Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State’s Danielle Cameron (2) drives and scores during the second half of a game against Thiel on Nov. 3 at Beeghly Center.

YOUNGSTOWN — Thanksgiving is on the minds of people across the country, but the Youngstown State women’s basketball team has its sights set on the next couple games.

The Penguins have Mid-American Conference opponents Toledo and Akron on the schedule this week. The matchups with regional Buckeye state opponents will lead into their first conference game against Milwaukee on Dec. 5 and then a trip to Green Bay on Dec. 7.

“When I put the schedule together, I wanted to challenge this group,” YSU head coach Melissa Jackson said. “Very thankful to Toledo for wanting to do a home-and-home with us, and willing to start here. That doesn’t happen a whole lot.”

YSU (4-1) won its last two games — a 60-53 win over Bucknell and a 64-50 victory over Mercyhurst — before the home meeting with Toledo (1-3) tonight at 6:30 at Beeghly Center and a trip to Akron on Sunday at noon.

The last time the Penguins faced the Rockets in the regular season came during the 2008-09 season. Jackson has some familiarity with the Rockets as a program, going back to her days coaching at Akron.

“They’re a storied mid-major program, have played against them a lot,” Jackson said. “Obviously a new coaching staff, so haven’t gone against this coaching staff, but still, the history and tradition is there, with them being one of the best mid-majors in the country. So for us to bring them onto our home court is a great opportunity, a great challenge, for our young group.

“Our fanbase should be really excited about the game, and should definitely come out. It should be a really good women’s basketball game.”

While the Penguins’ contributors are mostly underclassmen, they have gotten solid production from sixth-year guard Casey Santoro. The Florida Gulf Coast transfer is coming off a 21-point, five-rebound performance against Mercyhurst, which was good enough to earn Horizon League Player of the Week honors.

Her leadership and production has allowed younger backcourt members like sophomore Erica King (9.4 points per game) and redshirt freshman Danielle Cameron (8.0 ppg.) to find their roles in the starting lineup.

“We’ve all been able to learn from our mistakes from last year and be able to grow with each other,” Cameron said. “We all know that we’re going to make mistakes, but knowing that the leadership that we have — I think our captains are very good leaders — so we’ve been able to lean on them.”

Jackson said the Penguins have “taken care of business” during the first several games of their season. And she believes that the next couple games will set the team up well for their Wisconsin trip next weekend.

“I think what excites me about our young group is that we have so much room to grow and get better,” Jackson said. “Really excited to come to practice every day with them and continue that.

“I think this group very much has a high ceiling, but we’re not anywhere where we hope to be come the end of the season.”