Sports

YSU men finish non-conference play with seventh straight victory with 75-65 win over Navy

By YSU Athletics Communications

December 22, 2023 7:37 AM

Youngstown State vs. Navy YSU Athletics Communications

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team remained undefeated at home and earned its seventh straight victory by topping the United States Naval Academy 75-65 on Thursday afternoon at Beeghly Center.

The Penguins head into the holiday break with a 10-3 overall record, and they have tied the program’s record for longest winning streak since joining the Division I ranks in 1981-82. The last seven-game winning streak for Youngstown State was during the 1997-98 campaign.

Brandon Rush, DJ Burns lead the way for Youngstown State

Brandon Rush scored a game-high 23 points, and DJ Burns posted his seventh double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Burns also blocked three shots, and Youngstown State recorded 10 blocks as a team. Ziggy Reid added 14 points to round out YSU’s double-digit scorers, and Bryson Langdon facilitated the offense with a game-best eight assists.

Donovan Draper led Navy with 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Midshipmen are 3-7 overall, and the Penguins avenged an 80-67 loss to Navy in Annapolis, Md., last season.

Rush hit a 3-pointer 11 seconds into the game, and the Penguins were ahead from that point until the final horn. The lead reached double digits when Jaylen Bates followed his own 3-pointer with a layup at the 14:19 mark. The largest margin in the first half came when a Burns layup gave the Penguins a 23-11 advantage with 11:02 on the clock. Navy got no closer than six the rest of the day at 36-30 and 38-32, which was the difference at halftime.

Big second half for Youngstown State

The Penguins started the second half with a flurry, scoring 12 of the first 14 points to go up 50-34. Brett Thompson began the burst with a 3-pointer, and he and Rush both had five points during the run.

YSU maintained the double-digit margin until Draper’s three-point play at the 9:27 mark got the Midshipmen within 56-47. Langdon hit a jumper 17 seconds later, and YSU kept Navy at arm’s length by scoring the next seven points. The Penguins then stretched their lead to 17 at 66-49 when Burns hit a 3-pointer with 5:26 remaining.

Burns made two free throws with 2:47 left to give YSU a 72-55 advantage, and Navy closed the game on a 10-3 run for the final margin.

Youngstown State will begin the bulk of its Horizon League schedule on Sunday, Dec. 31, when it hosts Oakland at 2:30 p.m. at Beeghly Center.