CLEVELAND, Ohio (WKBN) — In a back-and-forth game with 15 lead changes throughout, Cleveland State snapped Youngstown State’s five-game win streak in an 81-78 win over the Penguins.
YSU led in the first half until an 11-0 Vikings run gave Cleveland State a 6-point lead before the run was ended. YSU junior Myles Hunter would race down the floor for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half with the Penguins trailing by 1.
But after 10 second-half lead changes, Cleveland State’s Drew Lowder caught fire and scored 10 points in the span of a minute to give the Vikings the 5-point lead with just over three minutes to go.
Adrian Nelson notched another double-double for the Penguins with 12 points and a season-high 19 rebounds. Brandon Rush scored a team-high 18 points on the day.
YSU senior Dwayne Cohill also scored 15 points and Malek Green registered 10 points and nine rebounds.
Cleveland State improves to 16-11 on the season and 11-5 in conference play to pull within one and a half games behind the top spot in the Horizon League with four games left in the Vikings’ regular season.
Youngstown State falls to 20-7 on the year and 12-4 in Horizon League play, which pulls Milwaukee even atop the conference with the Penguins.
The Penguins return home to face Milwaukee on Thursday at the Beeghly Center with first place on the line.
