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106

YSU Penguin Athletics / Men's & Women's computer rankings

« on: December 03, 2012, 10:50:44 AM »

Monday morning update on the various computers rankings for men's and women's basektball

Women's Basketball

Massey is the only service I follow that has women's rankings.  He has YSU ranked #112 overall, third in the Horizon behind Green Bay and Detroit.  With projections for each remaining game, Massey would project YSU to finish 23-6, 15-3 in the league.  Losses remaining to Green Bay (twice), at Detroit, at WVU and at Cincinnati.  YSU is a 51% favorite at Virginia Commonwealth.  I would be thrilled with a 23-6 finish, although I suspect that is a bit optomistic.  But it shows the tremendous job Coach Bolden and staff have done with the program.

Men's Basketball

Pomeroy has YSU 134 overall, fourth in the Horizon (Behind Valpo. CSU and Detroit).  Projecting a 17-12, 9-7 finish.  15 of the remaining 18 games against DI competition are projected to have final margins of six points or less and none of the games are projected to have a margin greater than 10.  This is a team that will play a lot of close games.

Massey has YSU 165 overall, sixth in the Horizon.  Projecting a 16-13, 10-8 finish based on individual game projections.  YSU is favored in all league home games plus at Loyola.

Sagarain has YSU 136 overall, fourth in the Horizon (behind Valpo, UIC and Detroit).  Based on current home court advantage and tightly bunch Horizon League ratings, he would have YSU winning only at Loyola at Green Bay and losing at home only to Valpo.

107

YSU Penguin Athletics / Men's Basketball to face North Dakota State, James Madison and Duquesne

« on: November 19, 2012, 10:13:09 AM »

Men’s basketball plays the next three nights in the Legends Classic.  The games will be played in the Palumbo Center on the campus of Duquesne in Pittsburgh.

YSU plays North Dakota State at 4:30 today (Monday), James Madison at 4:30 Tuesday and Duquesne at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday. 

North Dakota State

The Bison are 2-1 with wins over lower level schools Valley City State 93-47 and Mayville State 73-40 sandwiched around a loss at Indiana 87-61 in the opening round of the Legends Classic. 

Pomeroy predicts a 72-70 NDSU win, with YSU having a 45% chance of winning. 

Sagarin has YSU as a 2 ˝ point favorite on overall, a 2 point favorite on Predictor.

Massey predicts a 74-68 YSU win, giving YSU a 69% chance of winning.

Should be a very good game.

James Madison

The Dukes enter at 0-1, having lost at UCLA 100-70 in the opening round of the Legends Classic.  JMU will play Duquesne Monday night before playing YSU.

Pomeroy predicts a 73-68 YSU win, with YSU having a 65% chance of winning. 

Sagarin has YSU as a 6 point favorite on overall, a 5 ˝ point favorite on Predictor

Massey projects a 77-68 YSU win, giving the Penguins a 78% chance of winning.

The computer predictions will change somewhat after the Monday games.

Duquesne

The Dukes enter at 0-2, having opened the season with a 69-66 loss at Albany before losing at Georgetwon 73-67 in the opening round of the Legends Classic.  Duquesne will play both North Dakota State and James Madison before playing YSU.

Pomeroy predicts a 70-69 Duquesne win, giving YSU a 43% chance of winning.

Sagarin has the Dukes as a half point favorite on overall,  a 1 ˝ point favorite on Predictor.  YSU would be favored on a neutral court.

Massey projects a 73-69 Duquesne win, giving YSU a 38% chance of winning.

The computer predictions will change somewhat after the Monday and Tuesday games.

Three very competitive games, three very winnable games.  YSU’s depth will be tested with three games in three nights.  The Penguins had good bench production at George Washington – a few of the bench guys are going to have to step up the next three nights if the Penguins are going to come home with 3 wins.

Pomeroy currently has YSU at 121 overall, third best in the Horizon behind Valpo and Cleveland State and just ahead of Detroit.  The Horizon teams are currently 23-9 overall and the league has moved from 15th to 12th in Pomeroy’s conference rankings.  He predicts a 19-10 YSU overall record

Sagarin currently has YSU at 95 overall.

Massey has YSU at 74 overall.  Current game projections show YSU finishing 22-7!

108

YSU Penguin Athletics / Softball signings

« on: November 15, 2012, 10:15:20 AM »

It appears softball is set to sign at least three players in this recruiting class.

Alexandria Gibson has tweeted she intends to sign with YSU today.  Appears she is a pitcher from Jaworski territory - North Tonawanda, NY.

The Indy Star is reporting YSU has signed Darcella Blakey of Indy Scecina (East side Indy Catholic high school).  Scecina is a strong softball program, losing the last two years in the post-season to the eventual state champ.  In looking at Blakey's fielding stats, it would appear she is an outfielder - not many putouts or assists.

http://stats.nsnsports.net/team/player/16/35288

Story:

Sarah Dowd, an outfielder from Pottstown PA Owen J Roberts High School has signed with YSU.  Very nice article here from the local paper - she already sounds like a Valley native.

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121114/SPORTS01/121119616/-1/SPORTS/college-signing-ojr-s-dowd-driving-on-to-youngstown-st-

BUCKTOWN — Sarah Dowd should fit right in with the Youngstown State University softball team next season. The hard-hitting Owen J. Roberts center fielder, who set a school record for a single season batting average last spring, signed a National Letter of Intent to study and play softball at the NCAA Division I member school in Ohio during the first day of the Early Signing Period before classes began Wednesday morning. There she’ll be joining a squad that ranked high in several national hitting statistics last year, including 13th in the country in batting average.

Youngstown head coach Brian Campbell saw Dowd play at a showcase event in Quakertown last November and she visited the school and found that there was a lot to like about the school of over 15,000 not far from the Pennsylvania border.

“I saw the school and talked to the coaches and I just loved it,” said Dowd. “The campus is amazing and the people are friendly and genuine and I like the atmosphere.”

Last year Dowd played only 12 games for the Wildcats after returning from a pre-season knee injury, but made quite an impact on the team on its run to another District 1-AAAA playoff spot and on the school record book. She picked up 22 hits in the 12 contests, including three doubles, five triples, and two home runs. She knocked in 15 runs and scored 11 and recorded a remarkable 1.612 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage).

