The Youngstown State women's basketball team never trailed and had six players score at least eight points in a 77-53 victory over Wright State on Sunday afternoon at Beeghly Center.
Youngstown State improved to 23-4 overall and a Horizon League-leading 17-3 in conference play. Wright State is now 3-21 and 2-17.
The Penguins wrapped up the home portion of their regular-season schedule by winning for the 14th time on Rosselli Court in 2021-22. They will have at least one more home game this season as they'll host a second-round game in the Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 3.
Lilly Ritz posted game highs of 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Lexi Wagner scored 11 points off the bench. Wagner, Mady Aulbach and Paige Shy each hit three 3-pointers, and YSU finished 12-for-29 from beyond the arc as a team.
Chelsea Olson finished with eight points and nine rebounds to go along with an assist, a steal and a block on her Senior Day. She, student assistants Gabby Lupardus and Jamison Jenkins and four members of YSU's cheerleading squad were honored prior to the game.
Destyne Jackson led Wright State with 14 points, and Jada Wright added 10.
Malia Magestro scored the first two points of the game from the free-throw line at the 8:55 mark, and YSU led from that point forward. Megan Callahan and Aulbach took turns assisting each other on back-to-back 3-pointers to put YSU up 12-5 at the 5:05 mark of the opening quarter, and YSU led 19-14 at the end of the period.
Ritz was whistled for her second foul 12 seconds into the second quarter, and the Penguins were able to grow their lead to 14 by halftime with their leading scorer on the bench. After Jada Wright's basket got the Raiders to within 19-16, the Penguins went on a 9-2 run on two 3-pointers by Wagner and one by Aulbach to create the game's first double-digit margin at 28-18. Olson had two baskets and an assist in the final two minutes of the half to push the margin to 40-26.
Ritz had 10 points and seven rebounds in the third quarter alone, and the Penguins led 52-30 after back-to-back 3-pointers from Shy with 6:37 and 6:09 on the clock. YSU led 61-42 at the end of the period, and the Penguins scored the last five points of the game on a Haley Thierry layup and an Emma Randall 3-pointer to create the largest margin of the contest for the final tally.
Youngstown State shot 47.7% overall from the field and 41.4% from 3-point range. The Penguins also had a 49-34 rebounding margin against the Raiders, who shot 32.4% overall and 26.7% from beyond the arc.
The Penguins will finish up their regular season next week with road games at IUPUI and UIC.
