Penguins prepared for rivalry tilt
Youngstown State hosts Robert Morris tonight
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YOUNGSTOWN -- The defensive pressure will continue for Youngstown State.
Fresh off a 68-67 overtime win at Oakland -- a team that's given YSU fits recently -- the Penguins (11-4, 5-1 Horizon League) are set for another defensive slugfest, as Robert Morris makes the trip up from Moon Township, Pa. for a 7 p.m. matchup (ESPN+, 1390 AM WNIO).
"They pressure quite a bit," said YSU coach John Barnes. "They make it very difficult to execute your offense or at least be smooth at it. They've done a really good job at offensive rebounding this year, so we have to try to keep them off the boards."
Indeed, RMU (7-8, 1-5 Horizon League) is one of five Horizon League teams holding opponents to under 60 points per game -- as is YSU. And perhaps of particular concern to YSU, which has been up and down from the field this season, the Colonials have held opponents to just 24.2 percent from 3-point range.
But, as Barnes would allude to in his midweek press conference, RMU has hit a skid since beginning the year 6-1. The Colonials have lost four straight and seven of their last eight.
Though the Colonials have played much of the upper half of the Horizon League in that stretch, along with a couple Power 5 buy games, RMU is coming off a 64-58 loss to conference bottomfeeder Detroit Mercy, which is a combined 4-41 dating back to last season. RMU was out-rebounded 51-20 in the loss -- an area the Colonials had excelled in previously.
"They had a great start to the season and plateaued a little bit," Barnes said.
But, he cautioned, it won't be an easy test. The programs met three times a season ago -- all YSU wins -- and two of those games were defensive battles and nailbiters.
YSU took the first matchup at the Beeghly Center, 59-53, and then won at RMU on a Megan Callahan buzzer-beating 3-pointer, 59-57. In their final matchup, the Penguins smothered RMU, 61-44.
"It's a rivalry game for us, so it's going to be tough whether it's here or there and no matter what the circumstances are," Barnes said.
Forward Phoenix Gedeon paces the Colonials with 13.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, though she's coming off her worst performance of the season. Against Detroit Mercy, the sophomore was just 1-for-14 from the field in 26 minutes of action, and grabbed just three rebounds.
"Very strong, physical, athletic post player," Barnes noted. "She's one of the top offensive rebounders in the league (and has a) high field goal percentage. Lilly (Ritz) and our post players are going to be tested defensively, and we're going to try to help them out as much as we possibly can, but they've got some very good 3-point shooters so they can be difficult to guard at times."
Rebecca Dwomoh (29.6 percent) and Mackenzie Amalia (26.9 percent), who is the high school teammate of YSU guard Mady Aulbach, take the most treys on RMU's roster and will figure to try to capitalize on any help defense YSU's guards may try to provide the forwards.
YSU, meanwhile, is seeking its fourth straight victory and would move to 8-1 at home with a win. Lilly Ritz is leading with 17.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, while Malia Magestro is scoring 11.7 points per game and Callahan has 9.7 points per game.
Meanwhile, newcomers Dena Jarrells, Emily Saunders and Shay-Lee Kirby each have shown spurts lately and will look to continue the trend.
"I think the team has really embraced executing the game plan and studying their scouting reports better and playing harder, smarter, all those things," Barnes said. "We talk a lot about throughout the year, we're working to get better for tournament time."