Her .564 batting average was a single-season school record and that moved her up to fifth place on the all-time Wildcat batting average list at .381. She now has 51 hits, 35 RBI, and 27 runs with a season to go.

She was named the team’s Offensive MVP and earned a spot on The Mercury’s All-Area first team and the Southeast Pennsylvania second team.


“Sarah has worked and willed herself into an elite high school softball player,” said OJR head coach Kevin Kirby. “Her tireless work ethic, along with her desire to be great, have enabled her to become one of the best softball players in our area. Sarah has demonstrated incredible improvement each and every year. As a result, I believe she is as good of a hitter as we have ever had here at OJR.

“Sarah is a very coachable young lady who is a tremendous role model for the younger players on our team and in our school district. Sarah plays and practices hard, she does not take anything for granted; using every moment on the field as an opportunity to help her team improve. Youngstown State is getting an excellent softball player, but more importantly, they are getting an even better person. I am excited to work with Sarah this spring.”

After her senior season at OJR, Dowd will be joining a team that set a school record with its .313 team batting average last season and also placed in the top 35 in the nation in runs scored per game, doubles per game, and slugging percentage while going 29-21-1 overall and 12-10 in the Horizon League. Campbell was named the League Coach of the Year.

“Their offense is fantastic,” said Dowd. “He knows a lot about the game. He’s fantastic.”

And Dowd hopes to jump right into center field and be a part of that offensive production.

“If I earn my spot … definitely, he said,” Dowd added. “But that’s up to me.”

Dowd – the daughter of Jim and Polly Dowd and older sister of Mitchell - has been a member of National Honor Society, Wildcat Ambassadors, and Best Buddies at OJR. She has been playing softball since second grade and at the travel level since sixth grade. She also played field hockey in middle school and her freshman year in high school, but had to make a choice of sports.

“I had to pick the one I love more,” she said.

She’ll be leaving this morning for Long Beach, Calif., to play with the TNT Gold travel team, which placed 17th at the ASA Gold Nationals. Her schedule can hit 180 games per year, but she still manages to hit over .450 against some of the best pitchers in the country, according to father Jim.

“I work a lot during the week on hitting and my defense,” added Dowd, who is planning on a major in secondary education or psychology. “I’ve always been someone who could put the ball in play. The last four years, since I went to Diamond Dreams, I’m hitting the ball harder and learned to hit it where the fielders aren’t playing, and I appreciate that.”

109

YSU Penguin Athletics / St. Francis (0-2) at Youngstown State (2-0)

« on: November 14, 2012, 11:25:59 PM »

The men will host St. Francis Friday night.

The Red Flash are 0-2, losing at Penn State 65-58 and at Niagara 86-69.

Pomeroy puts YSU at a 91% chance of winning and predicts a 74-59 win.

Sagarin's ratings are still early and predict a 21 point YSU win at home.  The home court advantage in Sagarin is currently worth 5 1/2 points, one of the higher numbers I recall.

Massey, again very early, has YSU ranked 86th, St. Francis ranked 394th.  Massey gives YSU a 92% chance of winnng and predicts a 76-59. 

YSU must avoid the let down from a couple of big road wins.  Coming home and being a heavy favorite has not always worked well for YSU.  The next step in the growth of this team is to take care of business at home in comfortable fashion.

110

YSU Penguin Athletics / Baseball Class of 2013 Commits / Recruiting

« on: November 06, 2012, 04:41:08 PM »

Left handed pitcher Joe King of Hylton Virginia has committed to YSU per his Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/ImJoeKing16

111

YSU Penguin Athletics / HorizonLeagueHoops.com preview of YSU

« on: November 05, 2012, 12:15:38 PM »

Picks YSU for third.  We linked to the site many times last year.  Needs to be a must follow for any YSU hoops fan.


http://horizonleaguehoops.com/2012/11/05/tempo-free-countdown-no-3-youngstown-state/

I’m ranking and previewing the nine teams of the Horizon League leading up to the start of the 2012-2013 season. Rankings are based on a host of tempo-free and other factors. I invite your take in the comments section below.

Last season: Youngstown State shook off the cobwebs after years toiling in the Horizon League’s cellar with their most wins in over 10 seasons. Their 64-61 upset over league-favorite Detroit in December made a lot of people start paying attention, despite an obvious lack of depth in both their front and backcourt. That set the pace for a streaky but energizing 16-15 year.

YSU ended up with a 10-8 conference record that included a sweep of Green Bay, a win over eventual regular season champ Valparaiso and a tie for sixth place in the league standings. It was their winningest conference season since joining the Horizon League.

The Penguins ranked third in offensive efficiency (1.037 points scored per possession) among Horizon League teams last season, and eighth in defensive efficiency (1.013).

This season: The Penguins want to keep that momentum, and they will have a lot working in their favor. Their three most efficient starters, including last season’s All-Horizon League first team selection Kendrick Perry, return. Further, as Slocum assured reporters at the Horizon League media day, YSU’s newcomers will provide immediate big-play talent that will fill the gaps left by two departing starters — and then some.
Perry, and the other returning starters, Damian Eargle and Blake Allen, all worked on their game in the offseason by playing in the Pittsburgh Pro-Am club league.

Coach: Jerry Slocum (74-136), now in his seventh season at the YSU helm, is tied with Milwaukee coach Rob Jeter for the longest active Horizon League head coaching tenure. Last season was his only winning season, and it might have saved his job. At least one writer listed Slocum as on the hot seat.
Slocum has been an unusually outspoken supporter of his team this offseason.

Returning minutes: 64.72% (3rd) Returning possessions: 65.56% (4th) Returning scoring: 67.06% (3rd)

Returning starters: 3

Key returners:

1. Kendrick Perry (31 games last season/31 starts last season/1.18 points per possession last season) - Perry, who was selected to the All-League First Team by media both after last season and before this season, returns as YSU’s most efficient player and his third season starting at point guard. He’ll compete with Detroit’s Ray McCallum Jr. as the best PG in a guard-driven league.

