The Pittsburgh Pirates front office has been busy since the season ended in hopes of fielding a more competitive team.  Paneech.com was lucky enough to catch a few leaks about who could be a new Buc by opening day.  It is a pretty strategic list, and man, if Neal Huntington could nab a couple of these guys, the sky is the limit.  Without further ado, here is the list of free agents that the Pittsburgh Pirates are most actively pursuing. 

Christopher Columbus

Who better to “start” than Christopher Columbus.  He started a new country, the Pirates should definitely be able to get six quality innings from this guy.  Reach out to the Italians in Pittsburgh and sign one.  Columbus has great location and mixes his three pitches (Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria) with great control.

Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown has pitched through very adverse conditions throughout his career.  By adding Christopher Columbus and Brown, the rotation is pretty well set with Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf, and Kevin Correia.  Scott Olsen will probably hurt himself by the time Spring Training starts.  Brown brings a declining 12.26 ERA to the table, but much of that can be blamed on shoddy fielding behind him.  Lastings Milledge will make Chuck feel right at home, perfect fit!

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen is a mess these days, but so are the Pirates!  Sheen could help the one-man bullpen that is Evan Meek out with some quality innings.  There are a few good clubs in Pittsburgh that Sheen will fall in love with and when you see the rest of the list, you will appreciate the talent he may get to hang out with.  It will be a new fellowship of Pirates players called the Rum Bucket Tippers that Sheen will captain on great nights out after the games not seen since the likes of Dale Berra!

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan will co-captain the Rum Bucket Tippers fellowship for post-game celebrations.  Lohan, like Sheen, will add great stability to the “pen“.  Coming off of a very successful rehab assignment, Lohan’s stock can only rise.  The “pen” will have great depth (not to be confused with depth perception).  The last two pieces to a successful “pen” and definitely two more fellows to lead the Rum Bucket Tippers fellowship society are:

Strawberry and Gooden

you guessed it.  Strawberry and Gooden, the Penn and Teller of sports.  One minute they are locked up, but they always seem to escape.  These two can easily round out the Rum Bucket Tippers fellowship of Pirates who want to move in a new direction.  The “pen” would be loaded with Sheen, Lohan, Strawberry, Gooden, and Evan Meek.

Ace Frehley

There were concerns when JJ Hardy signed with the Orioles earlier this week that the Pirates big plan fell through.  Frehley is poised to step right in, not only at short, but also the Rum Bucket Tippers fellowship.  Can you imagine him with those 12″ platform silver space boots sliding into second to break up a double play?  By crippling the rest of the shortstops in the league with the silver boots, Frehley could start the All-Star game for the National League by default. 

Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz can add some punch to a light hitting Pirates offense.  Ortiz, no stranger to getting his ass kicked lately, could do what so many other retreads have done, find himself in a Pirates uniform.  The most attractive thing to the front office about Ortiz is that Dana White has offered to pay 75% of his salary just to keep him away from the UFC.

James Harrison

James Harrison could be the next Bo Jackson by participating in two sports.  The deal is that he gets fined for hitting in one sport, but would get rewarded for it if he joined the Bucs this season.  Can you imagine all of the Steeler fans who would suddenly resurface as Pirates fans?

Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr was the least talented Beatle.  That would qualify him for an instant contract with the Pirates.  Teach him how to catch, and if that fails maybe RF.  Oh, wait, the Pirates are already doing that with Ryan Doumit.  Oh well, use him as a utility player.  Can you imagine the popularity of Yellow Submarine as the new Pittsburgh Pirates seventh inning stretch song led by Starr?  Wow, the marketing department (do they have one?) better jump on this.

Simon Cowell (Manager)

Simon Cowell had the managerial job locked up but his negative attitude (above) forced the front office to hire Clint Hurdle.  Cowell, not always popular with the fans, does have an eye for talent and is a winner.  Passing on Cowell to be the new skipper will surely come back to haunt the Pirates.

So there you have it, all of this talent is out there and the Pirates are just lurking in the weeds for the right moment to announce some of their new signees!  Hustle to the box office and order your season tickets before they are gone and be sure to mark August 12th on your calenders.  Not only is it Zambelli Fireworks night, but is also Clint Hurdle bobblehead night.  They were going to use a player, but the front office was unsure about who might still be around, so Hurdle gets the “nod”.

