By Cord Rankin
YSU GAME NOTES AT WRIGHT STATE
https://ysusports.com/documents/2024/12/17/2024-25-YSU-MBB-notes-wsu-1.pdf
SETTING THE SCENE
The Youngstown State men’s basketball team returns to Horizon League action when it visits Wright State, Wednesday, Dec. 18. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.
UP NEXT
Youngstown State plays its final non-league game before the Christmas break when it visits USC-Upstate, Saturday, Dec. 21. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. in Spartanburg, S.C.
LAST TIME OUT
The Penguins are coming off their fourth straight win after knocking off Toledo, 93-87, on Dec. 14. EJ Farmer led five players scoring in double figures with 20 points. Nico Galette recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds and also dished out seven assists. Juwan Maxey tied a career high with 16 points while Jason Nelson had 13 points and Gabe Dynes added 12 points a career-high nine blocks.
SERIES VS. WRIGHT STATE
This is the 70th meeting between Youngstown State and Wright State in a series dating back to 1977. The Raiders own a 50-19 advantage in the all-time series, but the Penguins have won the last four contests. Youngstown State has also won five of the last six games and seven of the last nine contests Youngstown State defeated the Raiders, 88-77, last season at the Nutter Center. The Penguins have won three of the last five games played against the Raiders at the Nutter Center.
SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE
Wright State enters the game with an overall record of 7-5 and a 1-1 mark in the Horizon League. The Raiders, who are 4-0 at home, are coming off an 88-79 win over Marshall on Dec. 11. Leading the Raiders is Brandon Noel with 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while Alex Huibregtse is averaging 15.8 points per contest. Wright State is averaging 77.4 points per game while allowing 71.6 points per contest. The Raiders are shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from 3-point range.
A WIN WOULD…
- Improve YSU’s record to 7-5 overall and 3-0 in Horizon League play.
- Mark just the second time YSU began league play 3-0.
- Mark Ethan Faulkner‘s seventh career win and first over Wright State.
- Mark Youngstown State’s fifth straight win over Wright State, sixth in the last seven, and eighth in the last 10 games.
- Be Youngstown State’s seventh win over Wright State at the Nutter Center and the third straight in Dayton.
- Give the Penguins a 3-2 road record.
RATED PG
Junior point guards Juwan Maxey and Jason Nelson have been a formidable back-court combination for the Penguins recently. Over the last three games, the duo averaged a combined 26.7 points and 4.3 assists per game. Maxey averaged 14.3 points per contest while Nelson averaged 12.3 points per game.
FUELING THE TANK
Youngstown State has really improved on the offensive end over the last four games. The Penguins averaged 89.8 points per game and shot 51.8 percent from the floor and 36 percent from 3-point ranges. Youngstown State averaged 10 3-pointers made over the last four games.
GUINS IN THE HL
Youngstown State has been on quite a run during league play over the last three-plus seasons. The Penguins own a record of 43-20 in Horizon League play since the start of the 2021-22 campaign. Youngstown State went 12-9 in 2021-22, 15-5 in 2022-23, 14-6 in 2023-24, and is currently 2-0 in 2024-25.
ALL-AROUND GALETTE
Fifth-year senior Nico Galette has been doing a bit of everything for the Penguins. Over the last four games, Galette averaged 13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game and shot 56.4 percent from the floor.
RIM PROTECTOR
Sophomore center Gabe Dynes has become one of the nation’s top rim protectors. The 7-foot-3 center set a career high with nine blocks against Toledo on Dec. 14. His blocks also marked an NCAA Division I single-game high this season. Now with 100 career blocks, Dynes is the fifth player in YSU history to post 100 blocks in a career. He also ranks second nationally with 3.5 blocks per game.
COURTESY YOUNGSTOWN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
