Dec. 5, 2007

Branson's Career Night Lifts YSU to Fourth Straight Win With 66-58 Nod Over CMU

    Youngstown -- Senior Lauren Branson scored a career-high 20 points, including a career-best three 3-pointers, with six assists to lead the Youngstown State women's basketball team (4-3) to its fourth straight win with a 66-58 win over Central Michigan (3-5) on Wednesday evening at the Beeghly Center.

    Senior Heather Karner added 13 points while senior Jessica Schloemp just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.

    The Penguins held a 13-point halftime advantage but missed their first seven field-goal attempts to start the second half. The Chippewas capitalized with an 11-0 run to trim the YSU advantage to two, 36-34, at the 15:54 mark.

    Two free throws by Kelsey Gurganus, Branson's second triple and a jumper by Branson extended the YSU edge back to nine, 43-34, with 13:44 left.

    A 3-pointer by Angel Chan brought CMU within four, 51-47, and a jumper by Latisha Luckett at the 4:02 mark cut the deficit to three, 53-50.

    Branson's jumper with three minutes remaining put the Penguins ahead by five, 55-50, but a free throw by Houghton and a 3-pointer by Candace Wilson brought the Chippewas within one with 2:32 remaining.

    Branson answered with her third triple of the night to push the Penguins lead to four, 58-54.

    Gurganus hit a clutch jumper with 51 seconds left to give YSU a five-point cushion, 61-56, and the Penguins converted 5-of-6 from the free-throw line to seal the victory.

    Youngstown State scored the first eight points of the game and led by as many as 17 points, 18-1, midway through the first half after Branson's first 3-pointer of the game at the 11:33 mark.

    Karner hit two triples in the first minute-and-half and Ashley Pendleton made a jumper to put the Penguins up 8-0. A lay up by Jessica Schloemp, a 3-pointer by Karner and a jumper by Schloemp put the Penguins ahead 15-1 prior to Branson's 3-pointer.

    The Chippewas whittled the Penguins lead down to eight , 26-18, with 2:43 remaining in the half, but the Penguins' lead ballooned back to 16 after a jumper by Schloemp with 21 second remaining.

    Britni Houghton's 3-point play with eight seconds left cut the YSU lead back to 13, 36-23, at the intermission.

    YSU closes out its two-game homestand against Miami (Ohio), Saturday, Dec. 8. Tipoff is set for 2:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.