Penguins cap road trip with visit to UIC | News, Sports, Jobs


Correspondent image / Robert Hayes. YSUs Chris Shelton passes within to Jacori Owens during the first 50 % of their matchup with Defiance School earlier this year.

CHICAGO As the season continues to wind down, the struggle for the Horizon Leagues top rated places has started to slim.
With final nights results, YSU (13-10, 7-6), sixth in the Horizon as of now, finds by itself with an chance to get floor on No. 5 Detroit Mercy (8-11, 5-4), who was clobbered by No. 3 Wright State (13-10, 10-4) on Friday, 90-69.
The consequence it didnt get came in Northern Kentuckys extra time get above Oakland (16-6, 9-2). Had the Norse (12-9, 8-4) dropped the contest, YSU could have occur inside a game of the at any time-significant top four.
Situation aside, the Penguins are however targeted on what they can regulate, and thats their own timetable. YSU faces Illinois-Chicago at 2 p.m. today in the Credit Union 1 Arena.
As the season goes, just a perception of urgency (is essential). Your lifespan as a group runs out. We only have so numerous games with our seniors, YSU coach Jerrod Calhoun said. So as a mentor, you want to continually remind (the gamers) to take pleasure in it, but also realize that the clocks ticking, and every single activity receives extra significant.
UIC enters at 8-12 total and 4-7 in Horizon League perform, but that document is a little bit deceiving, Calhoun warns. All 7 of UICs league losses have appear to teams presently in the conferences top 5.
The Flames have been swept by Detroit Mercy, Wright Point out and Oakland, and also experienced a reduction to Northern Kentucky. UICs other activity from NKU was canceled.
UIC entered the weekend on a 4-match skid, but topped Robert Morris on Thursday, 80-75.
I believe they are definitely very good. I never consider there is a ton of variation among any of the teams, Calhoun reported. Theyre proficient, theyre more mature, theyre incredibly, pretty superior at residence. They are in a posture to make a run here. Theyve got a quite household-dominant agenda down the stretch, so its going to be a extremely difficult process.
The Flames are an economical staff, boasting the Horizon Leagues best help-to-turnover ratio at 1.28. Which is largely built through guarding the ball, as UIC gives up a Horizon League-lower 11.9 turnovers for each recreation.
Three UIC gamers are averaging in double figures. Damaria Franklin qualified prospects the staff at 17.8 details per recreation, and provides 7.1 rebounds. Which is bolstered by Kevin Johnsons 13.8 points for each game and Zion Griffins 11. Franklin is fourth in the Horizon League in scoring.
UIC also characteristics a Mahoning Valley native, as graduate transfer Brandon Battle is from Warren. He attended North Crowley Large College in Fort Well worth, Texas, nonetheless.
Perimeter defense will be at a high quality for YSU, as the Flames acquire the next-most 3-ideas in the league about 28 for every recreation. So, also, will be defending the choose-and-roll, Calhoun noted.
They try out to place you in center select-and-rolls and get downhill and drive and kick, so we have to do a good occupation of constructing our walls, remaining in our gaps and contesting with two fingers, he reported. Theyre likely to shoot a good deal of threes. Thats what they do that is their MO. How do you consider that away? You have to guard the basketball, simply because if youre in rotations in which theyre finding downhill and youre helping and collapsing, theyre going to get open up appears. Were going to switch our defenses. I consider well play man and well perform zone and try out to continue to keep them off harmony.
The Penguins are coming off a 61-55 win at IUPUI in which they had to battle for their lives. Dwayne Cohill led with 14 points, his ninth consecutive recreation in double figures, although Michael Akuchie additional 11 factors and 10 rebounds. Myles Hunter scored in double figures for the 2nd consecutive sport, including 12 factors, even though Shemar-Rathan Mayes experienced 11.
UICs protection gives up the 2nd-most points per recreation in the Horizon 73.1.
Calhoun suggests the Penguins will appear to assault the rim both equally via their posts and with drives.
They begin two freshman bigs (Jace Carter and Filip Skobalj). I believe we have to throw within to (forwards Akuchie, Will Dunn, Jacori Owens and Jamir Thomas), he observed. And then dribble penetration. Theres a million means to assault the rim. You either do it through your driving or your article-ups. We have to do a very little little bit of equally.
The match also marks YSUs ultimate trip to the Windy City to just take on UIC, as the Flames are departing the Horizon League for the Missouri Valley Meeting helpful July 1.
A win would give the Penguins a 2- start out to February, a thirty day period in which theyve had accomplishment in the previous couple of seasons. Right after very last nights gain, YSU is 18-6 in the typical seasons ultimate thirty day period.
It also would set Youngstown Condition on a 4-game get streak likely into a crucial 5-match house stand that begins with 3 game titles in five times versus Oakland, UDM and Robert Morris, and then rounds out with UIC and IUPUI.
Continuing that pattern and making momentum to finish the period are paramount if the Penguins are to accomplish their plans.
I think our teams get superior as the time goes on. Were a improvement method. We want to get superior with time, Calhoun claimed. Then, you have to credit score our youngsters. Theyre quite established to get far better collectively as a workforce, and it is one thing I think championship groups have to do you have to get improved through the period. It is so prolonged. So Im truly very pleased of the simple fact that our crew has gotten greater.










