Six Players Reach Double Figures in 96-87 Loss to St. Johns

by YSU

Sunday, Dec 22, 2013 4:15 pm

Queens, N.Y. – Six players scored in double figures and the Penguins outrebounded the Red Storm, but the Youngstown State men's basketball team dropped a 96-87 decision to Big East member St. John's on Saturday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena.

Senior Kendrick Perry, who became the ninth player in school history to score1,600 career points with 1,604, led the Penguins (8-6) with 20 points and four assists. Sophomore Ryan Weber scored 16 points while classmate Bobby Hain posted his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Perry also ranks in the top 45 in Horizon League history in career points.

Freshman Marcus Keene came off the bench to score 14, including 11 in the second half, while junior DJ Cole scored 12 and junior Shawn Amiker added 10.

It marks the second time this season Youngstown State had six players score at least 10 points in a game. The last time was against Thiel in an 82-52 win on Nov. 20.

D'Angelo Harrison led St. John's (8-3) with a game-high 29 points while Phil Greene IV had 17 and JaKarr Sampson posted a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The game featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties through the first 22 minutes, and the Red Storm, who shot 59.3 percent in the second half, led by three, 56-53, with 16:01 left after a jumper by Hain.

Over the next four minutes, St. John's went on a 14-6 run to boost its lead to 11, 70-59, capped by a 3-pointer by Harrison at the 12:04 mark.

A layup by Weber and a jumper and 3-pointer by Keene got the Penguins back within six, 72-66, but the Red Storm answered with a three-point play by Greene and a 3-pointer by Harrison to take a 12-point lead, 78-66, at the 8:32 mark.

Perry connected on a 3-pointer with 6:20 left to trimmed the deficit down to 82-74, but the Penguins would not get any closer.

The Penguins shot 48.1 percent in the first half with five 3-pointers but committed 11 turnovers before halftime that resulted in 13 points for the Red Storm.

St. John's scored the first six points of the game before the Penguins answered with an 11-0 run to take an 11-6 lead four minutes into the contest.

After the Red Storm tied the game at 12-12, neither team led by more than four point, and the teams exchanged the lead 11 more times and had five more ties.

Trailing by four with 46 seconds left before halftime, Cole buried a 3-pointer to get within one, 43-42, with 32 seconds left.

After a miss by Jamal Branch, Keene raced the length of the court and was fouled with 0.4 seconds left, and split a pair of free throws to knot the game at the half, 43-43.

After a break for Christmas, the Penguins return to action hosting South Dakota, Sunday, Dec. 29, at 2:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center

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