WSU’s Hughes enjoying basketball birthday

“It’s crazy how it worked out, that I got to come home on my birthday,” said Hughes, who have five points, four assists and a key defensive stop on YSU’s final possession.

“I’m just grateful that it worked out the way it did,” Hughes added. “I looked at the schedule in December and saw we were coming into town on my birthday, so I was really looking forward to this. And we won, so that was my present to myself.”

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Three of Hughes’ points can midway through the second half on a shot from beyond the arc, and when the ball went through the net the crowd reaction was louder than it was for some of the buckets the home team scored.

“I probably had about 60-65 people here that I know,” Hughes said after the game. “My sister is in town from Georgia and she brought all of her friends. My big brother brought all of his friends. And usually a bunch of people come from my high school team.

“I liked playing in front of such a big crowd,” he added. “I like playing at home.”

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The 22 minutes Hughes played were his most since the Horizon League opener Dec. 29, and his four assists were one shy of his career high.

The biggest play, though, came on defense when he denied YSU junior guard Cameron Morse, who had a game-high 35 points, from getting the ball back after passing it off during the Penguins final possession.

“Mark did a nice job of not letting him get it back, forcing someone else to shoot it,” WSU coach Scott Nagy said.

In the first game against YSU, an 80-75 Penguins win at the Nutter Center on Jan. 7, Hughes sprained both ankles on the same play and missed the next four games.

He had his best game since returning Sunday in the 88-79 win against Green Bay, scoring nine points and grabbing two rebounds in just 14 minutes. And he followed that Thursday night with another solid performance before his family and friends, some of whom will be making the 75-minute trip to watch him play again Saturday at the Wolstein Center.

“It’s still kind of lingering,” Hughes said of the injury. “Spraining both ankles, it’s like one feels good one day and the other feels good the next day. I just try not to think about it too much. But I’m starting to get my feel back and my teammates have been really positive with me. They keep telling me to just play my game and I’ll get it back.”