Youngstown State ends road streak, UIC up next

HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP

(3/04/03)

Youngstown State entered its Horizon League tournament first round game at Green Bay’s Resch Center on a 29-game road losing streak, but strange things are known to happen at tournament time.

The Penguins (9-19) ended that streak and became the first Horizon League team to win on the road in the new tournament format with a 65-61 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay Tuesday night.

UIC (20-7) now awaits Youngstown State in Friday’s second round game at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. The Flames earned a first-round bye with their third-place finish in the league.

Senior Marlon Williamson led the No. 7 seed Penguins with 22 points, while sophomore Doug Underwood contributed 16 points.

“It has been a long time since we’ve won on the road," said Youngstown State coach John Robic, whose team had gone over two years without a win away from the Beeghly Center. “We haven’t talked about it a whole lot. It’s tough to lose that many on the road."

Underwood had 11 points in the second half and broke a 51-51 tie by drilling two straight three-pointers as to put the Penguins up by six with 6:56 left.

Green Bay closed to 58-55 on two free throws by Mike King, but TeJay Anderson’s rebound basket followed by Williamson’s jumper and free throw stretched the Penguins’ lead to 63-55 with 1:53 to go.

Green Bay pulled to within 64-61 on Terry Parker’s basket with 37.4 seconds left. But the Penguins’ Andy Jahnke made one of two free throws with 19.7 seconds left and UWGB’s Matt Rohde missed two three-pointers in the final seven seconds.

Greg Babcock led sixth-seeded Wisconsin-Green Bay (10-20) with 19 points while King added 17 points and 14 rebounds.

LOYOLA 69, CLEVELAND STATE 57: Senior guard David Bailey scored 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting and dished out seven assists to lead the No. 4 seed Ramblers at the Gentile Center.

Loyola’s frontcourt muscle proved dominant as Paul McMillan, Demetrius Williams and Corey Minnifield each grabbed eight rebounds as the Ramblers out-rebounded Cleveland State 46-30. McMillan scored 14 points, while Williams added 13 points.

The game was tight until the Ramblers went on an 11-2 run early in the second half as Bailey scored nine points in the run that put Loyola ahead 44-34.

Tahric Gosley had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks for No. 9 seed Cleveland State (8-22), whose coach Rollie Massimino may have coached his final game.

DETROIT 78, WRIGHT STATE 61: Terrell Riggs scored a career-high 28 points and Horizon Player of the Year Willie Green added 20 points the Titans (17-11) won at Calihan Hall.

The two senior starters carried the load for much of the night for the fifth-seeded Titans, who earned a spot against Loyola in Friday’s second round. Detroit shot 53 percent from the field.

Seth Doliboa and Vernard Hollins had 25 points apiece for Wright State (10-18), but were the only players to reach double figures for the Raiders.

No. 8 seed Wright State made it interesting, closing to within five points, 45-40, with 15:35 left, but never got any closer.