Adam Berkle knows that bigger things are in his future.  A scholarship to hockey powerhouse Northeastern University is the big prize, and he has earned it.  Berkle is a carryover from last season, so it was fun to prod him with comparison questions between the two years he has been in a Phantoms uniform.  The biggest difference is that Berkle is the captain of the team this season and his role as a leader has grown.  He is not a loud person, some would even categorize him as quiet, but I got him to talk a little at the Ice Zone when I had the privelage of interviewing him.

Paneech:  This year’s team seems like it is streaky.  You guys started out on fire, went into a terrible slump and are now playing at a high level again.  Should we expect these major swings all season?

Berkle:  We went into a pretty bad slump and we weren’t sticking together.  We have that fixed and are working hard as a team and really playing together again.  We are sticking together no matter what and not turning games into emotional rollercoasters, just staying even keel.

Paneech:  One of the best games I saw you guys play this season was a 1-0 loss.  What is more satisfying, winning ugly or losing a heartbreaker?

Berkle:  The one goal loss was really frustrating because we gave it up on the power play.  We played well and it was part of the losing streak although we were now moving in the right direction.  It is really frustrating to lose when you play that good of a game.

Paneech:  Have you found a place in Youngstown that you can hang out and have fun, or are you happier with staying in and playing video games or watching television?

Berkle:  Basically, we have practice and then we will go out and grab something to eat.  Other than that we use the internet, play video games, or just hang out.  We play all of the EA Sports games on an Xbox.  Besides NHL 2011, we play Madden and Fifa and alot of us are into Call of Duty right now.  Everyone on the team is playing that game right now. 

Paneech:  Are the days of conventional stretching over and done?  When I get to the games early, I always see a circle of guys playing with a soccer ball or a hackey-sack.

Berkle:  I guess we do stuff like that to just pass the time.  It does get us warmed up instead of just standing around two hours before the game.  We are starting to play more wall ball and not as much with the circle.

Paneech:  If you could bring back a Phantom from last year who could really help this year, who would it be, and why?

Berkle:  Tom Serratore.  He was my roommate last year and is one of my best friends, and he brings a lot to the ice. 

Paneech:  What are the strengths of this year’s Phantoms team?  I have yet to see a fight, is that a Curt Carr no-no?

Berkle:  Our strength this year is that we come out hard every game.  Last year, if we went down a goal, we would hang our heads and not try as hard.  Now, if we are in that situation, we are staying in it instead of being down.  Last year, we were a different type of team.  We were a lot bigger and we had actual fighters on the team.  This year, we are playing hard and we still hit a lot.  When we need somebody to step up and fight, someone will.  I don’t think that fighting is that big of a part of the game,  it distracts players and takes away from the game.  We will keep hitting and if there is a cheap shot, someone will step up and fight.

Paneech:  Let’s talk about your future plans and how playing in this league may have helped you secure a dream.

Berkle:  I feel very fortunate, and Northeastern was always my number one choice.  Ever since they started to talk with me a couple of years ago, I have wanted to go there.  I’m really excited about going there next season and this league has helped me a lot.  The speed at this level will definitely make my transition to college hockey easier.

Paneech:  Speaking of transition, Coach Carr has been in transition over the past year.  He has gone from an assistant to the head coach.  He went from being a newlywed to a married father.  An act that says plenty about him is that after every game before he approaches the scouts or the media, he kisses his wife and his baby daughter, showing his true character.   How is Coach Carr to play for?

Berkle:  It’s been really good.  He will give us some slack to a point.  We can be loose and joke around in the locker room before a game, but he will remind us why we are there and never lets things get out of hand.  He has helped me out since I got here in many different situations, on and off of the ice.

One Word Answers

Favorite NHL Player:  Jeff Carter.  I model my style after him.

Favorite NHL Team:  Philadelphia Flyers.

Typical Fast Food Order:  Chik-Fil-A #1, no pickles, sweet tea and an extra sandwich.

