Cleveland State uses physicality to outmuscle YSU 77-68
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YOUNGSTOWN -- Some nights, you're outmuscled. Such was the case for Youngstown State on Thursday night.
In a battle of Horizon League heavyweights at the Beeghly Center, Cleveland State used its physical brand of basketball to sink the host Penguins, 77-68.
"The bottom line is I felt like they played really well, they played really hard," YSU coach John Barnes said of his opponents. "They played really tough and physical and executed their game plan, and we didn't."
The Vikings (12-1, 3-0) made their presence in the paint known early and often. Cleveland State outrebounded YSU 45-34, outscored the Penguins (8-4, 2-1) 36-26 in the paint and scored 17 second-chance points.
Amele Ngwafang, Cleveland State's hard-charging center, was the best example of that. In just under 15 minutes of action, Ngwafang pummeled YSU down low to the tune of 14 points and nine rebounds.
Her biggest four points came in the fourth quarter as the Penguins were trying to rally. After YSU cut its deficit to 65-60, Ngwafang hit a layup to push CSU back up seven with 2:53 to go. Then, at the 1:21 mark, she grabbed an offensive board and scored a putback to put the Vikings up 71-63 and deflate the Beeghly Center crowd for good.
"(Ngwafang) was the game," Barnes said. "She had 14 points, nine rebounds -- four offensive -- down the stretch and scoring baskets. That was obviously important. I thought really (she) was the difference in the game."
The teams traded blows early as CSU took an 11-10 lead with 4:35 left in the first quarter. Then, the Vikings went on a 9-2 run to go up 20-12 before taking a 23-15 lead into the second quarter.
Cleveland State pushed its lead out to nine -- 27-18 -- before the Penguins managed a counterpunch.
Dena Jarrells sank a 3-pointer at the 7:27 mark, and then Megan Callahan added a trey with 5:07 to go to draw YSU to within 27-24. Ultimately, the Penguins finished on an 11-4 run to take a 35-31 lead into the intermission. In all, YSU outpaced Cleveland State 20-8 in the second frame.
Callahan led YSU with 14 points, while Jarrells added 12 points and five assists. Lilly Ritz notched a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards and Paige Shy scored 11 points and had six assists.
From there, however, Cleveland State stabilized. Destiny Leo scored 10 of her 14 points late in the third quarter to help the Vikings surge in front, 58-53, after the third quarter. Cleveland State never trailed in the fourth.
"It definitely gave (CSU) a lot of energy and momentum," Callahan said. "I feel like we just need to shut that down right away and not let it continue."
She added, "They out-rebounded us -- that's really important. That's just one of the little things like diving on the floor for loose balls. They really wanted it more down the stretch, and those are things we need to control -- boxing out, getting rebounds and not letting them have second chances."
To that end, YSU shot slightly better from the field at 26-for-62 (41.9 percent) to CSU's 26-for-68 (38.2 percent). But the Vikings' physicality allowed them to go 19-for-25 from the charity stripe while YSU went just 5-of-10. Then, too, the Penguins took 37 shots from 3-point range -- more than half of YSU's field goal attempts -- and hit 11 of them.
Turnovers also stung YSU. The Penguins committed 16 in the loss, allowing Cleveland State to score 22 points off of them.
"We talked about it at halftime that they were going to come charging to the basket, and we have to be physical and keep them out of there, and we just didn't do it," Barnes said.
He added, "We had some open looks that didn't go in, but I think it was offensive rebounds and turnovers. We had 16 turnovers; they only had 11. They had 16 offensive rebounds. We were 50 percent from the free throw line, they were 76 percent from the free throw line. There's a lot of stats that (paint the picture). ... It was all about offensive rebounding, knocking down free throws and taking care of it."
Cleveland State now has won 12 straight since dropping its season opener to Power 5 powerhouse Iowa State, who sits at 15th in the latest AP poll.
"There's a reason they're 12-1," Barnes acknowledged. "I was talking to (CSU coach) Chris (Kielsmeier) before the game, and this is his best team he's ever coached. They're very good."
Deja Williams had 15 points and four rebounds, while Brittni Moore had 11 points and nine rebounds. Barbara Zieniewska had nine points and seven boards.
YSU, meanwhile, had a seven-game win streak come to an end. The Penguins host Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday afternoon.