Junior Brandi Brown made a key 3-pointer with 1:54 remaining and Kenya Middlebrooks knocked down six clutch free throws in the final 16 seconds and had a steal in the final seconds as the Youngstown State women's basketball team held off Valparaiso 64-58 on Thursday night at the Beeghly Center.
With the win, YSU improves to 10-11 overall and 4-6 in the Horizon League while Valpo falls to 5-16 and 1-9.
The Penguins could never get on track, but credit goes to the Crusaders who played only six players and had two go the distance.
Finally in the final two minutes, YSU was able to pull out a hard-fought win.
With the contest tied at 55, Brown drained her second 3-pointer of the night to break the deadlock with 1:54 left. Middlebrooks made two foul shots with 16.9 seconds left to give the Penguins at 60-55 lead, but Valpo answered when Ashley Varner converted a back-door layup and was fouled with 12.3 ticks on the clock. Varner made the free throw to get the Crusaders within 60-58.
Middlebrooks was fouled again with 11.2 seconds remaining and calmly knocked down two more from the line giving the Guins a four-point cushion.
Following a Valpo time out with 9.7 seconds left, Middlebrooks stole the inbounds pass and was fouled with 4.7 seconds left. Just for good measure she made both attempts giving the Penguins a 64-58 victory.
Brown finished with a game-high 20 points and hauled in 10 rebounds for the double-double. Middlebrooks and Monica Touvelle each finished with 11 points. Touvelle had nine in the second half, knocking down three 3-pointers.
In the second half, YSU made 8-of-19 3-point attempts (42.1 percent) and shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) for the game. Valpo shot 39.2 percent making 20-of-51 attempts. YSU was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line while the Crusaders were 16-of-18. Tabitha Gerardot had 15 points to lead Valpo.
Neither team could grab control of the contest in the first half. YSU shot 39.1 percent (9-of-23) while the Crusaders were 9-of-28 (32.1 percent).
While the Penguins could not find the mark from behind the arc making just 1-of-12 attempts (8.3 percent). The Guins did have success inside the arc connecting on 8-of-11 shots (72.7 percent) and that is what helped them to a 21-20 halftime advantage. Valpo did not make a 3-pointer and both teams were 2-of-2 from the line.
YSU led by seven on four occasions, the first at 11-4. After the Crusaders' Laura Richards tied the contest at four, the Guins scored the next seven points as Middlebrooks knocked down their lone 3-pointer of the first half, while Touvelle and Kelsea Fickiesen each knocked down buckets.
Leading 17-10 following a Jones layup, Valpo scored six straight to get with 17-16 on a layup by Laura Richards. The Crusaders took their first lead of the contest at the 41 second mark of the opening half when Richards converted a fast-break layup.
YSU was able to take the lead into the locker room when Middlebrooks drained a 12 footer with 16 seconds left in the half.
The Penguins wrap up their four-game home stand with a Saturday afternoon contest against Butler. Tipoff is set for 2:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.
Courtesy: YSU Sports Information