Favorite Drink:  My go-to is water, but I love Mountain Dew.

What You Watch Other Than Hockey:  Baseball.

How Many Times Have You Watched The Mighty Ducks?  Too many times to count.

Favorite Movie:  Caddyshack.  ( I knew I liked Berkle for a reason).

Best Breakfast Cereal:  Lucky Charms.

As A Kid… Eat The Cereal or Dig For The Prize:  I ate the cereal.

Favorite Juice:  Orange Juice.

Toppings On A Pizza:  Just cheese, but sometimes sausage.

Favorite Music:  Everything – Rap, Country, and Rock.

Favorite Muppet:  Kermit The Frog.

Best Cartoon Character Ever:  Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin.

Youngstown State sophomore forward Brandi Brown has been honored as the Horizon League Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week beginning Nov. 22, the conference announced Monday.

Brown averaged 20 points and 8.5 rebounds in helping Youngstown State snap a 34-game losing streak and win back-to-back games for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

Brown notched her first double-double of the season – and 15th of her career – in Youngstown State’s 71-57 victory over Bucknell on Wednesday. She scored 16 of her game-high 23 points in the second half in just 13 minutes. She added 11 rebounds and two steals, and she was 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Brown then scored a game-high 17 points while posting six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in YSU’s come-from-behind victory over Ohio on Saturday. One of those assists came when she grabbed a defensive rebound and hit Macey Nortey on a fast-break lay-up with 55 seconds remaining that gave YSU its first lead of the second half.

Brown, a native of Pomona, Calif., leads the Horizon League in scoring with 20.2 points per game. She also ranks seventh in rebounding and ninth in 3-point field goals per contest.

Youngstown State’s last Horizon League Player of the Week was Jen Perugini on Feb. 28, 2005.

Last season,  Brown was pretty much robbed for Horizon League Newcomer of The Year as she was voted runner-up despite leading the conference in more statistics than the eventual winner of the award.

The new-look Youngstown State University basketball team welcomed another MAC team to Beeghly Center Wednesday.  Toledo came into this game 0-5 and was searching for answers.  The Rockets left Youngstown scratching their heads, and Coach Jerry Slocum picked up his 632nd career victory.  The Penguins remained undefeated at home and improved to 3-1 on the young season with a 73-67 win over Toledo.

Youngstown State looked sharp at times in the first half, but also looked rough during stretches.  Coach Slocum talked about what he expected out of the gate tonight.  “We had a tough loss the other night, and I was really anxious to see how this team would respond to a tough loss.”  True, it was a bit sluggish, but when this team gets going, they are a force.

Vytas Sulskis showed no ill effects of a hyperextended knee suffered at Akron.  Sulskis hit three times from long distance and finished the first half with 11 points and four rebounds and would finish the contest with 20 points for YSU.  However, the Penguins trailed the Rockets 34-33 at intermission.  Toledo got nine first half points from Malcolm Griffin and the Rockets out-boarded the Penguins 21-14 in the opening session.  Griffin finished the game with 18 points.

In the second half, Sulskis continued to score as he hit two free throws with 14:14 left in the game to put YSU ahead 45-43.  Toledo cut the lead to one when Zack Leahy hit a trey to make it 47-46.  Richard Wonell gave the Rockets a three-point lead with just over twelve minutes remaining with an easy bucket in the paint that made it 50-47, Toledo.

Damian Eargle tied the game at 52 and was fouled on an offensive rebound put back attempt on the Penguins next possession.  Eargle hit one of the two and then scored his fifth consecutive point on a nifty reverse layup.  Eargle made it seven straight points the next trip up the court, and there was no doubt that the Warren G. Harding grad was in the zone.  The Penguins would ride the hot hand of Eargle to take a 57-54 lead with 8:23 left in the game.  Devonte Maymon hit a pair of free throws to extend the YSU lead to 59-54 with 7:49 left in the game.

Eargle was dominating the game on both sides of the court in the second half.  He was scoring, blocking shots, rebounding (on both sides of the court), and passing.  Eargle finished the game with six blocks, a career-high, as well as 15 points and six boards and commented on how he is approaching this season after being stuck on the bench all of last season.  “I feel like I can get better every game, and I can see myself doing more.  We are really feeding off of the energy of the crowd and it seems like there are a few more people coming each time we win.”

