YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Visiting Green Bay (1-12, 3-6 HL) could not overcome a slow start Sunday afternoon at the Beeghly Center, and hot-shooting Youngstown State (11-8, 6-3 HL) took advantage while building a 38-25 halftime lead and posting a 77-47 victory over the Phoenix in Horizon League action. 

After sophomore Alec Brown (Winona, Minn.) scored on Green Bay's opening possession, YSU rattled off the next 10 points. The Phoenix closed to 18-12 on a pair of free throws from freshman Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill.), but Youngstown State would extend its lead to as many as 18 (37-19) late in the first half.

Freshman Greg Mays (Chicago, Ill.) threw down his second dunk of the first half and fellow freshman Aaron Armstead (Chicago, Ill.) made a jumper to close the halftime deficit to 13. Mays had six points in the first half for Green Bay and finished with eight. 

Things did not get better for the Phoenix after halftime as the Penguins stayed red hot from long range. After missing its first four from long range, YSU finished the game 12-of-24 on three-pointers, including 8-of-14 after halftime. 

Brown was the lone Phoenix player to score in double figures, tallying 10 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. Junior Brennan Cougill (Sioux City, Iowa) added nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Phoenix returns to Green Bay to begin a three-game homestand at the Resch Center this week, starting on Thursday at 7 p.m. against league-leading Valparaiso. The Crusaders won the first meeting against the two teams, a 90-87 game in Valparaiso on Dec. 31. 

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