YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State University women’s basketball team stands in seventh place in the 10-team Horizon League after 14 league games.

Before last Saturday’s victory over a 17-win Cleveland State team, the Penguins (12-13, 5-9 Horizon League) were hurting with a six-game losing streak, many injuries and just one active player over 6-feet tall.

“We needed that win in the worst way,” YSU coach John Barnes said. “It takes a toll on players, coaches. It’s tough when you’re putting in the work and not winning games. Cleveland State was, I don’t want to say season-maker or breaker, but it was that important to us, give us some confidence going into the last two home games.

“We’re trying to get on a run, to get some momentum, hopefully get a chance to host a tournament game. That’s a ways down the road. Right now, we’re focused on a way to beat Detroit.”

Somehow, the 10 active players, many of them freshmen, have been the heart and soul of this team during this tumultuous 2019-20 season.

The Penguins are trying to move up in the standings since seeds three through six host first-round league tournament games on March 3.

Four games remain for YSU, starting tonight against Detroit Mercy (3-22, 3-11), starting at 7 p.m. On Sunday, at 1 p.m., the Penguins host Oakland (10-15, 5-9).

YSU finishes the regular season Feb. 27 at Milwaukee (11-14, 8-6) at 8 p.m., and Feb. 29 at Green Bay (14-12, 9-5) at 3 p.m.

The Penguins are two games behind Cleveland State (17-8, 7-7) for that coveted sixth-place position. The Vikings play the same teams YSU does over the last two weeks of the season.

Quinece Hatcher, Jen Wendler and Maddie Schires, all freshman, scored in double figures for YSU against the Vikings. Juniors Chelsea Olson and McKenah Peters also scored more than 10 points.

YSU needs that consistent effort to be successful the next four games, in order to get to that coveted sixth-place finish.

“We need to find a way to be consistent,” Barnes said. “We had a lot of ups and downs. To have three freshman score in double figures is a huge help. McKenah and Chelsea had good games. When you get four, five players who have good games, you’re pretty hard to beat.”

The YSU men and women play four games inside the Beeghly Center, beginning last night — two games for each.

The Penguin women are aiming for that sixth-place finish. If they are successful in doing that, the men and women could have a tournament doubleheader on March 3 at the Beeghly Center.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the Penguins men and women had doubleheaders this weekend?

“We’ve made it clear we’d like doubleheaders, but we don’t make those decisions,” Barnes said.