With YSU ahead 65-58 with 3:26 left in the game, Griffin stole a pass and drove the floor for a bucket to cut the YSU lead to 65-60.

YSU kept their foot on the gas pedal with a five point lead and 2:42 left in the game.  Ashen Ward drilled a three with just under two minutes left in the game to increase the Penguins lead to 70-63.  Ward has been the guy who hits the big shot in a couple of instances this season.  Eargle also played a key role in preserving the win with a couple of blocks and rebounds in the waning minutes.  Slocum credited DuShawn Brooks after the game as the “unsung hero” pointing out that Eargle was the recipient of some nice passes from Brooks at the high post.

After the game, Jerry Slocum talked about what he would be thankful for, and it wasn’t a win.  “I am very thankful for my family.  I know that all of this can take its toll and it really gets hard sometimes. My wife and my kids have put up with a lot, and I could not be more thankful than to have such a great family.”

Sulskis left the media room with a big smile on his face.  “Man, is my turkey gonna taste good tomorrow.”

With the Holiday Season in the air on the Eve of Thanksgiving, Youngstown State’s Lady Penguins were scraping for reasons to be thankful.  The team had not won a game in its last 34 attempts, or 627 days,  although seem much improved over last season.  Drought Be Gone! The Lady Penguins used 87.5% free throw shooting and some hustle from the role players to get by Bucknell.

Bucknell lost 71-45 the last time these two teams met in 1992.  The margin would not be quite as big but was meaningful in so many ways.  It marked Bob Boldon‘s first victory as new coach.  It broke the drought of 34 losses in a row.  Perhaps the most important thing the win did was give a group of scrappy girls who never quit an inkling of confidence to build on.

In a statistically even first half, the Penguins looked better on offense than they had Saturday against IPFW, yet trailed 30-27. Brandi Brown was doing her best to end the drought with six boards and seven points at intermission.  Newcomer Heidi Schlegel also had seven for the Penguins at the break.  Bucknell was paced by Joyce Novacek‘s nine points and five rebounds.

Monica Touvelle hit a three-pointer at the 15:29 mark of the second half to give YSU a five point lead at 39-34.  Next trip down the floor, Kenya Middlebrooks drilled a three, and at the 13:52 mark, the Penguins were in front by the score of 42-38.  YSU held the lead until the 11:20 mark when Cosima Higham drove the lane to put the Bison up by a point, 45-44.

Liz Hornberger his a three from the corner to give the Penguins back the lead at 49-47 with 10:23 to go.  Hornberger hit her second three of the half to put YSU back on top 52-50.  Middlebrooks extended the lead with her ninth point of the night to extend the lead to 54-50 with 7:06 left in the game, and hold the phones, the chilled champagne might get uncorked in Youngstown.

With 5:36 left, Schlegel kept the Penguins safely ahead with her drive to the hoop that made it 57-53.  YSU was getting some bounces, finally, and upped their lead to 60-53 on a pair of Macey Nortey free throws as the Penguins were 15-18 from the line to this point.

With 1:54 left in the game, Youngstown State enjoyed a 64-55 lead and was just looking to run the clock out.  Free throw shooting was great all night and Schlegel hit a pair to move the lead to 66-55 with just over a minute left in the game.  Nortey stepped up and followed suit with a pair to make it 68-55.  The Penguins went 21-24 from the line to get the win and improve to 1-3 on the season.

After the game, Coach Boldon was complimentary and happy for the team. “They deserved to win tonight because of how hard they worked at practice this week.  I am a believer that hard work at practice should translate over to wins on game day, and they earned this starting two days ago.  I am very happy for the players and they will celebrate this victory, hopefully not too much, because we have practice at nine in the morning.”