How? Just look at his tempo-free metrics. Perry’s top-ranked assist to turnover ratio (1.9), second-ranked steal rate (4.21 percent), fifth-ranked assist rate (25.9 percent), sixth-ranked turnover rate (14.4 percent), fourth-ranked fouls committed per 40 minutes (2.1) and fifth-ranked offensive rating (114.4) among all Horizon League players last season all rank better than McCallum Jr.

Despite being the youngest starter on the floor for the Penguins last season, Perry played more minutes (86.3 percent), got more possessions when he was on the floor (25.3 percent) and took more shots when he was on the floor (24.6 percent) than any of his teammates.

One other thing: Lights out shooting. Perry shot 57.2 percent from inside the arc, and 35.5 percent from outside the arc last season.

With some team success under his belt, people might finally start giving Perry the attention he deserves. He should easily by in the conversation for the Horizon League’s best guard.

2. Blake Allen (31/31/1.21) - Whereas Perry is an efficient scorer, setup man and defender, Allen specializes as an even more effective scorer. In fact, he’s the second-most efficient scorer among returning Horizon League guards with 1.21 points per possession, and he’s a cartoonishly good shot.
The starting two-guard launched more three-pointers (212) last season than any player in the Horizon League and knocked them down at a 42.9 percent clip that ranked second. Three-pointers accounted for 68.7 percent of Allen’s points last season, a number that topped the Horizon and ranked 23rd in the nation.

This is his third season as a full-time starter for the 6-1 Florida native.

3. Damian Eargle (31/31/0.96) - What Eargle lacks in size, he makes up for in raw defensive talent. The undersized 6-7 post player returns as YSU’s efficient frontcourt leader for his third season as a full-time starter and was selected to the All-Horizon Preseason Second Team.

Only two players have blocked shots at a higher rate than Eargle since Ken Pomeroy started keeping track in 2005 (they’re Scott VanderMeer and LaMarcus Lowe if you’re curious), and he led the league last season with a shot blocked in 12.81 percent of his chances. The  number two and three players on that list from last season are 6-11 and 7-1 respectively.

Eargle also returns as the Penguins board-crashing leader on both ends, and he’s undervalued for his efficiency in the offensive low post.
Key losses:

1. Ashen Ward (31/31) - Ward started the last two seasons in Slocum’s frontcourt, and developed into a pretty efficient piece of the offense. However, the 6-3 wing/small forward wasn’t a lights-out shooter or a high-percentage rebounder so he won’t be difficult to replace.

2. DuShawn Brooks (31/31) - Last season Brooks stepped in to take over for the departed Vytas Sulskis, but didn’t really even compare to one of the best frontcourt pieces YSU has seen over the last few seasons. You can’t fault Brooks for much, but he lived in the shadow of Eargle on the boards and in the paint. Still, Brooks’ 42 percent 3-pt. percentage will be missed.

3. Nate Perry (25/0) - The sophomore guard played behind Perry and didn’t get many minutes. Perry’s shooting stroke wasn’t looked highly upon, and he took his talents to D-II Seton Hill in the offseason.

Key newcomers:

1. Ronnye Beamon (6-4, 195, freshman) - It’s a sign of how much noise Slocum’s team is starting to make that Beamon passed over offers from Valparaiso, Cleveland State, Lehigh, Evansville, Indiana State and a few others when he chose YSU.

Beamon ‘s solid shooting stroke from an anywhere on the floor should mean he’ll be a versatile wing or two-guard. He’ll get significant minutes as a freshman even if he doesn’t start in Ward’s vacated spot. I’m guessing that figured highly into his commitment.

2. Kamren Belin (6-7, 225, junior) - A JUCO transfer from Crowley College in Kansas, Belin passed on offers from UMKC, North Dakota and Sam Houston State. Belin — in the image of Eargle — plays bigger than his frame. He was recruited as a shot blocker and board crasher that even boasts an above average perimeter shooting stroke.

Belin and Bobby Hain should battle for the hole where DuShawn Brooks was in the starting lineup along with junior Josh Chojnacki and sophomore Fletcher Larson.

3. Bobby Hain (6-10, 235, freshman) - Hain come to YSU from Florida, and Slocum has said he has “unlimited potential.” He’s athletic, agile, and will be needed for some big minutes in his freshman year.

Marquee matchups (full schedule here):

1. At Georgia (81st in Pomeroy’s preseason rankings) on Nov. 12 - This game is part of the Progressive Legends Classic and will be broadcast live on ESPNU and ESPN3. I can’t find another instance of  a Youngstown State matchup with an SEC opponent from the regular season, so this game could have some historical implications.

The Bulldogs return four starters from their 15-17 team, but have been criticized for a serious lack of depth. Maybe the ‘Guins make a late run to upset the Bulldogs at home. I can dream.

2. At South Florida (76th) on Dec. 18 - The Bulls were competitive and featured top-to-bottom depth last season, but have since lost three starters. This one might come down to defense. USF had the 13th-most efficient defense in basketball last season, only allowing opponents an adjusted 0.889 points per possession.

Relevant: South Florida takes on Georgia in the SEC-Big East challenge on Nov. 30. YSU will be watching, and the transitive property of non-conference basketball is on the line.

3. At Duquesne (157th) on Nov. 21 - The Penguins have lost their last three games against Duquesne — in 2002, 2005 and 2007. This shot at revenge closes out the Progressive Legends classic, and it should be a pretty even matchup.

Duquesne lost three starters and their head coach after their 16-15 season near the middle of the A-10.

Three positives:

1. Depth. Finally. The Penguins ranked dead last among all Division-I teams in bench minutes last season (15.4 percent). That changes with some more experienced frontcourt bench players, and a solid recruiting class. Perry, Eargle and Allen won’t have to shoulder all the load.

2. Experience. Only maybe Valparaiso returns a more experienced corpse of starters. Slocum, Perry, Eargle and Allen know the league and their opponents, what works and what doesn’t, and they trust each other. YSU hasn’t had that kind of experience since I don’t know when.

