Second-Half Comeback Thwarted in 85-80 Loss to Green Bay

    Green Bay, Wis. -- An impressive second-half comeback attempt by the Youngstown State women's basketball team fell just shy for the second consecutive game in an 85-80 loss to Green Bay (12-3, 4-0 Horizon League) on Saturday afternoon at the Kress Events Center.

    The Penguins trailed by 20 points at halftime only to battle back within three, 83-80, with 22 seconds remaining after a layup by junior Tiara Scott, but Green Bay made two late free throws to seal the victory.

    The Penguins (7-8, 2-2 Horizon League) placed four players in double figures for the third time in the last four games led by senior Heather Karner's 20 points. Junior Tiara Scott recorded her second double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds while juniors Kesley Gurganus scored a career-high 16 points and junior Velissa Vaughn added 12.

    Trailing 44-24 at the intermission, the Penguins, who shot 55.2 percent in the second half, opened the second half with an 19-8 run in the first five minutes get within nine points, 52-43. The Penguins got hot from the perimeter using two 3-pointers from Gurganus and another from senior Jessica Schloemp to slice the deficit to nine with 15:10 remaining.

    The Phoenix's Kayla Groh it a 3-pointer and Rachel Porath's four-point play ballooned Green Bay's lead to 16, 59-43 at the 14:25 mark.

    UWGB pushed its advantage to 17, 62-45, after a free throw from Groh with 13:23 left.

    YSU used a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to get within seven, 64-57, after a 3-point play by Gurganus, who scored all her points in the second half.

    The Phoenix again extended their edge back to 15 points, 76-61, with five minutes remaining but the Penguins would not quit.

   Scott, who scored 17 of her 19 points after halftime, converted a three-point play and two charity tosses to cut the deficit to nine and Gurganus buried her third 3-pointer of the game at the 2:57 mark to bring the Guins with six, 78-72.

    After a layup by UWGB's Heather Golden, Vaughn hit a 3-pointer with just under a minute left to get YSU back to within four, 82-78, but Groh made one of two free throws to give the Phoenix a five-point edge, 83-78, before Scott's final lay up.

    In the first half, the Penguins shot just 21.4 percent from the field while the Phoenix shot an impressive 59.3 percent.
    The return home to host Wright State, Thursday, Jan. 17. Tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m. at the Beeghly Center and is part of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader.