BOX SCORE

LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis University men's basketball team fell to Youngstown State Saturday at DeGol Arena, 60-59.
 
The Red Flash (0-5) rallied from down as many as 10 in the second half but could not complete their rally against the Penguins (4-1). Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) led all scorers with 16 while Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) added 13. Jon Taylor (Bowie, Md./Montgomery College-Germantown) poured in 12 off the bench but it was not enough against a balanced Youngstown State attack. The Penguins only had one player in double-figures but had six players with eight or more.
 
The Red Flash went out to an early lead but Youngstown State went into a full court press and troubled the Flash, who for second consecutive game had three freshmen in their starting lineup. The Red Flash started to then turn defense into offense by pushing the pace following missed Penguins shots. SFU took command and ran its lead to as much as 11 in the first half. Youngstown State continued to battle and picked up three big 3-point buckets from Cale Zuiker off the bench. The Penguins wore down the SFU early advantage and the game went to intermission tied at 33.
 
Youngstown State charged out of the locker room after halftime going on a 12-to-6 run over the first 4:15 to turn a tied game at the half into a 45-39 Penguin advantage. YSU stretched the advantage to as many as 10. SFU weathered the storm and forced a pair of key turnovers and slowed the YSU hot shooting start to the second half. The Red Flash held Youngstown State scoreless for 6:30 between 17:13 and 11:43 of the second half. The Flash continued to chip away at the Penguin advantage and brought the lead to just one with under a minute to play. Saint Francis had two chances in the final 30 seconds to take the lead by DuShawn Brooks blocked both SFU attempts including the final one at the buzzer by Chris Johnson (Newport News, Va./Denbigh).
 
The Red Flash returns to action Monday at DeGol Arena against the Purple Eagles of Niagara, tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
GAME NOTES
- Saint Francis lit up the nets shooting in the first half going 14-of-24 (58.3-percent) from field in the first half in route to a 26-for-50 (52-percent) shooting day.
                                                                                                                                                                                        
- SFU controlled the paint in the first half outscoring the Penguins 20-8 in the first frame and gathered six offensive boards and converted them into six second chance points. For the game, SFU outscored YSU 32-18 in the paint.
 
- Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) started the game 4-for-4 in the first half and extended his streak of consecutive makes at home to 12 without a miss until missing his first shot of the second half. For the game, the Hershey, Pa. native went 7-of-8 from the field and on the season Eatherton is now 15-of-16 from the field at DeGol Arena.
 
- Saint Francis won the opening tip for the first time in three games.
 
- The Red Flash held YSU without a field goal until the 17:51 mark of the first half.
 
- Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) scored in double-figures for the third time in his last four games.
 
- SFU's starting freshmen trio of Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ) and Whyatt combined for 22 points led by Whyatt's 13.
 
- Neither team recorded a field goal over the final 2:03 of the contest.
 
- The SFU bench outscored the YSU bench 18-13.