Women's Basketball Celebrates Senior Day By Hosting Valparaiso

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Feb. 29 2008

Women's Basketball Celebrates Senior Day By Hosting Valparaiso

    The Youngstown State women’s basketball team (12-14, 7-8 Horizon League) closes out the home portion of its schedule and celebrates Senior Night when it hosts Valparaiso on Saturday, March 1.
    Tipoff is set for 4:35 p.m. at the Beeghly Center and will be broadcast live on 570 WKBN-AM and the Horizon League Network.
    The Guins are searching for their second straight win over the Crusaders and looking to snap a four-game home losing streak.

Last Time Out
Youngstown State suffered a tough 61-60 loss to Butler on Thursday at the Beeghly Center.
    The Penguins, who trailed 53-47 with seven minutes left in the second half, clawed back to tie the game three times down the stretch but were never able to wrestle the lead from the Bulldogs.
    YSU last tied the game at 57 on a basket by Velissa Vaughn, who scored 21 points. From there, Butler’s Susan Lester made a driving basket to give the Bulldogs a 59-57 lead.

Senior Swan Song
Youngstown State seniors Lauren Branson, Heather Karner, Kira Mowen and Jessica Schloemp are playing in their final home game at the Beeghly Center.

The Series
This will be the 23rd meeting between the Penguins and Crusaders and just the second since 2001. The Penguins own a 13-9 edge in the all-time series, including a 92-79 win earlier this season. YSU owns a 7-2 home record against Valparaiso and the last time the Crusaders won at the Beeghly Center was a 74-67 victory on Jan. 15, 2000.

Last Time Against the Crusaders
The Guins made 14 3-pointers and erased a nine-point second-half deficit to earn its first Horizon League road win in a 92-79 victory over Valparaiso on Jan. 31 at the Athletics and Recreation Center. Senior Heather Karner led four Penguins scoring in double figures with 21 points while junior Tiara Scott poured in 20 points and grabbed nine boards. Junior Velissa Vaughn added 16 points and senior Jessica Schloemp recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Vaughn 20-20 Vision
For the first time in her career, junior Velissa Vaughn has scored at least 20 points in consecutive games after dropping in 21 against Butler on Thursday. The Clairton, Pa., native went 6-of-18 from the field, including two 3-pointers, and 7-of-9 from the 3-point line. Last Saturday, Vaughn scored a career-high 28 points against Cleveland State. Over the last two games, Vaughn is averaging 24.5 points per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from behind the 3-point arc.

A Win Will
• Mark YSU’s 13th victory of the season.
• Give Head Coach Tisha Hill her 44th career victory.
• Mark YSU’s 14th win over the Crusaders.
• Give YSU its eighth Horizon League win of the year, which ties the mark for most league wins in a season.
• Mark the most wins (13) since the 1999-2000 season.
• Mark the 467th win in program history.

Vaughn Turns In Career Night
Junior Velissa Vaughn turned in the best performance of her career in the 82-66 loss to Cleveland State on Feb. 23. Vaughn scored a career-best 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field with four 3-pointers. Her 11 field goals made was also a career-best.

Karner Moves Into Fourth
With three 3-pointers against Butler on Thursday, senior Heather Karner became has made 67 treys this season and into fourth place on the YSU single-season list past Barb Fabianova (66, 2004-05). Karner has also attempted 195 3-pointers, which ranks second on the single-season chart.

Branson Nationally Ranked
Senior Lauren Branson is proving she is a point guard in the truest sense. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native ranks 11th in the country with a 2.13 assist-to-turnover ratio and 32nd nationally with 5.1 assists per game.

Karner In Century Club
In less than two seasons, senior Heather Karner moved into the top 10 all-time for 3-pointers made and became the 10th player in school history to make at least 100 3-pointers in a career. Karner ranks ninth with 119 3-point baskets.

Branson Reaches 460
Senior guard Lauren Branson continues her move up the YSU all-time assist chart. With five assists against Cleveland State on Feb. 23, Branson eclipsed the 450 career assist plateau and now has 454 assists.

Need To Lead
The Penguins have led at halftime in 15 of 26 games this season and own an 10-5 record in those games.

Schloemp Streak at 99
Senior Jessica Schloemp owns a games played streak of 99 straight. Schloemp has also played in 109 of 110 career games.

Branson Nets Academic Award
    Senior Lauren Branson was named Academic All-District IV by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Branson, a 2006-07 Academic All-Horizon League pick, carries a 3.93 grade-point average in special education and is the fourth Youngstown State student-athlete in 2007-08 to earn academic all-district laurels.
    She joins football players Bob Perez and Tom Zetts and volleyball player Jessica Fraley as YSU student-athletes to earn that distinction.
    She also becomes the fifth Youngstown State women’s basketball to pick up the CoSIDA award.
    The last women’s basketball player to earn academic all-district honors was Jen Perugini in 2004-05.

Karner Nabs Preseason Laurels
Senior Heather Karner was named to the Horizon League Preseason All-League Second-Team in a vote of the circuit’s head coaches, sports information directors and select media. Karner led the Penguins with 10.9 points per game and was named to the all-newcomer team last season.

Up Next
The Guins visit the Windy City to close out the 2007-08 regular season beginning against Loyola, Thursday, March 4. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. YSU also faces UIC, Saturday, March 8, at 4 p.m.