YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Youngstown State built an early 12-point lead and answered every run made by the Navy men's basketball team in a 75-65 win by the Penguins (10-3) over the Mids (3-7), Thursday afternoon at the Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio.

"Our start to the first half and our start to the second half were not what we needed," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "You can't start that way and be effective.  Once we settled in to the game after the first four minutes, we played pretty good and were even."

The Penguins, who won the 2023 Horizon League regular season title and started five fifth-year players today, opened the game by making seven of their first 10 shots from the floor in taking a 17-9 lead five minutes into the game before taking a 23-11 advantage.  Navy drew to within six points several times over the remainder of the half.  The Mids had a good look at a three-point shot just before the first-half horn sounded that had it gone in would have whittled the margin down to three points.  Instead, the last-second effort by Kam Summers was just off the mark and that sent the teams into the locker room with Youngstown State in front, 38-32.

The Penguins had another productive start to the second half as they opened the stanza on a 10-2 run on their way to building a 53-36 cushion.

"We talked at halftime about coming out and throwing the first punch of the second half and being locked in and we really didn't do it," said DeChellis.  "We have to have growth.  This young team has to grow and understand what kind of urgency they need to come out of the locker room with." 

Navy slowly chipped away at the deficit and made it a single-digit game at 56-47 following a basket and foul shot by Donovan Draper with 9:27 showing on the clock.  Youngstown State responded by scoring on each of its next four possessions to build a 63-47 lead over the next three minutes.

Youngstown State outscored Navy by a combined 32-13 in the first five minutes of each half.  The Mids outscored the Penguins, 52-43, over the remaining 30 minutes.

Youngstown State's Brandon Rush and DJ Burns were a combined 15-26 from the field and made five three-point field goals in scoring 42 points.  The remainder of the Penguins were 13-33 shooting and accounted for 33 points.  Youngstown State as a team shot 47.5 percent from the field.

"We played a very good team," said DeChellis.  "Youngstown State is very good, very athletic, very long.  They have an older team with five fifth-year guys.  They just took advantage of us.  We have young guys. We will get better."

Navy finished the game 26-61 (42.6%) from the floor and made six triples.  

Mac MacDonald scored a career-best 17 points while Draper totaled 13 points, 13 rebounds and five steals.  

"I thought Drape played pretty good for us and fought," said DeChellis, "and it was nice for Mac to make some shots.  That was important."

Navy will return to action Dec. 30 when it plays host to William & Mary in what will be the last game before the start of the Patriot League season for the Mids.

"Hopefully our guys will enjoy Christmas," said DeChellis.  "It is really important they do that.  And then we will come back and get ready for William & Mary."