Brandi Brown, who finished the game with 23 points and 11 rebounds was happy to get a win.  “It feels amazing.  It’s a humongous reward for how hard we have been working.  When everybody plays their role and listens to Coach Boldon, we can win.“

Bo Pellini recently blew a fuse on Saturday.  Knowing he was wrong for letting his temper get the best of him, Pellini apologized on Monday.  Dennis Dodd is  the Senior Writer for CBSSports.com and was very critical of Pellini’s actions.

You can read Dodd’s article by clicking here.

Which Utopian territory Dodd was raised in, I am not sure.  However, the cheap shots he takes at the city of Youngstown, Ohio are horrible.  Pellini is from Youngstown and we are proud of him, happy when he comes home, and support him.  The same can be said for Jim Tressel, all of the Stoops brothers, Donald Jones, Brad Smith, Kelly Pavlik,  Ed O’Neill, etc.

Dodd was correct when he referred to Youngstown as a proud and tough town.  He had absolutely no reason to call my hometown “not particularly appealing”, in the first paragraph of his story.  Youngstown lost people when the steel mills closed their doors over 30 years ago.  This city is trying hard to take steps forward.  Youngstown is anchored by a growing university, a revitalized downtown area, a new arena which in the last year alone has hosted Elton John, the Harlem Globetrotters, and Disney on Ice.  It is General Motors territory, V & M Star territory, and has more to offer than so many other places.

Why, Mr. Dodd, do you make the empty claim that people from Youngstown have a chip on their shoulders? 

Show me a Division-I NCAA Football Coach who wouldn’t blast the refs for being outflagged 16-2.  Show me a winning coach who doesn’t grit their teeth, last time I checked Jon Gruden had a Super Bowl ring.  If coaches are nonchalant and lax, they probably are thinking about retirement.  So my question is simple:  Are all good college football coaches from Youngstown, or is Pellini’s intensity magnified by you, Dennis Dodd, because he is from Youngstown?

You owe the fine people of Youngstown an apology, Mr. Dodd.  Your story would have been more agreeable without the geographical name-calling and weak attempt at stereotyping.  Bo Pellini acted in an unfavorable manner, was held accountable, apoligized, and is moving on.  Again, when this man does countless hours of charity work in his hometown, has family and friends who love and respect him, has colleagues in the same profession he grew up with, and takes the time to talk to an ordinary Joe – we are proud to have him.  Youngstown is proud.

 

Zach Humphries thinks that this is a great time to be in school.  He claims the the job market is soft and that if he opts to pursue an MB Degree that he will be better suited for the real world when that time comes.  I first met Humphries at a YSU home football game in the 2009 season.  He was a polite and quiet kid who would deliver stat sheets to the assorted media personnel covering the games.  Not ever knowing what his title or role was, I talked with him to find out what kind of program the college has created to utilize the talents of people like Zach.

Rewind to 1985, I was a freshman enrolled at Youngstown State pursuing a Telecommunications degree.  There were some of the same extras that there are today like intramural sports, fraternities, and too many others to mention.  However, I admit, I am jealous of the opportunities given to Zach as a Sports Information intern.  I would have loved to work for people like Trevor Parks, Jamie Hall, and John Vogel for a grade.  I would have enjoyed calling a YSU game for the HLN or Sirius Satellite Radio.  I would have loved working with a professional the likes of a Robb Schmidt or a Rick Love.

The reality was, back then, there was nothing.  No link at all between the communications department and anyone.  You went to Bliss Hall, learned to cue up a record and follow an on-air log, and not much else.  We were pacified with a hard-wired radio station called WUGS which was only heard in three locations of campus, one being Arby’s in Kilcawley Center.  They left the volume on three and no one heard anything that we did, ever.  Humphries knows that he is pioneering new opportunities for the next wave when he is gone, and I respect that. Having studied journalism, Humphries is a multi-functional type who has great upside when his time comes.  I’m a fan.

I recently got to sit with Humphries and talk with him about these opportunities, where they may take him, and what his plan of attack is for the future.

Paneech: What has happened in the past year that takes you from passing out copies at sporting events to doing the play-by-play a year later?

