Basketball Takes on Detroit in Horizon League Second-Round

[IAA Fan]

The sixth-seeded Youngstown State men's basketball team (16-14) take on the third-seeded Detroit Titans in the second round of the Horizon League Tournament, Friday, March 2. Tipoff is set for 6:05 p.m. at the Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Ind. The can be heard on 570 WKBN-AM and will be broadcast live on the Horizon League Network, MyYTV in Youngstown and SportsTime Ohio throughout the State. ESPN3.com is also picking up the game.

Quick Hitters
• Sophomore Kendrick Perry was named All-Horizon League First-Team after leading the league in scoring and steals in 2011-12. He is just the fifth player in Horizon League history to lead the circuit in both categories during conference play only.
• Junior Damian Eargle was named to the 2012 Horizon League All-Defensive Team. Eargle set the Horizon League all games and conference-games only single-season blocks record with 115 and 65, respectively. He also owns the Horizon League career blocks record in conference play with 122.
• Youngstown State is appearing in the second round of the Horizon League Tournament for just the third time. The Guins record in the second round is 0-2.
• YSU won its third Horizon League First-Round Tournament game against Green Bay, 77-60, on Feb. 28.
• Sophomore Kendrick Perry has scored 503 points in 2011-12. He is the first player to score at least 500 points since Quin Humphrey scored 584 in 2006-07. He is also the first YSU sophomore to score 500 points since Reggie Kemp in 1989-90.
• For the first time in school history, three players have made at least 50 3-pointers in the same season. Junior Blake Allen leads the team with 90 while sophomore Kendrick Perry has 53 and senior Ashen Ward has 52. Senior DuShawn Brooks is nearing the mark and has made 47 this season.
• With the win over Wright State, YSU has the best one-year improvement (8-win improvement) since the Horizon League went to 10 teams. Cleveland State had a nine-win improvement when the HL had just nine teams.
• YSU is guaranteed its first above .500 season since 2000-01 and has the most wins since 19 that same year.
• YSU had its most league wins since joining the Horizon League and most conference wins since posting an 11-5 mark in the Mid-Continent Conference in 2000-01.
• Junior Blake Allen ranks second on the YSU single-season list with 90 3-points, two shy of tying the single-season mark set by Craig Haese (pronounced "Hays") in 2000-01.
• YSU also has four players with at least 40 3-pointers made this season – a first in school history.
• Sophomore Kendrick Perry has 53 3-pointers this season and ranks 10th on the YSU single-season list.

Guins in the Tourney
Since joining the Horizon League in 2001-02, YSU owns a tournament record of 3-10. The Guins are 0-2 in the second round losing to Green Bay in 2007 and UIC in 2003.

The Detroit Series
This is the 32nd meeting between Youngstown State and Detroit in a series that dates back to 1953. The Titans own a 23-8 advantage in the all-time series. Earlier this season, the Guins snapped a five-game losing streak to the Titans with a 64-61 win at Calihan Hall on Dec. 1, 2011. Detroit won the most recent meeting, 76-74, on Feb. 25 at the Beeghly Center. The Guins and Titans have met only once in the Horizon League Tournament and YSU won, 82-80, in the 2007 first round.

About Detroit
Detroit is currently 19-13 after defeating Loyola, 80-71, on Feb. 28 in the first round of the tournament. The Titans are led by First-Team All-Horizon League selection Ray McCallum with 14.9 points per game. Chase Simon is second on the team with 13.9 points per contest.

Five For Fighting
In the first round win over Green Bay, five players reached double figures for the Guins. Junior Damian Eargle led the team with 17 points while senior DuShawn Brooks had 16 and sophomore Kendrick Perry posted 15 points. Senior Ashen Ward and junior Blake Allen added 14 and 11 points, respectively. It mark the first time this season, YSU had five players reach double digits in the same game. The last time that happened was against Loyola in 2010 when six players reached double figures.

10 for 10
With 10 3-pointers against Green Bay on Feb. 28, the Guins tied a school Horizon League record with 10 3-pointers made. It also marked the 10th time this season the Guins made at least 10 3-pointers in game.

KP First-Team All-League
Sophomore Kendrick Perry was named to the All-Horizon League First-Team. Below are some tidbits on Perry:
• Led HL in scoring in all games (16. and league games only (16.8 ppg).
• Led league in steals in conference games (2.4).
• Just the fifth player to lead the Horizon League in scoring and steals in the same season.
• Led the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.0.
• Ranked second in steals (2.4) in all games.
• Ranked tied for third in assists per game (3.9).
• Ranked tied for 10th with 1.8 3-pointers made per game.
• Is the first sophomore in school history to earn first-team all-conference honors.
• First YSU player since Quin Humphrey (2006-07 and 2005-06) to be named first-team all-league.

Eargle Named All-Defensive Team
Junior forward Damian Eargle was voted to the Horizon League All-Defensive Team. Below are some notes on Eargle's season:
• Set the Horizon League single-season blocks record for all games with 115 and league-games only with 65.
• Owns the Horizon League career record for blocks in conference play at 122.
• Ranks third nationally with 3.8 blocks per game.

