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Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007

YSU scores 82-80 victory over Detroit

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Keston Roberts scored a
career-high 31 points in an
82-80 victory over Detroit.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Imagine what Keston Roberts could have done if he wasn't hurt.

Roberts, Youngstown State's 6-foot-4-inch guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., suffered a severe deep thigh bruise on his right leg on Saturday in the Penguins' loss at Cleveland State in the regular-season finale.

Roberts was questionable for Tuesday night's Horizon League first-round tournament game with Detroit at Beeghly Center until game time.

But Roberts played, scored his first basket 16 seconds into the game, then connected on his next five shots on his way to a career-high 31 points, leading the Penguins to a 82-80 victory in their first postseason home game in 12 years.

The win advances the fifth-seeded Penguins (14-16) to a quarterfinal round game Friday in Dayton against No. 4 UW-Green Bay, a 78-59 winner Tuesday over Cleveland State.

That game will follow the other quarterfinal between No. 6 Illinois-Chicago, which defeated UW-Milwaukee, 83-77, against No. 3 seed Loyola of Chicago.

The Penguins' game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. at the Nutter Center.

Pleased coach

"That was a tremendous college basketball game," YSU coach Jerry Slocum said. "That was two teams giving everything they had for 40 minutes."

Even with Roberts — he shot 12-of-19 from the field — and 19 points from senior Quin Humphrey, the Penguins still didn't have an easy time.

YSU led the entire first half and the first 13 minutes of the second half before Detroit (11-19) took a 66-65 lead.

That didn't last long. Humphrey hit a 3-pointer and although the score was tied twice more, the Penguins never trailed again.

Detroit junior Brandon Cotton took over the game in the second half, scoring 23 of his game-high 33 points in the second half, including five 3-point goals in a row during one stretch to lead the Titans' rally.

"Cotton just played out of his mind in the second half," Slocum said. "But I thought Keston did a great job on him over the final three minutes.

Brandon Bell's 3-point goal with 1:02 remaining deadlocked the score at 77, but Roberts came back to put the Penguins ahead with a short jumper.

Cotton finally missed with 16.7 seconds remaining, and Humphrey was tied up on the rebound attempt with possession going to the Titans.

Close call at end

With five seconds remaining, Detroit's Ryvon Covile drove to the hoop only to have his shot blocked by Barber, who then got the rebound and was fouled with 3.9 seconds left.

Barber made both shots and after Jon Goode made a 3-point goal with 0.4 seconds left, Humphrey sank one of two free throws and Brandon Bell fired a length of the court shot that hit off the front of the hoop as the buzzer sounded.

"We knew they would make a run, that's all we talked about at halftime," Slocum said.

Slocum also gave credit to the YSU fans, listed at 2,127.

"That was as exciting and as loud a crowd as we've had all season long," he said.

Everything Roberts threw at the basket went in as he scored the game's first 10 points and 12 of the first 14 as the Penguins pulled to a 14-2 lead.

Humphrey had back-to-back 3-pointers as YSU expanded its lead to 29-12 and Roberts added two more 3-pointers for a 40-21 lead.

Cotton caught fire at the end of the half and hit two straight shots to cut the lead to 45-31 at the intermission.

Heated second half

Roberts scored five points to open the second half and the Penguins still held a 52-35 advantage, but then Cotton got hot.

He scored 17 of the Titans next 21 points and suddenly Detroit was back in the game 60-56.

The Titans tied the score 62-62 on a three-point play by Zach Everingham and then Cotton tied it again with 7:21 remaining before Chris Hayes gave Detroit its first lead of the game at the seven minute mark 66-65.

Seven straight points by Humphrey put the Penguins back on track and they never trailed again.

YSU shot 55.8 percent for the game, 59.3 in the first half when they also shot 72.7 percent from 3-point range (8-11). The Titans who shot 62.5 percent in the second half, finished with 50 percent for the game and were 7-of-10 from behind the arc in the second half. They also outrebounded YSU, 31-26.

For a photo gallery of Tuesday's game see Vindy.com.

mollica@vindy.com

For a gallery of the game, click here

Wednesday, February 28, 2007