Penguins edge IUPUI, 58-56, after Kirby hits pair of game-winning FTs in final seconds
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YOUNGSTOWN -- In what was a back and forth affair, Youngstown State prevailed over IUPUI on Sunday.
After the Jaguars hit a three to tie the game, Shay-Lee Kirby knocked down a pair of game-winning free throws with 1.4 seconds remaining to help the Penguins claim a 58-56 victory.
"I think the biggest difference from Friday to Sunday was making sure we did a better job of setting in gaps to where they didn't have huge lanes to be able to drive and get to the rim," acting head coach John Nicolais said. "We switched a little more defensively than what we typically do, (and) I think that kind of bothered them a little bit, rather than having clear looks for shots."
Emily Saunders led the Penguins with 19 points, while Dena Jarrells added 12. Malia Magestro tacked on nine and Kirby finished with seven points.
The Penguins (5-9, 1-3) trailed by one, 49-48, at the 6:26 mark in the fourth, but quickly retook the lead following a couple of made free throws from Jarrells. They'd push their advantage to four at 55-51 on a Saunders hook shot with 2:43 to play, but the two squads would later find themselves deadlocked at 56 apiece following an IUPUI (2-11, 0-4) three from Jaela Johnson.
With YSU's final possession, Jarrells let the clock wind down to around ten seconds, then found herself without a good look following a Saunders screen. At the top of the key, she dished the rock to Kirby, who made moves in an attempt to shake IUPUI's Faith Stinson but instead drew a foul with 1.4 left on the scoreboard.
"We tried to space the floor in hopes that they would try to hug shooters on the weak side, which was going to give Dena and Emily a little more room to navigate," Nicolais said. "I thought we probably could have iced it and went baseline and maybe been uncontested, but we came off and it went a different direction."
With confidence, the senior stepped to the line and nailed both shots, giving a fist pump following the first make at the charity stripe. An IUPUI inbound pass was stolen by Paige Shy in front of the YSU bench to seal the victory.
"(Shy) just looked at me, she said you got this, go knock them down. I took a deep breath, and I was like I got you guys and that's what I did," Kirby said. "It's our grit and staying in the moment. We've been going really competitive in practice which has bled into games, so we just have to make sure that when it comes down to the final minute and when it's close like that to stay calm and try to just stay relaxed and play good defense."
Nicolais added, "Shay stepped up in a pressure situation and knocked them down for us, so happy to get the win."
Saunders was able to provide a force in the post for YSU despite foul trouble in the second half, and Lindsey Linard added five points while Saunders was on the bench.
"I didn't even know I had four fouls to be honest. Maybe me not knowing actually helps, but I just played more relaxed all over the place on the bodies trying to block shots. Just (being) relaxed and calm helped me a lot," Saunders said. "Just playing physical, finding our man. Boxing out, we did not do the best job tonight, that's definitely something we want to work on in practice, that's (been) a weakness of ours honestly.
"But, (IUPUI) is in the same position as us record wise, so when teams are like that they come in and go as hard as they can. We can learn something from that and just go with it."
YSU continues its homestand Wednesday against Oakland at 6:30 p.m.