Best HL Turnaround
With its win over Wright State on Feb. 23, YSU set a Horizon League (since becoming a 10-team league) mark with an eight-win turnaround in one season. Cleveland State set the nine-team league mark of a nine win improvement from 2006-07 to 2007-08.

KP Most Points Since Quin
With 503 points this season, sophomore Kendrick Perry has scored the most points in a single-season since Quin Humphrey scored 584 in 2006-07. Perry, who led the league in scoring at 16.8 points per game, has scored at least 20 points in seven of the last 10 games. He is the first player since Humphrey to score 500 points and the first sophomore since Reggie Kemp to reach that mark in 1989-90.

Guins Set 3-Point Mark Again
With 10 3-pointers against Green Bay on Feb. 28, the Guins set the school's single-season record for most 3-pointers with 264. They broke the record of 235 set in 2010-11. The previous mark of 199 was set in 1997-98.

Triple 50
For the first time in school history, three players have made at least 50 3-pointers in the same season. Junior Blake Allen leads the team with 90 while Kendrick Perry has 53 and senior Ashen Ward has 52. DuShawn Brooks is nearing the mark and has made 47 this season.

Allen in Top 10
With three 3-pointers made against Green Bay on Feb. 298, junior Blake Allen made his 137th career 3-pointer at Youngstown State. He currently ranks sixth all-time. He also has 90 3-pointers this season, which ranks second on the single-season list. He is six shy of breaking the single-season record of 92 set by Craig Haese in 2000-01.

Ward Now Into 5th
With 52 3-pointers this season, senior Ashen Ward now ranks fifth all-time with 150 career 3-pointers.

KP Sets Single-Season Steals Mark
With three steals against Austin Peay on Feb. 18, sophomore Kendrick Perry set the school single-season steals mark. He now has 73 steals this season. The old record of 64 was set by Marlon Williamson in 2002-03.

A Win Will
• Improve YSU to 17-14 on the year.
• Mark YSU's most overall wins since 2000-01.
• Mark the fourth tournament victory since joining the Horizon League.
• Mark the first second-round win in since joining the league.
• Mark the program's ninth win over Detroit.
• Mark Head Coach Jerry Slocum's 655th career victory and his 75th at Youngstown State.
• Tie Jerry Slocum with Mike Rice for third on the YSU all-time wins list with 75.
• Mark YSU's 1,008th victory in the program's history.

Need to Hit the Glass
Coaches often talk of the importance of rebounding and for the Guins it is vital to success. When the Guins outrebound their opponents they own a record of 9-0.

To Catch a Thief
With a career-high seven steals against Loyola on Feb. 5, sophomore Kendrick Perry set the YSU sophomore record for steals in a season with 56. He also holds the single-season steals mark with 73. With 113 career steals, Perry now ranks eighth all-time.

Eargle Has Chance For 1,000
In under three seasons of playing college basketball, junior Damian Eargle has scored more than 900 points with 926. Eargle needs just 74 more points to reach 1,000 for his entire career, which includes 268 points during the 2008-09 season at UNC-Greensboro. Last season, Eargle ranked second on the squad with 339 points for an average of 11.3 points per game.

Perry On His Way to 800 Points
Sophomore Kendrick Perry could become the 33rd player in school history to score 1,000 career points. In just 60 career games, Perry has scored 772 points and needs 228 more to reach the coveted plateau. For his career, he is averaging 12.9 points per game, including a 16.8 points per game scoring average this year.

Hold Under 70
Another ingredient for the Guins to be successful is to hold their opponents under 70 points. YSU is 16-4 when not allowing its opponents to score 70 points or more. When allowing 70-or-more points, the Penguins are 0-10.

The Starting Line
• The Guins have had the same starting lineup in all 29 games
• Four starters are averaging in double figures in all games..
• Each starter has posted at least one 20-point outing.

Eargle Second to 100 Blocks
Junior Damian Eargle has 115 blocks in 30 games this season, which ranks second on the YSU single-season list. He needs 24 more to set the single-season mark of 138 set by Ricky Tunstall in 1982-83. His 91 blocks last season now rank third on the list.

[IAA Fan]

Defense crucial for Detroit Mercy in Horizon League tournament
Titans must slow Youngstown State
Detroit Free Press

If Detroit Mercy plans to advance in the Horizon League tourney tonight against Youngstown State, the Titans will have to get back -- on defense.

The teams played Saturday at Youngstown State with the Titans hanging on in a 76-74 thriller to lock up the No. 3 seed in the tournament. This time the venue is Valparaiso, and the winner of the 6 p.m. game advances to the semifinals. In the first meeting this season, Youngstown State won, 64-61, at Calihan Hall on Dec. 1. UDM center Eli Holman, the conference's sixth man of the year, missed the game because of a suspension.

