YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (Interstat) — A surging Youngstown State women’s basketball team will look to continue its push toward the top of the Horizon League standings when it hosts struggling Detroit Mercy on Wednesday night at Beeghly Center. The Penguins (21-8, 13-5 Horizon) enter the contest having won five of their last six games, including a 76-71 road victory at Fort Wayne on Saturday. They currently sit in second place in the conference. The Titans (5-22, 4-14), meanwhile, are mired in a difficult season and have lost four straight, most recently a heartbreaking 74-72 defeat at IU Indy on Sunday. Youngstown State, which defeated Detroit 69-53 on the road just under a month ago on Jan. 29, is led by the dominant play of Sophia Gregory. The guard is coming off a historic performance against Fort Wayne, where she poured in 37 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Over her last five games, Gregory is averaging 17.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists, providing a multifaceted threat for the Penguins. Detroit will counter with forward Jasmine Edwards, who has been a bright spot during the team’s tough campaign. Edwards is averaging 12.4 points and 7.7 rebounds over her last seven contests and is fresh off a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the narrow loss to IU Indy. Her presence on the glass will be critical against a physical Youngstown State frontcourt. The Penguins have been strong at home this season, boasting a 12-2 record at Beeghly Center. Detroit has found wins hard to come come away from home, with just two victories in 13 road games this season. Youngstown State’s defense, which allows just 58.2 points per game, will aim to stifle a Titans offense that averages a league-low 60.7 points. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The game is a crucial Horizon League matchup for Youngstown State as it seeks to secure a high seed for the upcoming conference tournament, while Detroit looks to play spoiler and build momentum for the future.