Women's Basketball Goes For Third Straight Home League Win, Hosts Wright State

   Youngstown State (7-8, 2-2 Horizon League) returns to the Beeghly Center in search of its third consecutive home Horizon League win when it hosts Wright State (5-9, 2-1 Horizon League), 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.

Last Time Out
After trailing by 20 points at halftime, an impressive second-half comeback attempt by Youngstown State fell just shy for the second consecutive game in an 85-80 loss to Green Bay last Saturday. The Penguins 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 Velissa Vaughn added 12.

The Series
This will be the 34th meeting between the Penguins and Raiders with the Guins owning a 19-14 advantage in the all-time series. Wright State however, has won eight straight over the Penguins, including the last three played at the Beeghly Center. Last season, the Raiders defeated the Guins, 57-52, in the Beeghly Center and 47-40 at the Nutter Center.

Scouting The Raiders
Wright State enters tonight's game with a 5-9 overall mark and a 2-1 record in the Horizon League. Leading the Raiders is freshman guard Sheylani Peddy, who is averaging 14.8 points per game. Senior Whitney Lewis also averages double figures with 12.8 points per game. Wright State is 3-2 at home but 1-7 on the road. The Raiders’ lone road victory was a 71-53 win over Detroit on Jan. 12.

A Win Will
• Mark YSU’s eighth victory of the season.
• Give Head Coach Tisha Hill her 39th career victory.
• Mark YSU’s 20th win over Wright State.
• Snap an eight-game losing streak to the Raiders.
• Mark YSU’s first win over Wright State since Feb. 12, 2004.
• Mark the 462nd win in program history.
• Mark YSU’s fifth win at the Beeghly Center this season.
• Mark YSU’s first 3-2 start in league play since the 2001-02 season.

Branson Tops 400
Senior guard Lauren Branson became the sixth player in school history to reach 400 career assists after dishing out eight against Green Bay last Saturday. Branson has 402 career and needs 46 more to move into fifth place past Colleen Cook (447, 1994-98).

Loss in 80’s Rare
The Guins’ suffered a rare loss when scoring at least 80 points after an 85-80 loss to Green Bay last Saturday. Since the start of the 1999-2000 season, the Guins own a 19-4 record when scoring at least 80 points. YSU’s previous loss when scoring at least 80 points was an 86-80 overtime loss to Buffalo on Dec. 18, 2002.

56 is Sixth
The Guins’ 56 second-half points against Green Bay is the sixth-highest point total in a half in school history and the most since they scored 57 in the first half against Western Illinois on Feb. 1, 1997.

Second-Half Surge
Over the last four games, the Guins have been playing great basketball in the second half. The Guins are averaging 41.8 points in the second half during that span and are shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 73.3 percent from the free-throw line. YSU scored 34 against UIC (Jan. 3), 35 against Loyola (Jan. 5), 42 against Milwaukee (Jan. 10) and 56 against Green Bay (Jan. 12). Junior Tiara Scott is also averaging 14 points in the second half over the last four contests.

Scott is Hot
Over the last five games junior Tiara Scott has been almost unstoppable. Scott is averaging 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 59.4 percent from the field and 96.2 percent from the free throw line. Scott has also made 22 straight free throws since Dec. 21, 2007, which ranks tied for the sixth-longest streak in school history.

Karner From Downtown
In less than two seasons, senior Heather Karner is approaching the YSU top 10 list for most 3-pointers made. Karner has made 88 3-point baskets and needs just 11 more to move into a tie for 10th place on the all-time list. She needs 12 more to become just the 10th player in school history to boast at least 100 3-pointers made.

Gurganus Shows Range
Junior Kelsey Gurganus has proved she can knock down shots from the perimeter. After not making a 3-pointer in 11 attempts during the first 13 games, Gurganus has drained five of her last eight 3-point attempts in the past two contests, including three against Green Bay last Saturday.

Charitable Contributions
The Guins are having one of their best seasons from the free-throw line in school history. YSU is shooting 75.6 percent from the line, which currently ranks as the fourth-highest team percentage in school history.

Schloemp Streak at 88
Senior Jessica Schloemp owns a games played streak of 88 straight. Schloemp has also played in 98 of 99 career games.

Scott’s Efficiency
Junior Tiara Scott is currently on pace to tie the fifth-highest single-season field-goal percentage in school history. Scott’s .560 field-goal percentage is tied for fifth with Dorothy Bowers’ mark in 1985-86.

Assist Me, Please
Senior Lauren Branson continues to prove her value as a point guard. This season, the 5-foot-6 guard has tallied 76 assists to just 32 turnovers in 32.8 minutes per game. She is second in the Horizon League with 5.1 assists per game and second with a 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio. She also ranks 12th nationally in assists-to-turnover ratio. In the last four games, Branson has dished out 34 assists compared to just eight turnovers.

Scott Among League Leaders
Junior Tiara Scott is taking the Horizon League by storm. In the first four league games, Scott leads the league in free-throw percentage (1.000), ranks second in the league in scoring (19 ppg), fourth in field-goal percentage (.638) and fourth in rebounding (7.5 rpg).

Gurganus Hits For Career High
Junior Kelsey Gurganus notched a career high scoring 16 points in YSU’s 85-80 loss to Green Bay last Saturday. Gurganus scored all 16 of her points in the second half, including three 3-pointers.

Guins Perfect 10
For the first time this season, Youngstown State made 10 3-point baskets in an 85-80 loss to Green Bay last Saturday. It also marked the first time the Guins made 10 3-pointers in a game since they converted 10 against Buffalo on Nov. 21, 2006.

Seniors Tabbed Team Captains
Guards Lauren Branson, Heather Karner and Kira Mowen and senior forward Jessica Schloemp have been named team captains for the 2007-08 basketball season.

Karner Nabs Preseason Laurels
Senior Heather Karner was named to the Horizon League Preseason All-League Second-Team in a vote of the circuit’s head coaches, sports information directors and select media. Karner led the Penguins with 10.9 points per game and was named to the all-newcomer team last season.

Up Next
The Guins close out their two-game homestand against Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 19. Tipoff is set for 4:35 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.