Trending
YOUNGSTOWN -- Coach John Barnes knows how big Saturday's overtime victory was at UIC.
It broke a five-game losing streak for the Youngstown State women's basketball team and was the first Horizon League road win this season.
And, it was an emotional lift to a team that has struggled with injuries to starters and other physical setbacks.
"It was huge for this team that has been battling all year, giving everything they have to get a big road win," said Barnes, whose team is 8-15, 4-8 Horizon League. "Just brought everybody's spirits up."
The team's defense, not so much.
It was up during the UIC victory, but has struggled for quite a while. Barnes doesn't use injuries or other setbacks as excuses for this young, depleted team. YSU gives up more than 74 points a game.
"We're really struggling," Barnes said. "We can do a lot better than what we're doing. We showed some signs against UIC. We need to take another step forward."
Junior Kelley Wright knows that defense can be consistent.
"Defensively, we know what to do," she said. "That's the frustrating part. We have to make sure what we take in practice and bring it over to the game, and play like we know we can."
On Thursday, YSU is at Milwaukee (15-8, 7-5).
"We're going into this game, thinking we can do this," Wright said. "We just have to do what we know what to do and put all four quarters together. We'll have a really good first or second quarter, then just struggle in one quarter where it lets the team back in. We have to make sure we put the whole game together."
INJURY UPDATE: Senior guard Jenna Hirsch, who has been ailing from a bad back, played some during Saturday's UIC game.
Freshman center Mary Dunn (6-foot-3) played six minutes and scored two points after being out the major part of three games with an ankle injury. She is one of the team's leading scorer with around 11 points a game and has the highest field-goal percentage at 51.
"She's such a big presence in there with her hands and ability to finish. Just take up space is big off of our defensive side, too," Barnes said.