had last year against CSU is simply filler.
Yes Indy, I get your point. I am such a casual listener that I didn't get that. I just like the way he describes the on-court action. Puts a good "picture" in my mind. Again, just a casual listener.
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Wick - you are correct. Alexander picked YSU fourth in his pre-season article. What a joke.
Lecter - we also caught the game on the radio. I just wish Schmidt would can the obsession with meaningless statistics. For example, CSU scored on a three in the closing moments. YSU inbounded and was fouled. But we didn't know that for about 10 seconds because Schmidt was too busy telling us that was the third three pointer of the season for the guy from CSU who made the shot. When the game is on the line, call what is on the floor, don't look at your stat sheet. How many points a player had last year against CSU is simply filler.
Lecter - I agree he is among the better announcers and does paint a good picture of the action. I have heard a whole lot worse.
Yes Indy, I get your point. I am such a casual listener that I didn't get that. I just like the way he describes the on-court action. Puts a good "picture" in my mind. Again, just a casual listener.
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Like the Pally comment IP. I want us to win..but if you go by past history we fade as the season goes into the meat of the schedule. But Hopefully we have turned the corner. We will see come Feb.