Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes. YSU junior guard Juwan Maxey (left) takes a jump shot, while junior guard Jason Nelson (right) drives into the lane against Oakland on Dec. 7 at the Beeghly Center.

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State has usually been at its best this season when its point guard duo has been on the floor together.

Throughout the year, and particularly during its current seven-game winning streak, the backcourt tandem of juniors Juwan Maxey and Jason Nelson have provided a steadying presence for the Penguins on both ends of the court.

“I think for us, it gives us two options to initiate our transition game,” head coach Ethan Faulkner said. “It gives us two guys, as opposed to just one, in being able to really play in the ball screen. I think both those guys are doing an incredible job of seeing the game in the ball screen and creating quality looks for themselves or for their teammates. It allows us to play faster when those two guys are in the game.”

Heading into Sunday’s win over Detroit Mercy, the pair combined to average 22.8 points and 4.2 assists per game over the previous five games. Maxey was averaging 11.2 points per game, while Nelson averaged 11.6 points per game during that stretch.

For the season, Maxey, a JUCO transfer from Macomb Community College, is averaging 8.7 points and 2.5 assists, while Nelson, a transfer from VCU, has followed suit with 7.7 points and 2.3 assists per game.

“Me and (Maxey) in the backcourt, we’re really good together,” Nelson said. “We both know our strengths and weaknesses, so we both know where we’re going to be at the same time. (We’re) just being connected, having that one-two punch in the backcourt.”

Nelson began the year in YSU’s starting lineup, but an injury caused him to miss the two games against Stephen F. Austin and Western Michigan — both losses for the Penguins before they went on their win streak.

“Being able to have both those guys is critical for our team,” Faulkner has said.

Since then, Maxey has started and Nelson has come off the bench. Nelson has been able to flourish in that role, and he’s still averaging the second-most minutes played per game on the team at 28.4.

“I just want to have whatever role coach puts me in. I just want to be the best I can be,” Nelson said. “At the beginning, I wasn’t feeling 100% and I wasn’t feeling like me. After my injury, after missing a couple games, I’m feeling like me again and getting more aggressive — getting my rhythm and my flow back, so that’s a plus.”

During the Penguins’ win streak, Nelson’s best game came on Dec. 18 at Wright State when he scored 15 points and dished out four assists. Maxey shined in the road win at Robert Morris on Dec. 4 and the home victory over Toledo on Dec. 14 by scoring 16 points in each game, while combining to hit eight 3-pointers.

Maxey has proven to be YSU’s most prolific three-point shooter and he has the best assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7:1) on the team. Through 14 games, Maxey has hit 28 threes and is making them at a 31.8% clip.

“They’re both point guards, so if one of them is getting pressed, the other one can bring it up,” fifth-year forward Nico Galette said of the two guards. “Then they both shoot the ball well, and both can run the offense on and off the ball. So it just helps us.”