By Bert Leeson

2 1 2024

GAME STATS PDF

https://ysusports.com/documents/2024/2/2/2344893.PDF

Dayton, Ohio – The Youngstown State men’s basketball team used a 13-4 second half run to turn a tightly-contested game into an 88-77 victory over Wright State on Thursday evening at the Nutter Center.

With the win, the Penguins improve to 17-6 overall and 9-3 in the Horizon League while the Raiders fall to 12-11 overall and 7-5 in the league.

Five players scored in double figures led by DJ Burns, who posted his 13th double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Bryson Langdon scored 17 points and tied a career high with five 3-pointers while Ziggy Reid and Brett Thompson each posted 14 points.

Senior Brandon Rush scored 10 points while EJ Farmer and John Lovelace, Jr., each had eight points. Imanuel Zorgvol was stellar on the defensive end grabbing a total of seven rebounds, including six defensive boards, and swatted three shots.

The Penguins and Raiders batted through 15 ties and 16 lead changes before the Penguins gained control after a Langdon 3-pointer with 16:05 left in the game that gave the Penguins a 60-59 advantage.

A dunk by Wright State’s Brandon Noel trimmed the Penguins advantage to 64-61, but Youngstown State responded with a 13-4 run keyed by two 3-pointers by Lovelace and another by Langdon for a game-high 12 points lead, 77-65, with at the 6:52 mark.

The Raiders cut the Penguins lead down to six points on two occasions, but the Penguins made their final seven free throws over the last 2:42 to seal the victory.

Youngstown State visits Purdue Fort Wayne, Sunday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Ind.