3. Backcourt. With Cleveland State’s back court dismantled, I don’t think there’s a backcourt anywhere in the Horizon League that stacks up to the dynamic duo of Perry and Allen. Their court vision, their perimeter shooting stroke and their defensive mentality just are unmatched.

Three negatives:

1. Rebounding. Slocum will have to figure out the Chojnacki-Larson-Hain-Eargle-Belin rotation in a way that improves how his team rebounds. YSU finished eighth in both grabbing and defending offensive rebounds last season, but remained efficient because of solid passing and shooting. With more boards this offense comes together.

2. Scheduling. The Penguins will be traveling for six of their first eight games of the season, and only have two non-conference games at home against Division-I competition. That would be okay if the schedule was filled with high-major statement games, but it’s not.

YSU needs these wins over middling teams like James Madison, George Washington, Duquesne, North Dakota State and Bowling Green to remain respected around the league coming into conference play, but they won’t come as easily on the road.

3. Target. Where the Penguins were normally seen by league and non-conference foes as a team not worth preparing for, success has made YSU a target. Their opponents will be prepared, and it’s going to make things tougher on the ‘Guins.
Conclusion:

I know, it sounds crazy: Youngstown State at No. 3. People thought the same thing when preseason voters chose them at an all-time best No. 4, and that bias may well have some real value. The Penguins have been languishing in the cellars of the Horizon League for years, so why this team? Why now? What’s changed?

Is it that Slocum is feeling some pressure to perform? Is is that team chemistry just has come along at a fortunate pace that has Eargle, Perry and Blake all peaking at once? Is it that their marginal success last season earned them an edge with recruits that want to help? It’s likely some combination of those.
Whatever the reason, YSU’s underdog storyline is hard not to get swept up in, but I don’t think I was. They earned this.

Youngstown State’s starters have a combined nine seasons of experience as full-time starters, and all three are among the most efficient in the league. Horizon League teams have real reasons to fear this underdog team that is cutting its teeth on success.

112

YSU Penguin Athletics / Athlon Horizon League preview

« on: October 22, 2012, 01:53:49 PM »

YSU picked sixth


http://www.athlonsports.com/college-basketball/2012-13-college-basketball-countdown-horizon-league-preview

The Horizon League opens the 2012-13 without its marquee program, Butler, which departed during the offseason for the Atlantic 10.

Try telling the remaining teams Butler’s absence cuts into the intrigue around the Horizon League. Butler finished last season in a three-way tie for third place at 11-7. The Bulldogs weren’t even the Horizon’s best team in Indiana. That title belonged to Vaparaiso, which won the regular season title in Bryce Drew’s first season as head coach. Drew is ready for another run at a title and perhaps Valpo’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 2004.

That said, the league’s best player resides in Detroit, where Ray McCallum Jr. averaged 15.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4 assists.

ATHLON ALL-HORIZON TEAM                  HORIZON FACTS AND FIGURES
G Ray McCallum, Detroit*                           2011-12 regular season champion: Valparaiso
G Kendrick Perry, Youngstown State   2012 NCAA Tournament teams: Detroit#
F Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso                   New coaches: None
F Kevin Van Wijk, Valparaiso                   Realignment: Lost Butler to Atlantic 10
C Alec Brown, Green Bay    
*preseason player of the year   #conference tournament champion
 
2012-13 HORIZON LEAGUE PREVIEW
1. Valparaiso (22–12, 14–4)
Valpo legend Bryce Drew was a year ahead of schedule in winning the regular-season Horizon title in his first year as coach, and he'll enter 2012-13 as the heavy favorite with five senior starters returning. First among those starters is reigning Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff, who averaged 14.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in his first season as the team’s primary scorer after Brandon Wood departed for Michigan State. The 6-7 forward was one of the last cuts from Australia's Olympic team. Kevin Van Wijk accompanied Broekhoff in the frontcourt and on the All-Horizon first team as Valpo’s second-leading scorer with 14.1 points per game while shooting a league-best 61.7 percent. The first man off the bench after the five returning starters should be former Indiana transfer Bobby Capobianco, a 6-9 junior who sat out last season after averaging almost nine minutes per game over two seasons with IU.
NCAA Tournament prediction: One and done

2. Detroit (22–14, 11–7)
The Titans took half a season to gel last year before rolling to a 13–3 finish that included the Horizon Tournament title and a 65–50 loss to Final Four participant Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. Ray McCallum Jr., the catalyst of last season’s team and son of coach Ray McCallum Sr., is back for a junior season that could propel him into the NBA Draft. The former McDonald’s All-American averaged 15.4 points, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals, which were all in the top four in the league last year. Two other starters — seniors Doug Anderson (9.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and Jason Calliste (10.2 ppg) — give McCallum plenty of support, and forward Nick Minnerath is back after starting the first five games and then tearing his ACL. Three junior college transfers are expected to rotate at center unless one seizes the position, and Western Michigan transfer Juwan Howard Jr. becomes eligible and is expected to be in the rotation for a team that should challenge for the league title.

3. Green Bay (15–15, 10–8)
Green Bay looks to carry forward its momentum from a strong second half of 2011-12 with four starters returning to a team that went a league-best 12–2 at home. The Phoenix boast one of the league’s top frontcourts in Alec Brown and Brennan Cougill. Brown, a 7-1 junior, averaged 13.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks en route to first-team All-Horizon honors, while Cougill averaged 9.2 points and 7.0 rebounds. Big things are expected from point guard Keifer Sykes, an All-Newcomer selection who averaged 13.8 points and 4.5 assists in conference games as a freshman.

4. Cleveland State (22–11, 12–6)
Cleveland State is in a bit of a rebuilding mode after an impressive two-year run that featured 49 wins and a 25-11 Horizon record. Big man Tim Kamczyc, a fifth-year senior, returns for his third season in the starting lineup, but the other four Vikings starters from last season are gone. Sophomore Anton Grady was a member of the Horizon All-Newcomer team after averaging 8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds off the bench and gives CSU a solid frontcourt to build around. In the backcourt, the Vikings had three freshmen who averaged double-digit minutes, and all three are back for 2012-13. Charles Lee is expected to take over at point, while Marlin Mason and Sebastian Douglas return as the only wings with significant experience. Incoming 6-4 freshman Junior Lomomba from Montreal is expected to be a big part of the rotation.

