By Marisol Nicholson
2 1 2024
GAME NOTES
https://ysusports.com/documents/2024/1/31/2023-24-notes-wsu-2.pdf
Youngstown State at Wright State
Feb. 1, 2024
Broadcast Information
Radio: 570 WKBN (Robb Schmidt) | Listen
TV: ESPNU/ESPN+ | Watch
App Audio – iHeartRadio App
Live Stats
Tipoff Notes
The Youngstown State men’s basketball team (16-6, 8-3 Horizon League) opens the final month of the regular season and goes for the season sweep of Wright State, Thursday, Feb. 1. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPNU.
Up Next
The Penguins stay on the road to take on Purdue Fort Wayne, Sunday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Last Time Out
Youngstown State knocked off Northern Kentucky, 82-52, on Jan. 28. Five players reached double figures led by Ziggy Reid’s 18 points. EJ Farmer had 12 points off the bench and DJ Burns posted his 12th double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Scouting Wright State
Wright State enters the game with an overall record of 12-10 and a 7-4 mark in Horizon League play. Trey Calvin leads the Raiders with 20 points per game while Tanner Holden is averaging 16.6 points per contest. The Raiders are averaging 86.1 points per game but allowing 81.1 points per contest.
Series vs. Wright State
This is the 69th meeting between Youngstown State and Wright State in a series that dates back to 1977. The Raiders own a 50-18 advantage in the all-time series, but the Penguins have won the last three and six of the last eight meetings. Youngstown State won the first meeting this season, 81-71, at Beeghly Center on Jan. 12. Youngstown State owns a 5-29 mark in Dayton, Ohio. The Penguins defeated the Raiders, 88-77, in the last meeting at the Nutter Center on Dec. 4, 2022.
A Win Would…
- Improve YSU’s record to 17-6 overall and 9-3 in Horizon League play.
- Be the third time since 1981-82 YSU won at least 17 times after 23 games.
- Mark the second straight year YSU began the year 17-6.
- Give YSU a 6-5 road record and a 4-2 Horizon League road mark
- Be YSU’s 19th win over Wright State.
- Be Youngstown State’s fourth straight win over Wright State and the seventh in the last nine games.
- Be the second straight win over the Raiders at the Nutter Center.
- Be the 237th in Head Coach Jerrod Calhoun‘s career and his 113th at Youngstown State.
- Make Jerrod Calhoun the third coach in school history to record at least 113 wins.
- Be Jerrod Calhoun‘s seventh win over Wright State.
Best Starts
A win over Wright State will mark the second straight season went 17-6 to start the season. It will also mark just the third time since 1981-82 that YSU started a season with at least 17 wins after 23 contests. The Penguins went 17-6 after 23 games in 1997-98.
Plus 25 Margin of Victory
For the first time in program history, Youngstown State posted three consecutive margins of victory of at least 25 points in conference play. Over the last three games, the Penguins have defeated Detroit Mercy by 41 (105-64), IUPUI by 28 (78-50), and Northern Kentucky by 30 (82-52).
Tenacious D
Youngstown State allowed just 166 points combined over the last three games for an average of 55.3 points per game. The Penguins also allowed Northern Kentucky to shoot just 28.8 percent from the field. That field-goal percentage is the fourth lowest allowed against a Horizon League opponent and the lowest since 2009.
Third-Highest Field-Goal Percentage
Against Detroit Mercy, Youngstown State connected on 63.3 percent of its shots from the field. It marked the third highest single-game field goal percentage in school history. It was also the highest field-goal percentage since 1982.
On the Farm
Junior EJ Farmer has been an offensive spark for the Penguins over the last three games. Farmer averaged 15 point per game off the bench and shot 65.4 percent (17-for-26) from the field.
COURTESY YOUNGSTOWN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
