GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Senior guard Carrington Love erupted for a career-high 39 points and the Green Bay men's basketball team outscored Youngstown State by 29 points in the second half to rally past the Penguins, 107-90, on Saturday afternoon at the Resch Center.
Five players reached double-figures for the Phoenix, as Charles Cooper had his fourth-straight game with at least 18 points, while Jordan Fouse (17), Jamar Hurdle (12) and Kenneth Lowe (10) all got into the scoring act.
With the win, Green Bay (17-11, 9-6 HL) has earned back-to-back wins from the first time since four-straight victories from Dec. 28-Jan. 7, while improving its home record to 9-2. Entering play, the Phoenix had alternated wins and losses in each of its past 13 games.
Making his 126th straight start, Fouse surpassed both Keifer Sykes and Alec Brown for the most ever in a Green Bay uniform, while his first basket made him the 28th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, joining the aforementioned Love, who did so on earlier this season on Jan. 19 against Chicago State.
Aside from his point total, the Racine native added nine rebounds, six assists and four steals in the contest, surpassing YSU's Kendrick Perry as the Horizon League all-time leader in career steals (250).
Youngstown State shot a torrid 76.7 percent (23-of-30) from the field in the opening half—at one point knocking down 14 consecutive field goals—however, the Phoenix flipped the script over the final 20 minutes of play, shooting 62.5 percent (25-of-40) while forcing nine turnovers to erase an 18-point deficit.
Spearheading the Green Bay comeback was its senior leadership, most notably its leading scorer on Saturday. Love scored 25 of his 39 points in the second half, while connecting on a career-high eight three pointers, both totals besting his previous career highs from the season opener on Nov. 13 at Stanford (32 points, six triples).
Love's effort marks the highest scoring game by a Phoenix since Alec Brown put up 40 on Dec. 21, 2013, against Fairfield, while his 20 3-point attempts established a new school record.
For as poor as the Phoenix defense showed to start the game, it finished strong, as it held the Penguins to just 34.4 percent (11-of-32) down the stretch, while turning YSU's offensive miscues into quick, easy points. Green Bay outscored Youngstown State by 29 points after halftime, 62-33, including a 15-0 edge in points off turnovers and a 16-3 advantage in fast break points.
The Phoenix's 13 made triples as a team is tied for the second-most ever in a game in school history, last accomplished on Feb. 21, 2009, at Long Beach State, while its 107 points scored is the second-most ever in its Division I era, trailing only the 115 it scored in overtime against Detroit on Jan. 25. Green Bay is now a perfect 3-0 when eclipsing the century mark this season.
Youngstown State (10-18, 5-10 HL) was paced by sophomore Cameron Morse with 20 points, while Jordan Andrews chipped in with 19.
The Phoenix continues a five-game home stand to conclude its regular season on Monday night at 7 p.m. against Cleveland State (8-19, 3-11 HL). All fans in attendance will receive winter hats courtesy of Fox Communities Credit Union.
###
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenixMBB
Like Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball and Green Bay Phoenix Athletics on Facebook.
---GreenBayPhoenix.com---