Humphries: I have learned a lot from Trevor [Parks], Jamie [Hall], and John [Vogel], as well as Todd Mounce when he was here.  All of those people have seen what I am capable of and created more opportunities for me.  As a result, I am getting on the air and calling some games.  All of the little things we are starting, like The Penguin Rundown, we are passing on to the younger students so that they can carry on into the future and even expand.  You can only learn so much in the classroom in this field and you have to get out there and do some hands-on things before you can think about getting a job.

Paneech: Tell me about some of the programs that exist.

Humphries: The Horizon League Network (HLN) is great because it focuses on some of the smaller varsity sports.  Everyone hears about the football and the basketball, but the HLN will do a lot with the soccer, tennis, and volleyball that do not get much attention from the larger media outlets.  We have the access to jump right in and get interviews for the website.  Speaking of, the new website is phenomenal and features a lot of technological progressive features.

Paneech: Do you see, or have you had, problems with coaches.  I’ll give you an example of what I mean.  The unwritten rule is that when the Men’s Basketball Team plays poorly, leave Coach Slocum alone. Rank your favorites for me from one to five with Slocum, Boldon, Wolford, Pasquale, and Burrows.

Humphries: I think it just comes down to being a good communicator.  There are certain people who will come right up to you and start talking and there are others that you just have to know how to approach.  I feel I am a good communicator and that helps me gather interviews from the shy as well as the outgoing.  Pasquale is definitely the easiest. I would probably put Wolford next, then Boldon.  I really haven’t had a chance to talk with Coach Burrows as much as the first three.  Slocum is definitely the hardest.  He wins games, look at his record, he one of the winningest coaches in Division-I Basketball.  I just feel he is harder to approach and uses a different set of people skills than most others.  Boldon, who is fairly new, complimented me a couple of times already and Wolford always acknowledges that he sees the Penguin Review and says nice things.  They are all different, but all very good people.

Humphries (left), pictured with Roy Jones Jr. (center), and Todd Mounce (right), is the kind of guy who likes the new challenge, likes to make the inroads, and is closer to being the finished product than the work in progress.  Robb Schmidt, a veteran media mogul, recently called a game with Humphries and commented on Zach’s performance.  “Zach is one of the kids that has taken this opportunity to heart and really made the most of it.  He is a youngster who is really more mature than a college student doing games while still cutting his teeth.  It is obvious that he cares, but the most important thing is that he prepares. Broadcasting is a hands-on thing and you can only read so much about it.   Zach has had the opportunity to experience some of those things on the internet and radio where he can see what he has done and learn from those mistakes.  John Ridell, Zach, and these other students are really setting up something special for incoming students to have at Youngstown State.”

Zach Humphries is a name you will hear more of if you follow sports.  Check out the Penguin Review on the YSUSports.com website and enjoy the hard work that is being put in.

Youngstown State product, Donald Jones, had his best Sunday as a professional.  Jones did some damage and scored his first NFL touchdown in the Bills 49-31 come-from-behind win over the Bengals.  Jones finished the game catching five of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s passes including a 28-yard touchdown reception.  Jones’ five catches are a career-high and so were the 70 yards he compiled on the five receptions.

Jones also ran an end-around but the Bengals offense was not fooled, and Jones only gained one yard on the reverse.  The playing time Jones received was partially because the Bills had to pass to get back into the game.  Lee Evans running 60-yard go routes continuously will force him to take a play off here or there. With the opportunity, Jones may have secured himself additional playing time in the very near future for the Bills, who started the season 0-8, but have won two games in a row.

Youngstown State traveled West on I-76 looking for perhaps their biggest answer as to how good they could be against a quality team like Akron.  The Penguins fought really hard and looked good.  Brett McClanahan hit a 3-pointer as he was falling backwards at the end of regulation to force overtime.  McClanahan’s three came after two missed three attempts as YSU held a three point lead with just seconds left.  In overtime, the Zips got the bounces and the calls enabling them to walk away with a hard-fought 91-84 win over the much-improved Penguins team.

Vytas Sulskis poured in 20 points but missed most of the end of regulation and some of the overtime with a banged-up knee.  “I will be okay'” said Sulskis after the game, “I hyperextended it [knee] when I fell, but I am fine.”  Devonte Maymon and Ashen Ward each had 14 points, and Kendrick Perry chipped in eleven for Youngstown State.

