Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State’s Dwayne Cohill drives into the lane earlier this season during a 90-72 win over UT Martin on Nov. 9.

YOUNGSTOWN — Through the first month of the season, there’s plenty to like for Youngstown State.

The Penguins sit at 5-2 overall with losses to Notre Dame and Navy and are averaging 83.9 points per game. The defense, meanwhile, has given up 72.4 points per game and, the Navy game aside, seems to have started to figure things out as of late.

“There’s been a lot of exciting moments for this team early in the year, and also a lot of room for growth,” said YSU coach Jerrod Calhoun. “I think the guys understand that. So we just have to keep trying to get better. As you get into conference play, there’s more and more tape of each team, so we have to be able to have a good game plan and carry that out.”

The Penguins will begin their league slate Thursday with a visit to Northern Kentucky, and follow that with a road game at Wright State on Sunday. For reference, those two teams were in last season’s Horizon League Tournament championship, which WSU won.

In the Norse (3-4), YSU is getting a team that just snapped a three-game losing skid with an 85-77 win over Tennessee Tech. Though NKU is below .500 right now, it does feature a Power 5 win over nearby Cincinnati, a 64-51 decision.

NKU, which was tied with Purdue Fort Wayne atop this year’s Horizon League Preseason Poll, is paced by a talented backcourt duo of Sam Vinson and Marques Warrick that will provide a significant challenge for YSU’s defense.

The Penguins have held three of their last four opponents to under 70 points, the exception being the 80 points Navy scored on Day 2 of the Midshipmen’s MTE.

“Defense usually starts on ball, so we have to continue to guard the ball better and continue to support the ball with having ball handlers see multiple defenders,” Calhoun said. “I think we certainly have showed some really, really good defensive games, but we have to be more consistent in that, because I think that affects our offense. I think anytime you can get stops with our team and get out and run, we’re pretty hard to guard.”

Warrick, a preseason All-Horizon League First Team selection, enters averaging 21.6 points per game, while Vinson, a second team selection, is scoring 12.3 points per game. Trevon Faulkner, who was named to the preseason second team, adds 8.1 points per game.

Those three center around point guard Xavier Rhodes, who has 25 assists so far to just nine turnovers. He also scores 8.8 points per game.

“They can all shoot the ball, they can all dribble the ball, they can all post you up and they all make good decisions,” Calhoun said. “They have good chemistry. They have four starters back, and I think the point guard they’ve inserted in their starting lineup, Rhodes, is very, very good. So they’ve played a really tough schedule. They’ve had some injuries, but this is certainly a great team.”

Forward Chris Brandon leads the front court and averages seven points and 12.4 rebounds per game.

On the other end of the court, the Norse are holding opponents to 68.6 points per game, primarily through a zone according to YSU forward Malek Green.

“Their zone has been successful for them over the last few years. That really stands out,” Green said. “We have to be ready to make the right reads and the right passes and share the ball.”

Tipoff at NKU (ESPN+) is slated for 7 p.m.

jwhetzel@tribtoday.com