5. Milwaukee (20–14, 11–7)
The big story coming from Milwaukee is not necessarily on the court, but the court itself. The Panthers are moving into the renovated, on-campus 3,400-seat Klotsche Center after years of playing at the 12,700-seat U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee. The team received a waiver from the Horizon League to play in an arena with less than 5,000 seats, and the cramped quarters should prove difficult for visitors. Milwaukee returns three starters, including James Haarsma (10.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg), who thrived in his first season of eligibility after transferring from Evansville. The Panthers must improve on its 61.2 percent free throw shooting, which ranked 324th in the nation.

6. Youngstown State (16–15, 10–8)
The Penguins made a nice jump last season, earning 10 Horizon League wins after winning just two the season before. Youngstown State returns three starters from a team that basically had a five-man rotation last season (the Penguins’ sixth-leading scorer averaged 2.1 ppg). Center Damian Eargle is the nation’s leading returning shot-blocker (3.7 bpg), and he averaged 11.1 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior. Leading scorer Kendrick Perry, a first-team All-Horizon selection, is also back after pumping in 16.8 points per game. Blake Allen hopes to increase his league-best 91 3-pointers in his senior season.

7. Wright State (13–19, 7–11)
Coach Billy Donlon prefers a long bench, and he will return seven of the 11 players that averaged double-digit minutes for the Raiders. Unfortunately, the team’s best player — Julius Mays — is not among them after Mays transferred to Kentucky. Still, a trio of juniors in Cole Darling, A.J. Pacher and Matt Vest, along with point guard Reggie Arceneaux, give Wright State reason to think it is a chance to exceed last season’s win total even with the loss of Mays.

8. UIC (8–22, 3–15)
Things should be better in coach Howard Moore’s third season in Chicago. Four starters are back, including emerging forward Hayden Humes (11.8 ppg in his final nine games) and ’11-12 Horizon All-Newcomer Gary Talton, a junior college transfer who averaged 11.6 points from his guard slot. Two other starting guards return — Daniel Barnes and Marc Brown — and Eastern Illinois transfer Joey Miller becomes eligible and will join the backcourt rotation for a team that must raise its 39.5 percent field goal shooting (320th in the nation) to move up in the league.

9. Loyola (7–23, 1–17)
Coach Porter Moser will try to bounce back from a disappointing debut season at Loyola, and he will lean on three returning starters and eight newcomers to do so. Ben Averkamp averaged 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds as a second-team All-Horizon selection and he has a shot to be a first-teamer this year if the Ramblers can improve in the win-loss department. Guard Joe Crisman (8.5 ppg) and forward Jordan Hicks (8.4 ppg) also return. Point guard Cully Payne, an Iowa transfer who sat out last year after starting five games before getting hurt as a sophomore in ’10-11 for the Hawkeyes, is expected to start.

113

YSU Penguin Athletics / Anyone check in on basketball practice?

« on: October 15, 2012, 11:48:52 AM »

OK - too depressing reading all the football posts right now.

NCAA men's basketball practices started Friday.  I am not even sure if YSU had an open practice.  Did anyone get a chance to see practice or hear any reports?

Thanks

114

YSU Penguin Athletics / Yahoo Sports preview on Men's Basketball

« on: October 11, 2012, 10:29:13 PM »

Very informative story - focuses on our Florida recruiting

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/horizon-league-preview-unlikely-florida-pipeline-sparked-youngstown-141032792--ncaab.html

On the first day of snowfall his freshman year at Youngstown State, Kendrick Perry admits he was laughably ill-prepared.

The Florida native walked out of his dorm clad in a thin sweatshirt because he hadn't looked out the window that morning, not that he would have been all that much more suitably dressed either way. He didn't own any boots or gloves, none of his pants were fleece-lined and his entire winter wardrobe consisted of some long-sleeved shirts, a light jacket and a pair of hooded sweatshirts the team provided him.

"I was walking so slow through the snow that I was late to class because it was so cold and I had never seen so much snow before," Perry said with a chuckle. "My mom told me to take pictures, and I told her it wasn't happening. It was too cold and I couldn't stay outside that long."

Winter horror stories like that one have become increasingly common in the Youngstown State basketball program in recent years because the coaching staff has cultivated an unusual recruiting pipeline. In the Penguins' past five recruiting classes, they've landed five players from the state of Florida, three of whom will be key members of this season's team.

Perry, a 6-foot junior from Ocoee, Fla., earned first-team all-Horizon League honors last season after averaging 16.8 points, 3.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Blake Allen, a sweet-shooting 6-foot-1 senior from Tampa, contributed 12.8 points and 3.0 assists per game a year ago and sank 42.9 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. And Bobby Hain, a skilled 6-foot-10 freshman from Jupiter, Fla., figures to play immediately this season and perhaps even compete for a starting job.

"Florida will be an emphasis as long as I'm at Youngstown State because we've had good success with a lot of great kids," Penguins coach Jerry Slocum said.

"People have heard about us down there now. When we walk into a lot of different high schools in Florida, they'll say, 'Oh, yeah, I know Kendrick Perry. He went there.' The nice thing is we have one kid from the Orlando area, another from the Tampa area and another kid from Jupiter, Fla. There's an opportunity to spread ourselves over the whole state."

The presence of that Florida trio is a huge reason why Youngstown State hopes to emerge as a Horizon League contender this winter after years of being a laughingstock.

In the 30 years since the Penguins jumped from Division II to Division I, they've never won either a regular-season or conference tournament championship. Youngstown State has finished last or second-to-last eight times in 11 seasons in the Horizon League and its best result is a tie for fourth in 2007.

The program's first signs of life in years came last season when the Penguins won 17 games and finished above .500 in Horizon League play for the first time ever. Perry, Allen and defensive standout Damian Eargle return from that team, giving Youngstown State hope of making a leap in the standings this year if its recruiting class can fill some of the holes left by graduation.

