Tough road ahead for YSU men's basketball team
Keith Langford Jr. SPORTS EDITOR
Issue date: 12/1/09 Section: Sports
The roller coaster ride that is the 2009-2010 Youngstown State University men's basketball season hit another dip as the Penguins lost to the Pittsburgh Panthers on the road, 72-56 last Saturday.
The game through the first half was one where the Penguins kept within striking distance of the Panthers. The Panthers would lead by seven or eight but then the Penguins would make a few baskets and trim the lead. The Penguins held their ground and the game was tied at 42-42 at one point in the second half before the Panthers blew the game open and eventually won by 16.
"We played good for 30 minutes and the last 10 minutes we missed a bunch of foul shots and easy shots," head coach Jerry Slocum said.
The Penguins had won their previous two games, one on the road against St. Peter's and the other at home against Geneva. The Penguins record now stands at 3-3.
The schedule does no favors for the Penguins as their game against the Pittsburgh Panthers was just the tip of the iceberg. The next four games for the Penguins are on the road and three out of those four games are against Horizon League opponents. The time for the "new Penguins" to emerge, who are supposed to contend with the elite teams in the league this season, has arrived. This road trip will be crucial for the team morale and will go far to how the team will do in the Horizon League standings. The Penguins can win games on the home court, but the underlying questions with this team will be, can they win the big games on the road?
All three Horizon League games the Penguins will play on their long road trip are against opponents picked by the media surrounding the Horizon League to finish above the Penguins. The toughest opponent the Penguins will face lies in their upcoming tussle against the Wright State Raiders Dec. 5. The Raiders currently stand at 3-2 on the season. The Raiders have wins over Portland State, Belmont, and Central Michigan. The Raiders dropped their most recent against the Northeastern Huskies, 70-67. A season ago, the Raiders finished 20-13 overall while compiling a 12-6 Horizon League record.
The game through the first half was one where the Penguins kept within striking distance of the Panthers. The Panthers would lead by seven or eight but then the Penguins would make a few baskets and trim the lead. The Penguins held their ground and the game was tied at 42-42 at one point in the second half before the Panthers blew the game open and eventually won by 16.
"We played good for 30 minutes and the last 10 minutes we missed a bunch of foul shots and easy shots," head coach Jerry Slocum said.
The Penguins had won their previous two games, one on the road against St. Peter's and the other at home against Geneva. The Penguins record now stands at 3-3.
The schedule does no favors for the Penguins as their game against the Pittsburgh Panthers was just the tip of the iceberg. The next four games for the Penguins are on the road and three out of those four games are against Horizon League opponents. The time for the "new Penguins" to emerge, who are supposed to contend with the elite teams in the league this season, has arrived. This road trip will be crucial for the team morale and will go far to how the team will do in the Horizon League standings. The Penguins can win games on the home court, but the underlying questions with this team will be, can they win the big games on the road?
All three Horizon League games the Penguins will play on their long road trip are against opponents picked by the media surrounding the Horizon League to finish above the Penguins. The toughest opponent the Penguins will face lies in their upcoming tussle against the Wright State Raiders Dec. 5. The Raiders currently stand at 3-2 on the season. The Raiders have wins over Portland State, Belmont, and Central Michigan. The Raiders dropped their most recent against the Northeastern Huskies, 70-67. A season ago, the Raiders finished 20-13 overall while compiling a 12-6 Horizon League record.
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