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Youngstown State Women's Basketball Digest |
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Saturday's game will be the second of three straight home games in a five-day stretch for YSU. The Penguins beat UIC 79-66 on Thursday evening, which clinched them at least fourth in the Horizon League standings and a home conference tournament game on March 13. Brown started off the last home stand of her career with a career-high 39 points while adding 13 rebounds. There will be 500 "Brown 42" T-shirts given away at Saturday's game, and Brown and fellow senior Devan Matkin will be honored prior to Monday's contest against Valparaiso as part of the program's annual Senior Day.
Brown scored 13 of YSU's first 16 points in just over five minutes on Thursday, giving an early indication that she could have a special night. She made all four of her attempts from 3-point range in the first half, and she went into the locker room with 22 points and eight rebounds as the Penguins led 49-34. Brown had 17 of YSU's 30 points in the second half, and she got help from three of her teammates. Liz Hornberger and Monica Touvelle both finished with 12 points, and Melissa Thompson added 10. YSU shot 66.7 percent in the first half, 49 percent overall, and had its highest first-half scoring total since 2002.
Wright State snapped a six-game losing streak Thursday by beating Valparaiso 83-78 in overtime. Kim Demmings, the Horizon League preseason player of the year, scored 27 points and is averaging 20 points and 6.2 rebounds. She did not play when YSU and Wright State met on Feb. 3, a game that the Penguins won 66-47.
Tickets and Promotions
Tickets are available for purchase on YSUsports.com, and the Beeghly Center Ticket Office will open at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Gates will also open at 1 p.m., and the first 500 fans will receive a special T-shirt to commemorate "Brandi Brown Appreciation Day". The shirt has the YSU "Y" logo on the front and "Brown 42" on the back.
#YSUWBB Summary
- YSU is in its 38th season in 2012-13 and its third under head coach Bob Boldon.
- The Penguins already have their most wins in a season since 1999-2000.
- The Penguins are averaging 8.4 3-pointers per game this season, which ranks eighth in the country. They averaged 9.2 3-pointers per game last season.
- YSU is plus-7.3 in scoring margin this season. That's a 10.2-point improvement from last season and a 33.1-point improvement from three years ago.
- Opponents are scoring 57.5 points per game against YSU, the lowest since 1978-79. They averaged 67.5 points last year.
- YSU is averaging 64.8 points this season, up 0.2 points from last season.
A Win Would
- Give YSU its first 20-win season since 1999-2000. YSU won 19 games over the previous four seasons combined.
- Give YSU a school-record 10 Horizon League victories. The Penguins won nine Horizon League games in the last four years combined.
- Be YSU's 11th at Beeghly Center, which would be its most since 1998-99.
Game Recap vs. UIC
Brandi Brown scored a career-high 39 points to lead Youngstown State to a 79-66 victory over UIC on Thursday night at the Beeghly Center.
Brown scored 13 of YSU's first 16 points in the first 5:03 of the game. She was 12-for-19 overall, 4-for-6 from 3-point range and 11-for-12 from the free-throw line.
YSU led by as many as 21 in the first half and was up by double digits for the final 10:43 of the contest.
- Brown eclipsed her previous career high of 35 points, which came against UIC at home in 2011.
- Brown's 39 points were the sixth-most for a game in school history and the third-most by a YSU women's player at Beeghly Center.
- Brown made her first four attempts from 3-point range and was 7-for-9 from the field in the first half.
- Liz Hornberger and Monica Touvelle both reached double figures in the same game for the second time this season. The other time was at UIC on Jan. 31.
- Melissa Thompson scored in double figures for the fourth time this season. She has back-to-back games with at least 10 points for the second time in her career.
- The Penguins shot 66.7 percent overall (16-for-24) and 69.2 percent from 3-point range (9-for-13) in the first half. They slowed to 32 percent (8-for-25) overall and went 0-for-8 from 3-point range in the second half.
- YSU's 49 first-half points were its most this season and its most since Feb. 24, 2002.
- Shar'Rae Davis was held scoreless for the first time in her career. She was still a contributor with five assists, five rebounds and two steals.
- Amanda Barger scored six points in a career-high 23 minutes. She had not scored in a league game entering the contest.
Scouting Wright State
Wright State is 11-16 overall and 5-9 in Horizon League play following an 83-78 win in overtime at Valparaiso on Thursday. The Raiders had lost six straight games heading into the Valpo contest. Sophomore guard Kim Demmings was the league's preseason player of the year, and she is averaging 20 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Ivory James averages 11.1 points, and KC Elkins averages 10.8 points. Four Raiders have made more than 40 3-pointers this season.
Last Time vs. Wright State
Youngstown State outscored Wright State by 19 points over the final 16:30 to win 66-47 on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 3) at the Nutter Center.
The game was tied at 32 with 16:35 left when a driving bucket by Melissa Thompson started a 10-point run for the Penguins that developed into a 29-7 stretch.
Brandi Brown finished with her fifth consecutive double-double, posting 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Penguins. Kim Demmings did not play for Wright State.