"With Butler gone, the opportunity to move up and surprise people is there," Slocum said. "I'm very happy with where we're at and all the kids we have coming back. One of the things that kind of goes unnoticed about our team last year is we only had 13 home games. To win 16 games with only 13 home games, that brought a mental toughness to us, a confidence of starting to believe. I think it was a real positive step for us."

If the Florida pipeline was one of the keys to Youngstown State's revival, then the Penguins can thank a Lithuanian-born forward with a smooth shooting stroke for getting it started.

Vytas Sulskis, who moved from his Lithuania to Gainesville, Fla., when he was 16, averaged double figures during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons at Youngstown State and now plays professionally in his home country. At the recommendation of a friend in Florida, Slocum watched Sulskis at an AAU tournament when he was in high school, offered him a scholarship and eventually landed him, an innocuous addition at the time that now looks much more important.

Youngstown State's success with Sulskis persuaded Slocum to make a more concerted effort to recruit Florida despite the vast cultural and climatic differences between the two regions. The 2009 addition of forward Eddie D'Haiti turned out to be a bust when he transferred after just one season with the Penguins, but subsequent prospects from Florida have proven far more successful.

The first of those was was Allen, though he initiated the relationship with Youngstown State rather than the other way around.

Since the Tampa native had played against Sulskis on the AAU circuit and was good friends with former Butler standout Shawn Vanzant, he was more knowledgeable about both Youngstown State and the Horizon League than most Florida-born prospects. As a result, he sent the Penguins a highlight tape in March of his freshman year at Redlands Community College in hopes they might show interest.
Slocum was recruiting another point guard at the time, so he only casually stayed in touch with Allen. Once an off-the-court incident led to Youngstown State being unable to accept the other point guard, however, Slocum belatedly tuned his attention to Allen.

"It didn't happen until the summer time, but in my head I was like, 'This is going to work out. I'm not going to have to go back to junior college,'" Allen said. "Not that junior college was a bad experience for me, but I had been two years out of high school already and I ultimately just wanted to get to Division I. I had it in my mind that somebody was going to give me a chance, and ultimately someone did."

The recruitment of the other half of Youngstown State's vaunted backcourt duo was a bit more traditional.
Slocum and his staff first showed interest in Perry the summer before his sophomore year of high school because they liked his unselfishness and athleticism. They kept recruiting him even after he broke his leg three games into his junior season, sending get-well cards and letters at a time when bigger schools like LSU and Ole Miss backed off.

At first, Perry had minimal interest in the Penguins because he dreamed of playing for an in-state power like Florida, Florida State or even Central Florida. But as he matured, Youngstown State's loyalty became more important to him.

"As a kid, you see these big schools fall off once you get hurt, and it's tough," Perry said. "I still remember having a conversation with my mom and having her tell me straight-up, 'It's a business.' After I evaluated everything and saw how committed to me Youngstown was, that definitely weighed into my decision."
Even though Slocum was excited about both Allen and Perry when they arrived on campus, he admits both have turned out better than even he anticipated.

Allen has emerged as a capable leader and facilitator and sank 25,000 shots this summer to keep his shooting stroke on point. And Perry has blossomed as a scorer by improving his perimeter jump shot and getting stronger so that he can now absorb contact and still finish at the rim.

Youngstown State would love if Hain's career followed a similar arc to his Florida-born teammates.
Hain was largely unknown as a prospect until the summer before his senior year of high school when he played on the AAU circuit for the first time. He had played mostly on the perimeter until shooting up to 6-foot-10 via a late growth spurt, so he was able to impress college coaches with his ball handling and shooting range for a big man.

When Hain received a scholarship offer from Youngstown State, he wasn't familiar with the Penguins the way he was Stetson, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville and the other in-state schools that recruited him.

"I was like 'Youngstown? Oh, OK, I'll look into them,'" Hain recalled. "They were sending me letters every day and calling as often as they could. Then when I came on my visit, in the open gym session we played together it just clicked. I felt like this was a good team that had potential to grow."

Although Hain didn't know either Perry or Allen before he arrived at Youngstown, they've quickly formed a close bond this fall.

"When one of us does something positive, we always joke, 'Oh, it's because he's from Florida,'" Perry said. "And at the same time, when we mess up, the other guys get on us and say, 'Oh, it's because they're from Florida.'"

The best advice Perry and Allen have given Hain is to make sure he's ready for winter.

Perry has told him about his frigid walk to class the first day of snowfall his freshman year. And Allen has shared similar stories of walking through the snow in tennis shoes until his feet were wet, cold and numb.
"Everyone's telling me they don't know how I'm going to make it," Hain said. "I have no coats right now and I have no boots. I'm definitely going to have to go shopping."

115

YSU Penguin Athletics / YSU falls to 8th in TSN poll

« on: October 08, 2012, 01:45:02 PM »

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/misc/cfoot225poll.aspx

Team (First-place votes)   2012 Record   Points   Previous Rank
1.   North Dakota State Bison (164)   5-0   4171   1
2.   Montana State Bobcats (3)   6-0   3965   2
3.   Old Dominion Monarchs   5-0   3732   4
4.   James Madison Dukes   4-1   3578   5
5.   Wofford Terriers   5-0   3414   6
6.   Eastern Washington Eagles   4-1   3292   7
7.   Georgia Southern Eagles   4-1   2914   8
8.   Youngstown State Penguins   4-1   2909   3
9.   Sam Houston State Bearkats   3-2   2735   9
10.   Lehigh Mountain Hawks   6-0   2457   11
11.   Stony Brook Seawolves   5-1   2425   13
12.   New Hampshire Wildcats   4-2   2110   14
13.   Appalachian State Mountaineers   4-2   2093   15
14.   Illinois State Redbirds   5-1   1637   9
15.   Cal Poly Mustangs   5-0   1581   20
16.   Northern Arizona Lumberjacks   4-1   1575   18
17.   Towson Tigers   2-3   1490   12
18.   Tennessee State Tigers   6-0   1102   NR
19.   McNeese State Cowboys   4-1   1079   21
20.   South Dakota State Jackrabbits   4-1   855   23
21.   Central Arkansas Bears   4-2   796   24
22.   Harvard Crimson   4-0   662   25
23.   Eastern Kentucky Colonels   4-2   628   17
24.   Delaware Blue Hens   4-2   623   16
25.   Samford Bulldogs   5-1   490   NR

116

YSU Penguin Athletics / 10 NDSU players plead guilty today to voter fraud

« on: October 02, 2012, 02:52:23 PM »

10 NDSU players plead guilty today to voter fraud.  University statement is still to come

Are any of the players starters?

