Youngstown State tied the school record for most 3-pointers in a game for the third time this season, but dropped an 80-72 decision to Buffalo on Saturday evening at Alumni Arena.  Youngstown State falls to 6-3 while Buffalo improves to 6-2.

The Penguins, who made 14 3-pointers, were led by sophomore Kendrick Perry‘s double-double of 18 points and 10 assists and 17 points from both senior Ashen Ward and junior Blake Allen (above).   Perry connected on 7-of-18 shooting from the floor, including three 3-pointers. Allen made five 3-pointers, Ward made three, Nate Perry had two and DuShawn Brooks added one each.

Although YSU shot 40 percent from behind the arc (14-for-35), they had no answer for the inside presence of Buffalo’s Javon McCrea and Mitchell Watt, who scored 29 and 20 points, respectively.  McCrea, who connected on 14-of-17 from the field, also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Penguins trailed by just one, 62-61, after a layup by Perry at the 8:38 mark and by six, 67-61, after a 3-pointer by Buffalo’s Tony Watson and two free throws from Watt with 7:43 left.

An offensive rebound and layup by McCrea extended the Bulls’ lead to eight, 69-61, with 5:10 remaining.  Ward (above) hit three late 3-pointers to get YSU, who trailed by as many as 10, 74-64, within six, 78-72, with 12 seconds left but Buffalo made two free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

The Penguins used a 13-5 run to build a 26-18 lead midway through the first half after the Bulls knotted the game, 13-13. A 3-pointer from Allen and two from sophomore Nate Perry spark the Guins first-half spurt.  Buffalo, though, outscored the Penguins 12-4 to take a 30-29 lead at the 6:17 mark after a dunk by McCrea.

Kendrick Perry, who scored 15 points in the first half, and Allen put the Guins back up by four, 36-32, after a pair of treys with 4:17 left.  After Buffalo scored six straight points to take a 38-36 lead,  Perry drained a 3-pointer with three seconds to give YSU a 39-38 halftime lead.

The Penguins take a break for finals before visiting Toledo, Saturday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio.