Youngstown State University had just ended 2010 on a high note with a dramatic win over UIC.  Then something happened, 2011 showed up, and so did Loyola.  Unfortunately, the Penguins struggled on both ends of the court in a very lethargic performance to open a new calender year and lost to the Ramblers, 83-53, to drop to 1-3 in the Horizon League.

In the first half, Youngstown State seemed a step slower on the offensive end and at least two steps slower on defense.  Loyola shot 63.6% from the floor, while the Penguins could only muster 32%, including 1-8 on three-pointers.  Loyola opened a seventeen point lead within the first ten minutes of the first half and maintained that margin coasting to a 40-22 lead at intermission.  Tre Brewer had a team-high six first half points for YSU, which just seemed out of sync the entire half.  Ben Averkamp posted 13 first half points for the Ramblers.

The second half started much the same way that the first half ended.  Loyola was ahead 49-26 with 15:58 in the game when DuShawn Brooks did what he could to keep the Penguins in the game hitting a jumper from the top right side of the key.  As luck would have it, the Penguins ran into a buzz saw.  With 13:31 left in the game, Loyola had a 56-31 lead, but more importantly, they were shooting 67.7% in the game to this point.  When a team shoots greater than 55%, they are hard to defeat.  With Youngstown State gasping for straws on offense, they would have had to keep Loyola at bay on the defensive end, but were unsuccessful with either side of that two-fold game plan.

Frustration was evident in the second half.  Vytas Sulskis fouled out with just under ten minutes left in the game.  The Penguins were trying, but were also committing hard fouls and playing out of their comfort zone.  With 6:51 left in the game, YSU was simply playing for respectability and pride.  Loyola was ahead 71-43.  YSU got a decent second half from Brooks who played hard on both ends.  Coach Slocum threw up the white flag with about five minutes left when he emptied the cupboard and let some of the low-minutes guys get some experience.

Brooks (above) was top scorer for YSU with 13.  Damian Eargle also scored ten points and gathered five boards in the loss.  Josh Chojnacki contributed a career-best seven points for YSU.  The Ramblers got 18 points from Walt Gibler and 17 from Averkemp.  Loyola shot over 60% from the floor as a team.

After the game, Jerry Slocum called the performance “one of the worst losses I can remember.”  Slocum also went on to say that the Penguins showed little heart and character in the loss.  “The energy was bad today, and we got outplayed badly.”

Loyola Coach Jim Whitesell was surprised at how easy the win came.  “Usually when we play here, the games are donnybrooks and go down to the wire. I feel for Jerry, I was just there the other night against Cleveland State.  We challenged our big guys [Averkamp, Polka, and Gibler] to step it up and they responded.”

YSU heads off to Valpo and Butler before returning home to face Wilburforce on January 11.