Any inkling of what punishment the University will impose?

And lets keep the discussion to the football impact, not politics.  Please.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/376144/group/Sports/


FARGO - Ten current North Dakota State University football players pleaded guilty this morning to violating North Dakota election law during their first court appearance in Cass County District Court.

The 10 are: Lucas Albers, Aireal Boyd, Joshua Colville, Demitrius Gray, Samuel Ojuri, Brendin Pierre, Antonio Rodgers, Bryan Shepherd, Charles (C.J.) Smith and Marcus Williams.

Judge Douglas Herman sentenced the 10 to deferred imposition of sentence, 360 days of unsupervised probation, a $300 legislative fee, 50 hours of community service to be completed by April 15 and a $25 community service fee.

If they complete the probation without any further offenses, the charge will be cleared from their record.

All were represented by Bruce Quick.

Bison head coach Craig Bohl told The Forum that the university will have a statement later today.

All faced one count of violating election law by signing a name other than that person's own name to an election petition, a Class A misdemeanor.

Three former Bison players who face the same charge – Don Carter, Joshua Gatlin and Darren (D.J.) McNorton – had their first court appearances rescheduled to Thursday.

Two other people charged in the case also entered pleas. Jennifer Krahn pleaded guilty and received the same sentence as the 10 current Bison players. William Brown pleaded not guilty and requested a public defender.

Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Tracy Peters recommended that the three players with prior criminal records – Albers, Ojuri and Williams, all of whom had alcohol-related convictions within the past two years – receive suspended sentences, which would have kept the convictions on their records.

Quick argued that all of the players were “entirely cooperative with law enforcement,” and all should be entitled to the same deferred imposition of sentence.

“Having this on your record is a lot different than having the other offenses on your record, just because of the taint of fraud,” he said.

Peters accused Quick of minimizing the seriousness of the crime.

“I think the impact of what they’ve done is clear,” she said.

As Peters began to talk about the effects on North Dakota voters and those behind the measures, Herman interrupted.

“If you want to be a zealot for this cause, you don’t come into this courtroom with deferred impositions in hand,” he said.

Quick asked that the players be given 10 months to complete their community service, but Herman set the shorter timeline.

“I don’t want to treat them adversely trying to make some kind of special example of them,” he said, then added he also didn’t want to grant the players any special favors.

The charges were tied to petition drives involving two North Dakota initiated measures now barred from the November election. The separate ballot initiatives sought to legalize marijuana for medical use and to establish an outdoor heritage fund.

A number of the players were hired by an Iowa company, Terra Strategies, to collect signatures for the outdoors initiative. Quick said they were quoted a daily rate of up to $90 but were told they’d get paid only if they obtained 60 signatures per day.

Herman questioned the legality of such an instruction and said he had serious concerns about a quota system being used.

“I think that may have been pushed on these individuals,” he said.

Lee Ann Oliver, an election specialist with the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office, has said that it’s illegal to pay petition circulators per signature gathered, but it’s less clear whether that prohibition extends to a quota system.

Herman said the players were involved in a “reckless” enterprise, but he said they apparently weren’t aware of how seriously the adult public views election rules.

“I don’t think they were smart enough or grown up enough or sophisticated enough to understand” the process, he said.

Quick, a prominent Fargo defense attorney, said the players paid for his legal services. He said he did not give them a discounted rate.

“They’re owning up to their own conduct,” he said.

The charges were tied to petition drives involving two North Dakota initiated measures now barred from the November election. The separate ballot initiatives sought to legalize marijuana for medical use and to establish an outdoor heritage fund.

117

YSU Penguin Athletics / Vance Cooksey added to Bulls Training Camp roster

« on: October 01, 2012, 09:12:29 PM »

Former Penguin Vance Cooksey is on the Bulls training camp roster.  He played in D League last year. 

Cooksey transferred from YSU to Pikeville before his senior season. 

I had no idea he was playing in the D League.

Met his family when YSU played out here at Butler - great family.  Good to see Vance get a shot with his hometown team.


http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-add-five-complete-training-camp-roster.html

Team adds free agents Ryan Allen, Vance Cooksey, Andre Emmett, Kyrylo Fesenko and Marko Jaric to round out its 2012-13 training camp roster
October 1, 2012 -- The Chicago Bulls announced today the signing of free agents Ryan Allen, Vance Cooksey, Andre Emmett, Kyrylo Fesenko and Marko Jaric to round out their 2012-13 training camp roster. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

 
Allen (6-3, 200), a rookie guard out of UW-Milwaukee, earned Horizon League All-Defensive Team honors last year, as he averaged 8.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.2 apg and 1.06 spg in 29.1 mpg .  A native of Chicago, Allen attended Thornton Fractional High School in Harvey, Ill.  His brother Tony is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.

 
Cooksey (6-0, 175) spent last season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Texas Legends in the NBA D-League.  In 38 D-League games, he posted 8.8 ppg, 4.8 apg, 2.6 rpg and 1.10 spg in 23.9 mpg.

 
Emmett (6-5, 230) split last year with the New Jersey Nets and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League.  In six games with the Nets last season, he recorded 2.2 ppg and 1.0 rpg in 7.5 mpg.  While with the Bighorns, he averaged 23.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.70 spg and 36.7 mpg.

 
Fesenko (7-1, 280), a veteran of 135 NBA games (seven starts), played in three games with the Indiana Pacers last year.  During his time with the Pacers, he posted 2.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 0.70 spg in 5.7 mpg.  For his NBA career, the Ukraine native has averaged 2.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg and 8.2 mpg.

 
Jaric, a seven year veteran of the NBA, has previously played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota and Memphis.  In 447 career games (221 starts), he has averaged 7.1 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.7 rpg and 1.30 spg in 25.2 mpg.  Jaric last played in the NBA in 2008-09, as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.  He spent the 2011-12 season with Montepaschi Siena of the Italian League.

