Last Second Thrillers Open Conference Play

If it's going to be like this all season, coaches, players and fans in the Horizon League are going to need some anti-anxiety pills. Three of the four games to open Horizon League conference play came down to the final possession, with Youngstown State, Cleveland State and Green Bay all winning in the final second. Milwaukee was the lone team to win comfortably, defending its home court.

Youngstown State 64, Detroit 61
Trailing 55-50 with 5:40 to play, Youngstown State got hot at the right time, knocking down three three-pointers to snatch a 64-61 win over Detroit at Calihan Hall.

Youngstown State (5-1, 1-0 Horizon) collected a win in its Horizon League opener for the first tme since 1999, with DuShawn Brooks leading the way. Brooks, who had the key block in the Penguins' one-point victory on Saturday, caught fire down the stretch, scoring 11 straight points to lift YSU ahead of Detroit (3-5, 0-1 Horizon).

After Evan Bruinsma gave the Titans the 55-50 with a long baseline jumper, Brooks knocked down the fourth of his six threes to bring YSU within a possession. Chase Simon split a pair of free throws, but Brooks responded with a jumper to bring YSU within 56-55 with 3:10 remaining.

Donavan Foster was the next Detroit player to try and seal the result, draining a three as the shot clock wound down, restoring a four-point advantage. Once more, Brooks answered with another three, his fifth of the night, to keep it a one-point game.

Two missed Titan free throws gave Youngstown State a chance at the lead, and they found the hot hand, with Brooks knocking down the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:05 left in the game. Kendrick Perry would make 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to help seal the result, with Ray McCallum's attempt from 60 feet at the horn falling short.

McCallum and Simon worked to carry Detroit throughout the night, each scoring 21 points, with McCallum collecting a double-double by adding 10 points. However, the duo could not overcome Brooks's career-high 24 points.

Youngstown State will be on the road on Saturday, taking on Wright State at 3 p.m. ET from the Nutter Center, while Detroit will look for a home split when Cleveland State visits Calihan Hall.

#rv/rv Cleveland State 45, Wright State 43
Wright State slowed the game to its pace and frustrated Cleveland State at nearly every turn. However, the Vikings found a way to win at the horn, as D'Aundray Brown's tip-in sent CSU past the Raiders, 45-43, at the Nutter Center.

Cleveland State (7-1, 1-0 Horizon) was not supposed to have the final shot, but a Wright State (2-5, 0-1 Horizon) over-and-back with 27 seconds left gave the Vikings one last crack at ending the game in regulation. Dribbling between the circles, Jeremy Montgomery was able to penetrate into the lane, but his runner clanged off the rim to the left.

Brown came across the lane and tipped the ball in with 0.3 second left, it was determined after video review. The Raiders' last second attempt at tie did not draw iron.

With both teams clamping down on the defensive end of the court, the game ground to a halt, with each team recording 50 possessions in the game. Only one player finished in double figures, as Tim Kamczyc led all players with 12 points.

Early in the second half, Trey Harmon joined Montgomery as a 1,000-point player, reaching the career mark with a three-pointer.

Cleveland State heads to Detroit for a 2 p.m. ET tip on Saturday, while the Raiders will host Youngstown State.

Green Bay 71, UIC 68
In a battle between two of the youngest teams in the country, Green Bay found a way to win late, knocking off UIC, 71-68, at the Resch Center.

On the first possession of the second half, Kam Cerroni drilled a three to put Green Bay (3-4, 1-0 Horizon) ahead by 10 points, but UIC (2-4, 0-1 Horizon), as they did throughout the game's final 20 minutes, refused to go quietly, responding with an 8-0 run to bring the Flames back.

The Flames took their first lead of the game with 16:18 to play, as Marc Brown drilled a three from the wing. Brown's three opened the floodgates, as Daniel Barnes followed with a triple of his own to restore a one-point lead for UIC. Another three from Barnes put the Flames up 48-46 with 11:25 left, but the teams were nowhere near done trading the lead.

Terry Johnson would follow with a circus shot over the corner of the backboard and the foul to give Green Bay a brief lead and with six minutes to play, the Phoenix held a 57-50 advantage.

Still, UIC found its range once more, as Hayden Humes got the Flames going with a three. Two more triples - one from Daniel Barnes and Matt Bush's first of the game - put UIC ahead, 66-63, with 2:12 to play.

Green Bay would go down low to regain the lead, with Alec Brown scoring on the right block and Brennan Cougill on the left. A Brown block led to two Johnson free throws, and after a Gary Talton layup, Green Bay needed two more free throws to restore a three-point edge.

When Daniel Turner missed both Darrin Williams corralled the rebound, giving UIC a chance at a last second win. However, Cougill stripped Williams and lad the ball in to create the final score. Cerroni stripped Barnes as he attempted a game-tying three.

Brown and Barnes each scored 17 points to lead their respective teams. Johnson and Cougill each had 12, combining with Cerroni to help Green Bay record 39 points off the bench.

Talton chipped in 14 for UIC, with Williams coming off the bench to add 13.

Green Bay will welcome Loyola to the Resch Center for an 8 p.m. ET tip on Saturday night, while UIC heads down to Milwaukee.

Milwaukee 59, Loyola 41
Continuing its stingy defense, Milwaukee limited Loyola to 35 percent shooting, pulling away in the second half for a 59-41 win at U.S. Cellular Arena.

Milwaukee (6-1) clamped down on Loyola (1-5, 0-1 Horizon) throughout, holding the Ramblers to 23 second half points to coast to the victory. The Panthers owned the paint, outrebounding Loyola, 42-20. As a result, the Panthers outscored the Ramblers, 34-8, in the paint.

The Panthers matched the program's best start, equaling the 6-1 opening of the 2004-05 squad. Shooting 46.7 percent in the second half, back-to-back three-pointers by Ryan Allen and Evan Richard helped Milwaukee turn a four-point halftime lead into a 33-22 advantage, and the Panthers would lead by as many as 19 points.

Kaylon Williams stuffed the box score, recording 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Allen led the Panthers with 14 points, while Kyle Kelm added 13.

The defensive effort was the third time Milwaukee has held an opponent under 50 points in just seven games this year; the last time the Panthers achieved the feat came in 2004-05, when the squad held four teams under 50.

Walt Gibler scored 13 to pace Loyola and was joined in double figures by Ben Averkamp, who had 12.

Loyola continues its road trip on Saturday at Green Bay, while Milwaukee welcomes UIC on Saturday afternoon.