by YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (GreenBayPhoenix.com) — Green Bay shot over 50 percent and Sandy Cohen III (Oneida) scored a career-high 27 points on Saturday evening, but Green Bay fell 85-74 at Youngstown State in the Beeghly Center. The Phoenix (7-11, 2-3 HL) finished 31-for-61 from the field, but the Penguins (5-11, 3-0 HL) scored 50 points in the second half and won its third-straight game in Horizon League play.
Sandy Cohen III scored a career-high 27 points in the game, including 18 points in the first half, besting his 24-point performance against Detroit Mercy in the team’s league-opener. Cohen III finished 11-for-19 from the field, and knocked down three 3-pointers, bouncing back from his 4-point performance on Thursday night at Cleveland State in which he fouled out.
YSU scored 16 points less than five minutes into the game, but Green Bay bounced back nicely to take a 41-35 lead at the half. Khalil Small scored 11 points in the first half alone, reaching his 18th game this season with 10-plus points, continuing his streak to start the season.
After GB scored the first four points of the second half to go up by 10 points, its largest lead of the game, the Penguins answered with a 19-9 run, tying the game at 54-54, before YSU took the next lead and stayed on the top for the remainder of the game.
Small finished with 21 points on the night, continuing his strong weekend after scoring a career-high 30 points on Thursday night. The senior captain grabbed six rebounds and finished 8-for-14 from the field.
The loss marks the first time this season Green Bay lost when shooting 50 percent or better. The team only attempted 8 free throws in the game, the lowest amount in HL play this year and the second-fewest amount this season.
YSU had four players finish in double-figures, led by Braun Hartfield’s 21 points. GB finished with a Horizon League season-high of 18 turnovers, which the Penguins turned into 24 points.