 
The Bulls will open training camp today with Media Day at the Berto Center, prior to tomorrow’s first practices of the season.



http://www.allkyhoops.com/2010/05/pikeville-college-signs-vance-cooksey.html

118

YSU Penguin Athletics / Impact of BCS playoffs on money games

« on: September 27, 2012, 01:51:29 PM »

Associated Press story (by Rusty Milller) on Ohio State potentially dropping MAC teams from the schedule in an attempt to improve their strength of schedule to get selected for the four team BCS playoff. 

Clearly we have to consider whether top BCS schools or all BCS schools would consider pulling back on non-BCS league teams and FBS teams.  And if that happens, do the four 16 team leauges simply break away and keep all the money?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/ohio-states-ad-says-buckeyes-may-go-away-from-scheduling-mac-teams-due-to-4-team-fbs-playoff/2012/09/27/23a7d010-08c2-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_story.html

Ohio State’s AD says Buckeyes may go away from scheduling MAC teams due to 4-team FBS playoff
   Text Size PrintE-mailReprints
By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, September 27, 1:28 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The days when Ohio State regularly entertained a Mid-American Conference school may be coming to an end because of the new FBS playoff system.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said the four-team FBS playoff may mean fewer games against MAC teams.

“We’re changing our philosophy because we’re obviously going to move into a playoff structure that I don’t think all of us really understand yet, how the committee’s going to work,” Smith said earlier this week. “Many of us are assuming it’s going to work similar to the (NCAA tournament) basketball committee, so your non-conference schedule will come into consideration as they evaluate whether or not you’re going to be one of those final four teams.”

The Buckeyes are scheduled to play MAC members Buffalo in 2013, Kent State in 2014, Northern Illinois in 2015 and Bowling Green in 2016 — all at Ohio Stadium. Because of the iffy status of the playoffs and the number of Big Ten games Ohio State might play, the schedule is incomplete starting with the 2017 season. The Buckeyes’ website only lists two games so far for 2017.

The Buckeyes have played MAC teams almost annually since ending a 58-year span without meeting an Ohio or MAC team in 1992. Ohio State has played MAC teams 20 times since then, sometimes two in the same season, as was the case in 2011.

The Buckeyes have had numerous close calls against MAC teams, including a 27-22 victory a year ago over Toledo. Ohio State has paid upward of $1 million for MAC schools to provide opposition.

Smith said the committee that will decide the final four teams in the playoffs starting in 2014 will take into consideration strength of schedule, meaning the Buckeyes likely will go for more name-brand opponents from big conferences.

“As we move to 2018 and out, because we’re all set for our games through 2017, we’re looking at a different scheduling format,” Smith said. “So we’ll still play a MAC school on occasion, but not nearly as much as we have in the past.”

The MAC includes six schools from Ohio who have provided the majority of opposition for Ohio State from the conference: Ohio, Toledo, Bowling Green, Akron, Kent State and Miami (Ohio).

MAC teams beat four opponents last Saturday from Bowl Championship Series conferences that are automatic qualifiers for major bowl slots.

119

YSU Penguin Athletics / Vindy - Slocum on scheduling, recruits, Boot Camp, etc

« on: September 25, 2012, 10:42:54 AM »

http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/sep/25/slocum-penguins-anxious-to-start/

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Youngstown State men’s basketball Jerry Slocum can’t wait to get back onto the court at Beeghly Center after the Penguins’ best season in his seven years with the program.

Scheduling, well, that’s another story.

Slocum, the guest speaker at the Curbstone Coaches’ weekly luncheon Monday at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, noted that firming up a schedule has been his biggest challenge to date.

“This year’s schedule was done by April 1, but then it began to unravel and we were scrambling to find opponents,” Slocum said. “We had Ohio State, Pitt and an exempt tourney in Toledo all set and ready to go. Ohio State then had a chance to play on an aircraft carrier, Pitt was out and so was the tournament.”

There were other issues, too.

“With Butler moving to the Atlantic-10, the uncertainty as to the number of teams in the league for next year made it difficult to schedule and commit to other non-league teams for the next several years,” Slocum said.

YSU will play a 31-game slate and will open on the road Nov. 10 at George Washington University, followed by a Nov. 12 game against the University of Georgia.

The first of 13 home games this season is set for Nov. 16 against Saint Francis (Pa.).

The Penguins are scheduled to begin practice Oct. 12. Slocum is set to welcome five newcomers and nine lettermen back from last year’s 16-15 club.

Returning lettermen include guards Blake Allen, D.J. Cole, Kendrick Perry, Shawn Amiker, Danny Reese and Mike Podolsky, and forwards Josh Chojnacki, Damian Eargle and Fletcher Larson.

“This is by far our deepest and best group in my eight years at YSU,” Slocum said. “Whether or not it is good enough to win it all remains to be seen.”

It’s our best freshman class and in my eyes, Kendrick [Perry] is clearly a pre-season all-Horizon League pick who can be the league’s player of the year. With the loss of Butler, the league really is a toss-up with everyone having a chance to win.”

The Penguins are coming off their annual “boot camp,” a program that Slocum established and has overseen during his 35 years as a college coach.

“The team meets at my house and the captains pick the menu,” he said. “We discuss my points of emphasis so they know why we do what we do, why we treat people like we do, why we play who we play and why going to class is mandatory.

“Boot camp is to build closeness; a camaraderie that lasts the entire season.”

Slocum’s players performed well as a group in the classroom last year, posting a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average as a team.

Eight players on this year’s roster have earned a 3.00 grade-point average or better.

The Curbstone Coaches are scheduled to welcome first-year YSU volleyball coach Mark Hardaway as their guest speaker next Monday.

120

YSU Penguin Athletics / 2013 Non-Conference Schedule

« on: September 24, 2012, 01:57:25 PM »

From my friends at WFMJ:

Thursday August 29 vs. Dayton

Saturday September 7 vs Morehead State

Saturday September 14 at Michigan State

We get Sparty between games vs South Florida and at Notre Dame. Sparty opens with Western Michigan.