Series With Wright State
Wright State holds a slight 24-22 edge in a series that dates back to 1979. YSU beat its old Mid-Continent Conference foe 18 of the first 22 times, but Wright State has had the edge lately. The Raiders had beaten YSU 10 straight times prior to the Penguins' 66-47 win in Dayton on Feb. 3. YSU's last win at home over the Raiders was Jan. 17, 2008. The Penguins lost 71-66 in overtime to Wright State last year at Beeghly Center.
Best Season Since 1999-2000
- With 19 wins, Youngstown State has its most victories since going 22-9 in 1999-2000, which was 13 years ago. The Penguins were 10-20 last year.
- YSU's nine conference are the most in 12 seasons in the Horizon League. The Penguins won eight league games in 2001-02 and 2007-08.
- The 10 non-conference wins tied the 1997-98 team for the most in school history.
- The Penguins won their first six home games for the first time since the 1991-92 season. Their 10 wins at Beeghly Center are the most since 1998-99. YSU had 11 wins at home over the previous four seasons combined.
- YSU's nine road wins are the most in the last 13 years. The Penguins had seven road wins combined in the last four years.
Among the Nation's Most Improved In...
- RPI – The Penguins have improved their RPI from last season by 194. That is the best improvement in the country. YSU was 257 last year and is 63 this year. Mercer is second at 190.
- Wins – YSU has nine more wins in 2012-13 than it did in 2011-12. Only five teams have improved their win total by more.
- Scoring defense – YSU is allowing 10 fewer points per game in 2012-13 than it did in 2011-12. Only 11 teams in the country have improved its scoring defense by more. The Penguins are allowing 57.5 points per game this season, down from 67.5 in 2011-12.
Looking at Tournament Seeding (Unofficial)
- With three Horizon League games remaining, Youngstown State can be seeded anywhere from second to fourth in the upcoming conference tournament.
- With its win over UIC on Thursday, YSU has guaranteed that it will host a Horizon League Tournament game on March 13 at Beeghly Center.
- The Penguins (9-4) lead Loyola by one game in the loss clumn and have a two-game lead on Detroit (7-6). YSU split its series with Loyola and beat Detroit in the first meeting on Feb. 7.
- Green Bay is the only team that has its seed locked up. The Phoenix will be No. 1.
About Brown's 39 Points on Thursday
- YSU senior Brandi Brown scored a career-high 39 points in leading the Penguins to their 79-66 victory over UIC on Thursday.
- The 39 points are the highest in a Horizon League game this season, and they are also the most by a league player against a Division I opponent this season.
- It was the sixth-highest single game total in school history and the most since Brianne Kenneally had 43 points against Georgia State in 2000.
- The 39 points were also the third-highest total ever by a YSU female in Beeghly Center. Only Dorothy Bowers' 46 points against Kent State in 1987 and Wanda Grant's 41 points against Eastern Kentucky were more.
- When including Brown's 33 points in her previous home game against Cleveland State on Feb. 21, no women's player has ever scored more points in back-to-back games in the arena in school history.
- There have only been eight better scoring performances in the country this season.
One Win From 20
- With a 19-7 record, Youngstown State is one win away from capturing the eighth 20-win season in school history.
- The first 20-win season came in 1980-81 when the Penguins were 20-5 under head coach Joyce Ramsey. The other six 20-win seasons came under coach Ed DiGregorio from 1990-91 to 1999-2000.
- YSU had five straight 20-win seasons from 1995-96 to 1999-2000. The Penguins went 22-9 in 1999-2000, which was their last winning season prior to 2012-13.
Brown Nearing Rebounds Record
Brandi Brown is closing in on YSU's career rebounding record. Brown has 1,172 rebounds in her career, just six shy of tying Wanda Grant's career record of 1,178 from 1977-81.
- Brown has already set career records this year for games started, free throws made and free throws attempted.
- Brown could also break the minutes record this year. She is 118 shy of Danielle Carson's record of 3,839 minutes from 1982-86.
- In 116 career games, Brown has 1,949 points, an average of 16.8 per game. Dorothy Bowers holds the school record with 2,324. Brown is 51 points from 2,000 with at least four games remaining.
Racking Up Conference Wins
- YSU has nine league wins, its most since joining the conference in 2001-02.
- The Penguins won six straight Horizon League games from Jan. 24 to Feb. 14 for the first time in school history.
- The Penguins have led by at least 11 points in eight of their 13 conference games.
- YSU is plus-5.5 in scoring margin in conference games. Its previous best scoring margin since joining the Horizon League is minus-2.4 in 2007-08.
Responding from Losses
- A key to YSU's success so far has been responding from losses with emphatic wins. The Penguins are 7-0 up to this point following losses.
- Following losses, YSU has won its next game by an average of 16.6 points. The closest game was a four-point victory over Cleveland State on Feb. 21. Two other games were decided by nine points.
- Of the seven bounce-back wins, six have come at Beeghly Center.