GAME NOTES: The Central Michigan Chippewas are settling into a nice stretch run at home, and after a season-opening win they'll take on the Youngstown State Penguins in a non-conference clash at McGuirk Arena Tuesday.

Youngstown State has already played two games - back-to-back contests against Kent State and Oberlin. The Penguins dropped their first to the Golden Flashes, but then defeated Oberlin, 71-53, in the team's Sunday outing.

Central Michigan finished near the bottom of the Mid-American Conference standings last season, but is off to a good start after picking up a blistering 106-64 victory over Alma on Friday.

The two programs have met six times on the floor before, with Central Michigan leading Youngstown State, 4-2, in the all-time series that started during the 1986 campaign.

Youngstown State held a seven-point lead over Oberlin at halftime in the team's most recent outing, but the Penguins were the ones who exploded in the second half for 42 points that eventually earned the 18-point win. Five YSU players notched a scoring total in double figures, led by Bobby Hain's double- double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Shawn Amiker chipped in 13, Marcus Keene added 12 and both DJ Cole and Fletcher Larson contributed 10. This is all one season after the Penguins had the Horizon's League's most dominant scorer, Kendrick Perry.

It's only been two games, but Hain is the player to watch immediately for the Penguins. The big man was dominant last season, and has started the same way in 2014-15 with an 18.5 ppg average, 8.0 rpg and two steals in two games played. Amiker is the only other YSU player to have a double-digit scoring average through two games with 16.5 ppg, but he currently leads the team averaging 9.5 rpg. Cole is a veteran point guard that was crucial for the team last season, and the senior has 12 assists combined so far.

The Chippewas (10-21, 3-15 in 2013-14) struggled in 2013, despite the fact that they had some talented players on their roster. The reason for the disastrous season was most likely due to the team's youth, as then-sophomore Chris Fowler led the team in scoring with 17.4 ppg, and added a team-high 163 assists and 60 steals. He's back for his junior season after starting all 31 contests in 2013-14, as is John Simons, a 6-foot-8 junior forward that ended his campaign with a 10.8 ppg mark and a team-best 5.7 rpg average. They'll team up with last season's stud freshman Braylon Rayson (10.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg) for another shot at improving.

Simons, Fowler and Josh Kozinski each had 12 points in the team's season- opening blowout win over Alma on Friday, while Fowler completed a double- double with 11 assists in the contest. Blake Hibbitts came off the bench to score 14 points with nine rebounds, and Luke Meyer rounded out the double- digit scorers for the Chippewas with 11 points. CMU shot an impressive 53.8 percent from the floor, but maintaining that pace will be tough as they hit the tougher portion of their schedule.

Offense is going to be key for Central Michigan against a Youngstown State team that had plenty of it a season ago. But the Penguins lost some very crucial players in the offseason, so Hain and Amiker will have to continue to step up. Going on the road will be a tough test for YSU this early in the season.