“This hurts”, said Maymon.  “That is some really bad luck we had out there tonigfht for them to get off three three-point shots in the last ten seconds.  One rebound away.”  Maymon and Ward drilled key buckets to put YSU ahead in regulation.

I can tell the YSU Basketball Universe that this isn’t last years team.  This is a scrappy bunch who move the ball and function as a unit. They could win 20 games this season, easily.  They are that good and are still getting better.

Dan Boudler also had a career-best night with nine points and five rebounds and Sheldon Brogden added a career-high nine for the Guins.

Maymon’s three put the Penguins ahead 77-74 with 27 seconds left.  Needing a three to tie, the Zips started firing.  First Daryl Roberts missed, offensive rebound by Zeke Marshall who kicked it back outside the arc to Steve McNees who also fired a three and missed. Marshall snagged another offensive board and found McClanahan just outside the right part of the circle in front of the Akron bench. McClanahan barely got the shot off on time and the backboard turned red and time just froze.  When the sphere hit the twine, the Zips faithful at James A. Rhodes Arena blew the roof off.

During the overtime, Akron scored the first five points to go ahead 87-82 and never looked back.

The Penguins (2-1) return home on Wednesday and will play somewhere in the neighborhood of 7:30.  The girls welcome Bucknell before the Men’s game at Beeghly Center.

The Youngstown State University Women’s Basketball Team opened their home schedule on Saturday afternoon.  Working on busting up a 34 game losing streak, the Lady Penguins welcomed IPWF to the Beeghly Center.  The new coaching staff was in place and Bob Boldon knew that the only way to go was up.  Down as many as 14, the Penguins tied the game with four minutes left,  before eventually falling 73-61.

In the first half, the Mastodons took advantage of their size in the low post.  Stephanie Rosado scored 12 points and gathered seven rebounds.  The 6’2″ Junior forward squandered few chances when the ball was in her neck of the woods.  YSU got six points each from Brandi Brown and Maryum Jenkins in the opening half, but as a team, Youngstown State really struggled shooting only 27% from the floor and only hitting two of 13  from three-point range.  Conversely IPFW shot over 40% from the floor to compile a 34-22 lead at the intermission, which was also their biggest lead of the game.

As the second half progressed, the Penguins cut into the twelve-point lead more than once.  With 11:48 left in the game, the Penguins had the lead down to ten as Macey Nortey had a runaway lay up off of a Mastodon turnover. Heidi Schlegel cut it to eight at 51-43 with 8:56 left in the game on a nice cut to the hoop.

At the 6:54 mark, Anne Boese drilled a three to put the Mastodons back up by 10.  The Penguins fought hard to stay in the game, and Brown nailed a three with 5:58 left in the game that suddenly found the Penguins only down three, at 54-51.  Brown hit a drive at the 5:20 mark to cut the lead to just one, and the people made some noise for the home team.  Brown, on a major roll,  kept the hot hand and tied the game at 55 when she followed her own miss for a put back and her 25th point.

IPFW did not roll over or go away.  The Mastodons went on a 7-0 run to take a 64-55 lead with 2:44 left in the game and never looked back.  The Mastodons were paced by Rosado, who tallied 22 points in the victory.  IPFW also got good a game from Jordan Zuppe who had a huge rooting section of her own, and 15 points.

Youngstown State was led  by Brown who finished the game with 29 points, which is a career high, and nine rebounds.  Jenkins and Nortey contributed eight points each.

IPFW, which stands for Indiana and Purdue at Fort Wayne, Indiana, improved to 2-1 on the season.  The Penguins fell to 0-3.  After the game, Coach Boldon addressed the media with the problems plaguing his team. “It’s a new system and I can’t expect us to look perfect.  I can assure you that we will not look perfect against Bucknell on Wednesday.  We didn’t play very good basketball in the first half and we need to get better at every facet of the game.  It’s a work in progress.”

Brown commented on her best-ever game.  “It is a new offense.  Last season I was strictly a post player, whereas this year Coach Boldon trusts everyone on the team to shoot threes. I like the versatility and know that being multi-dimensional is good for the offense.”