Youngstown State will try to build on its two-game winning streak to open the season when it travels to Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon. The Penguins have picked up wins over Canisius and UT Martin, so this will be a large step up in competition. Notre Dame got off to a shaky start this season, ultimately picking up a 79-76 win over Radford on Thursday as an 18-point favorite.
Youngstown State will not face another major conference team this season, so the Penguins are going to be focused on putting forth a strong effort on Sunday afternoon. They have taken care of business in their first two games of the season, covering the spread as single-digit favorites in wins over Canisius and UT Martin. Youngstown State put together a decent campaign in 2021-22, going 18-14 (12-9) overall. The Penguins are one of the most experienced teams in the country, ranked No. 23 out of 363 Division I schools according to KenPom. They have been able to get off to a hot start offensively, shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc.
Men's Basketball Set to Take On Fighting Irish Sunday https://t.co/F8EAlXoqQE
— YSU Men's Basketball (@YSUMensHoops) November 12, 2022
Senior guard Dwayne Cohill leads the way with 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Senior forward Malek Green is averaging a double-double in the early stages of the season with 16.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. Senior guard Brandon Rush and senior forward Adrian Nelson are both averaging double digits as well, with Nelson nearly at a double-double clip (13.0 points, 9.5 rebounds). The Penguins are No. 31 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, and they are facing a Notre Dame defense that is No. 337 in that category. However, the Fighting Irish have way more size than Youngstown State, so that battle will be something to keep an eye on.