Nov. 15, 2008 | Box Score

Martin's Double-Double Not Enough in 70-62 Loss to Buffalo

    Youngstown -- Junior Sirlester Martin posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and led three other Penguins scoring in double figures but the Youngstown State men's basketball team (0-1) dropped a 70-62 decision to Buffalo (1-0) in the 2008-09 season opener Saturday evening at the Beeghly Center.

    Junior Kelvin Bright scored 11 points while senior Jack Liles and sophomore Vytas Sulskis added 10 points. Liles also led the team with four blocks while Martin added three.

    Buffalo's Rodney Pierce scored a game-high 21 points while Greg Gamble scored 19 and Calvin Betts recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

    The Bulls, who led by six, 30-24, at the intermission, extended its lead to eight points, 32-24, after a jumper by Pierce to start the second half.

    The Penguins, who shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half, came charging back scoring 19 of the next 30 points to knot the game at 43-43 capped by a three-pointer and a free throw by Sulskis with 13:09 remaining.

    Buffalo, though, scored the next six points to regain a 49-43 advantage at the 12:08 mark.

    Layups by Sulskis and Bright and a dunk by Bright tied the game, 49-49, for the fourth time with 10:03 left.

    Trailing by three, 53-50, with 7:27 left, Martin and Liles each made a jumper to give the Guins a 54-53 lead at the 5:34 mark.

    Buffalo, however, would score the next nine points to regain an eight-point edge, 62-54 with 3:25 left and would never trail again.

    In the first half, the Guins shot just 22.9 percent from the field and 10 percent from the three-point arc.

    YSU trailed by seven, 14-7, midway through the first half but scored eight straight points to take a 15-14 advantage at the 9:36 mark.

    After six lead changes over the next seven minutes, the Guins owned a 24-22 lead late in the first half, but the Bulls scored the last eight points of the half to take a 30-24 lead in the locker room at the intermission.

    For the game, the Guins shot  35.4 percent from the field and 60.9 percent from the free-throw line.

    Buffalo won the rebounding battle, 51-39.

    Youngstown State visits ACC-member Maryland, Tuesday, Nov. 18. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. at the Comcast Center.