Five Reach Double Figures in 87-78 Loss to Notre Dame

by YSU

Tuesday, Dec 22, 2015 4:22 pm

Notre Dame, Ind. -- Five players scored in double figures, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team dropped an 87-78 decision to Atlantic Coast Conference member Notre Dame on Monday evening at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.

The Penguins fall to 5-8 overall while the Fighting Irish improve to 8-3 on the year.

Leading the Penguins was sophomore Cameron Morse with 22 points and four assists in his first start of the season. Morse connected on 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line.

Sophomore Sidney Umude recorded the second double-double of his career with 15 points and 11 rebounds, junior Matt Donlan scored 14 points and freshmen Jordan Andrews and Latin Davis added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Notre Dame was led by Demetrius Jackson with 17 points while Zach Auguste and V.J. Beechem each had 16. Auguste also posted a double with 10 rebounds. Bonzie Colson also reached double figures with 14 points.

The Penguins jumped out to an early 9-5 lead on a 3-pointer by Morse, two jumpers by Umude and another by Morse. Notre Dame scored the next nine to take a 14-9 lead, and led by eight, 21-13, midway through the first half.

A jumper by Morse and a 3-pointer by Andrews cut the Penguins deficit to three, 21-18, with 8:55 left in the first half.

After the Fighting Irish built their lead back to six, 28-22, the Penguins went on a 9-4 run to get within one, 32-31, with 3:46 left after a jumper by Bryce Nickels. Notre Dame closed out the half scoring nine of the next 11 points to take a 41-33 lead into halftime.

Over the first eight minutes of the second half, Notre Dame pushed its lead to 24 points, 62-38, and led by 22, 80-58, with just over five minutes to go.

The Penguins cut the deficit to 11, 82-71, after a 13-2 run keyed a a three-point play by Umude and 3-pointers by Andreews and Donlan with 2:20 left.

A jumper and a 3-pointer by Davis with 37 seconds to go got the Penguins within eight, 84-76, but the Fighting Irish made 3-of-4 from the free-throw line to seal the victory.

The Penguins open Horizon League play against Detroit, Saturday, Jan. 2. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at Calihan Hall in Detroit, Mich.

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