Milwaukee, Wis. -- Junior Kamren Belin scored a career-high 21 points and led three players scoring in double figures as the Youngstown State men's basketball team defeated Milwaukee, 75-72, at the Klotsche Center.
The Penguins improve to 10-8 overall and 2-3 in the Horizon League while the Panthers fall to 5-14 overall and 1-4 in the league.
Seniors Damian Eargle and Blake Allen also reached double figures with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Allen connected on 4-of-7 from 3-point range while Eargle has seven boards and three blocks.
Allen made two free throws with just 21 seconds left to put the Penguins ahead 75-72 and, after a UWM timeout, the defense did not allow the Panthers a chance to get a game-tying 3-point attempt off.
In a game that featured 12 lead changes and seven ties, sophomore DJ Cole's 3-pointer with 6:37 left snapped a 63-63 tie and gave the Penguins a 66-63 advantage, a lead they would not surrender.
Neither team would lead by more than four points in the second half, which had eight lead changes and four ties.
The final time Milwaukee tied the game was at 63-63 on a 3-pointer by J.J. Panoske with 8:02 left.
After Cole's go-ahead triple, Belin hit a free throw to go up four, 67-63, with 5:35 to go.
The Panthers got within two twice, but each time Belin answered with jumper to push the advantage back to four, the last at 71-67 with 1:48 to go.
UWM's Paris Gulley hit a 3-pointer at the 1:18 mark to get within one, 71-70, but a layup by Eargle extended the Penguins lead back to three, 73-70, with just under a minute to play.
A tip-in by Austin Arians got the Panthers back within one, 73-72, before Allen's final two free throws.
For the game, the Penguins shot 50.9 percent from the floor and made seven 3-pointers.
The first half was a high-scoring affair with 11 made 3-pointers combined. The Panthers made six from behind the arc and the Penguins connected on five from downtown.
The first half also saw four lead changes and three times and big runs by both teams.
The Penguins, who shot 55.2 percent from the floor in the first half, was able to jump out to an 18-12 lead with 13 minute left, but the Panthers used a 13-0 run to take a 25-18 advantage at the 10:16 mark.
Allen began the game with two straight 3's for YSU and Eargle made scored six straight at one point to give the Penguins a 12-7 edge just five minutes in.
Youngstown State answered with a 13-5 run over the next five minutes to regain a 31-30 lead after Belin hit his first 3-pointer of the game at the 5:26 mark.
After the Panthers tied the game at 35-35, Belin nailed a 3-pointer followed by another by Allen, who had three 3's in the first half, to push the Guins' advantage to 41-35.
Perry made to free throws with 59 seconds left and a three-point play by UWM's Austin Arians ended the first half scoring with YSU owning a 43-39 lead.
The Penguins return home to host Wright State, Wednesday, Jan. 23, at the Beeghly Center. Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m.
