Feb. 28, 2009
Late Miscues Prove Costly in 67-59 Loss at Valparaiso
    Valparaiso, Ind. – The Youngstown State men’s basketball team built an eight-point second-half lead, but nine second-half turnovers proved costly as the Penguins dropped their regular-season finale to Valparaiso, 67-59, on Saturday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

    Youngstown State falls to 11-18 overall and 7-11 in the Horizon League while Valparaiso improves to 9-21 overall and 5-13 in the Horizon League.

    Junior Sirlester Martin led the Penguins with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field and junior DeAndre Mays added 11 points.

    With a four-point lead at the intermission, 24-20, , the Penguins scored seven of the first 10 points of the second half to take a 31-23 advantage after a jumper by Martin, a 3-poitner by Mays and another jumper by Martin with 18:10 remaining.

    The Crusaders tied the game at 33-33 on a three-point play by Howard Little, and took the lead, 35-33, after a layup by Urule Igbavboa with 14:59 to go.

    Valparaiso extended its lead to three, 40-37, midway through the stanza but freshman Ashen Ward knotted the game at 40-40 with 10:14 left.

    After a 3-pointer by Michael Rogers put the Crusaders back up three, sophomore Tom Parks answered with a 3-pointer of his own to tie the game at 43-43 at the 8:53 mark.

    With 3:53 left, the Penguins trailed by two, 50-48, but the Crusaders put the game away with a 10-1 run to balloon their lead to 11 points, 60-49, with just 1:13 remaining.

    May’s 3-pointer with 44 seconds to go brought the Guins within five, 62-57, but they would not get any closer.

    Valparaiso also shot 62.5 percent from the floor after halftime.

    Valparaiso jumped out to an early 7-5 lead five minutes into the game, but the Penguins rallied with a 10-0 over the next five minutes to take a 15-7 lead capped by two free throws from Zack Rebillot and two from Kelvin Bright at the 9:48 mark.

    The Crusaders chipped the Penguins edge down to four, 16-12, but a jumper from Tom Parks and a 3-pointer by Vance Cooksey at the 5:44 mark gave the Penguins a nine-point cushion, 21-12.

    The Crusaders, though, outscored the Penguins, 8-3, over the last five minutes and cut the deficit to four, 24-20, at halftime.

    Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center and will be broadcast on NewsRadio 570 WKBN.