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YSU continuing to work through offensive issues

Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State senior guard Jewel Watkins (10) brings the ball up the floor during Wednesday’s victory over Northern Kentucky at the Beeghly Center.

YOUNGSTOWN — Up till Wednesday’s win over Northern Kentucky, Youngstown State had lost four straight games and six of its last seven.

The Penguins’ scoring woes have been a common factor during that skid. While the victory showed that YSU is starting to find some answers offensively, it still remains an ongoing “work in progress.”

“I think we’re making some great progress,” head coach Melissa Jackson said. “It’s tough to evaluate our group, in all honesty, because we’ve had so many different lineups, so many changes to our roster. I don’t sugarcoat that by any means as an excuse. But this group has definitely dealt with some adversity, and we’re continuing to play through that adversity with the hope and the drive to continue to get better every single day.”

Through 18 games, the Penguins average just 58.8 points per game, which ranks second-to-last in the Horizon League. YSU is hitting at a 36.8% clip, which is last in the conference.

Turnovers have also been something that’s plagued the Penguins offensively. YSU has turned the ball over an average of 17.4 times per game, which is the third-most in the league.

“We’ve had games where we’ve had really high turnovers, or where we haven’t been very sharp offensively,” Jackson said. “The Wright State game, we were a little better offensively, and then our defense was not there. So it has been tough. There’s a lot of inconsistency there, so we’re still searching for that. That’s where coaching comes in, that’s where we make the big bucks, right?”

In large part, the Penguins want their defense to fuel their offense with stops and turnovers leading to easy baskets and scoring opportunities in transition.

Even during the losing streak and throughout the offensive struggles, the defense has remained as YSU’s calling card.

Allowing an average of just 60.0 points per game, the Penguins are second in the Horizon League in scoring defense, just behind Green Bay, which leads the league at 59.6 points per game. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Norse, YSU was also allowing just 59.6 points per game.

“This team has proven all year that we’re a really good defensive team,” Jackson said. “When we do that, we give ourselves a really great chance to win and compete. … I think this group has really bought into a new way of scouting, and how much emphasis we put on scouting and how we really try to take away people’s strengths. They’ve really locked into that, and it’s been a huge strength of ours.”

With its stout defense leading the way, the win over NKU provided proof of concept for what the Penguins have been working towards on the offensive end of the floor.

“I feel like we’re starting to play better together,” fifth-year guard Malia Magestro said. “It’s great to see because, as we get closer to March and through conference play and all that, it’s really good to start seeing that come alive.”

In recent games, YSU’s shooting percentages have risen slightly, while turnover totals have steadily decreased. The Penguins shot 42.6% against Green Bay and 44.2% against NKU, while YSU turned the ball over only 12 times against Wright State and 14 times against the Norse.

A lot of those numbers are because the Penguins have emphasized getting the ball into the post. YSU’s offense has been at its best this season when it outscores teams in the paint like it did against NKU.

“I think we’re getting better. I think we’re slowing down,” Jackson said. “I think they’re understanding how we have to have ball movement, how we have to get the ball inside and have paint touches and how that creates great jump shots on the outside. I do think we’re getting better, and it’s taken some time, which I think is natural. But I’m still going to hang my hat on the defense.”

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