In Tuesday's 80-71 first-round victory over Loyola, Holman had 20 points and six rebounds.

Coach Ray McCallum cited Youngstown's ability to spread the floor and put three-point shooters on the perimeter as a challenge for his defense.

"We had a huge win against them to secure the third seed," McCallum said. "Their four perimeter players can really score the ball. ... They made 11 threes at their place, which means we have to choke off the three. We have to rebound the ball.

"Doug (Anderson) had a big second half for us, and Eli was a closer for us down the stretch at their place on Saturday. It's a quick turnaround. They're familiar with us, and we're familiar with them. These guys want to continue their season, which about sums it up for us."

Guard Kendrick Perry leads Youngstown in scoring at 16.8 points per game, followed by Blake Allen (13.1), Damian Eargle (10.6) and Ashen Ward (10.2).

"It's a different challenge for us on Friday," McCallum said of tonight's game. "We've got to be great on perimeter defense and transition defense, and offensively be ready to attack the zone and their double teams. We're going to have to get back in transition. We're going to have to play better defensively. It's going to come down to defending their ball screens, getting back in transition and rotation defense."

[ysuindy]

YSU needs to keep Detroit off the offensive glass.  If the Titans kill us on offensive rebounds and second chance points the season is going to end tonight.  Not saying YSU has to win the rebounding battle, but need to keep in close. 

Per Pomeroy Detroit is 66th in the nation in offensive rebounding efficiency, YSU is 296th.

Defensively the teams are equal in efficiency.  YSU allows 103.5 points per 100 possession, Detroit allows 103.4.

Offensively the Titans are more efficient - 106.4 points per 100 possessions, YSU scores 104.2.  Detorit ranks 86th, YSU 113th.

[IAA Fan]

My fear there is that it goes hand-in-hand with transition ...which every coach in the conference has said we are the top transition team in the conference. Speed kills. Also, I have noticed that we take so many long-range shots, our bounces off of those misses are back out toward the perimeter. Now this is alright most of the time, but this big guys from UDM grab them before they get there.

[Pita]

GO PENGUINS

[ysufan0505]

Tough game, time for football season

[BTD30]

Hey. That 2-year extension is looking really right now isn't it?

[ysu16]

Last year we were questioning if we even belonged in the Horizon League. This was our best season in ten years. Slocum has two years to build on this season. If he has a mediocre recruiting year and we slide back to the bottom of the conference he should retire or be fired.     

[BTD30]

Last year we were questioning if we even belonged in the Horizon League. This was our best season in ten years. Slocum has two years to build on this season. If he has a mediocre recruiting year and we slide back to the bottom of the conference he should retire or be fired.   

Well this year's recruiting class, the 2 players, are basically wing guys that can shoot the 3, so I say it's below average unless they add 2 more players, a big guard that can drive to the hole and, of coarse, a big man. So I really don't see a improvement on this team for the next couple of years...

And as for the best team in a decade, if you go by the record, yeah I guess so. We finished in 6th, which was our highest in the conference, and we only made to the 2nd round, again which is the furthest we've made in the HL Tourney. I don't really call that a successful season.....But I believe the best team we had was when we had Quin, Liles, Barber, etc. I can't remember what year that was, but they would beat this years team IMO.

Slocum has done a really good job bringing up the YSU basketball program lil by lil every year, but he's got to go. The next couple of years are gonna be pretty bad for us and I just believe we need to find someone who can kick it up a notch and get us to the next level...

[IAA Fan]

I turned it off when I knew there was no chance. We were simply beaten. That being said, I am very happy with the team and coach S.

Now the season is over, we are losing two first-rate starters. Let's talk about what we need in the off-season. A few things:

1. Fans. We need people to show up. Which I think will happen next year, after what coach S has done.
2. At least one big player.
3. We are going to have the conference preseason player-of-the-year.
4. We play a much more exciting brand of ball now.
5. Work on defense.
6. Consistency.

[Dmorton]

You and I both know Slocum will not go out and get a decent big man.  If he does, I'll be very surprized.  He seems more inclined to run a more guard-small forward oriented offense.  Every big man he has gotten  (Eddie D'Haiti) has either quit the program or didn't play up to expections of a post presence.

[BTD30]

I think Slocum's first recruit for us was Jack Liles, and he was tremendous! But ever since then, he hasn't recruited a talented big man like Jack....

[ysuscuba]

Wow CSU didn't show up today!

[Big D]

3. We are going to have the conference preseason player-of-the-year.

When did Ryan Broekhoff announce he was transferring from Valparaiso to YSU? 

[IAA Fan]

3. We are going to have the conference preseason player-of-the-year.

When did Ryan Broekhoff announce he was transferring from Valparaiso to YSU?

You mean that guy that went 2 for 11 against us a couple weeks ago? Sorry ...token pick as everyone likes Valpo this year. Has a rebounding edge though. Actually the best player I saw all year was that center from Green Bay. Then again, I only saw these guys against the Guins.