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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
• Cleveland State steps out of league play for the final time this season when the Vikings travel to Western Illinois for an 8:00 p.m. EST contest on Saturday (Feb. 23).
• The game is part of the 2013 Ramada Worldwide BracketBusters.
• The Vikings are 13-16 overall this season and 5-10 in the Horizon League after dropping a 50-41 contest to Wright State on Wednesday (Feb. 20) in the Wolstein Center.
• Western Illinois is 19-6 overall and is in second place in the Summit League with an 11-3 record.
• The Leathernecks have won five of their last seven games, but lost their most recent contest, a 64-55 setback at South Dakota State on Saturday (Feb. 16).
• The Vikings are 2-11 away from home this year. WIU is 10-1 at home this year with the lone loss a 59-53 setback to South Dakota State (Jan. 17).
• Western Illinois is paced by Terell Parks who leads the team in scoring (12.7) and rebounding (11.8). Celoa Clark also averages double figures (11.8).
• The Leathernecks are ranked second in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 52.2 points per game (Stephen F. Austin is first at 49.9 points per game).
• CSU trails the all-time series with Western Illinois, 17-7.
• Saturday's game will be the first meeting between the two teams since an 85-68 CSU win at Western Illinois on Feb. 19, 1994.
• The series between the two teams dates back to 1971-72 with the squads playing regularly two times per season as members of the AMCU-8 and Mid-Continent Conference.
CSU IN BRACKETBUSTERS:
• This year's game will be the final BracketBusters contest with the event going away after this season.
• CSU is 4-5 all-time in BracketBuster games and 4-4 in the rematch contests.
• Last season, the Vikings fell at home to Drexel, 69-49, in a BracketBusters game. The rematch is scheduled for next season.
• The Vikings are 1-3 all-time on the road in BracketBusters games, with the lone win an 85-76 win at Cal State Northridge on Feb. 17, 2007.
• CSU has lost at Central Michigan (2/19/05), Wichita State (2/21/09) and Old Dominion (2/20/11) in BracketBusters contests.
A LOOK AT THE LEAGUE:
• CSU can still finish 6th, 7th or 8th in the final regular season standings.
• For the Vikings to finish sixth, CSU must win its regular season finale at Loyola on March 2 and UIC must lose its final two games (at home against Wright State at Detroit). Both teams would be 6-10 with CSU getting the tiebreaker due to sweeping UIC.
• If CSU wins at Loyola and UIC wins one of its final two games, the Vikings will be the No. 7 seed in the tournament. (UIC is 7-9 // CSU is 6-10).
• If CSU loses at Loyola on March 2, the Vikings will slip to the No. 8 seed as Loyola would be either 6-10 (with wins over Detroit and CSU next week) or 5-11 (with a loss to Detroit and win over CSU). If tied with CSU at 5-11, Loyola receives the tiebreaker with a season sweep of the Vikings.
SENIOR DAY FOR KAMCZYC:
• Wednesday's game against Wright State was Senior Day with Tim Kamczyc being honored in a pre-game ceremony.
• He ranks third in CSU history in games played (131) and tied for fifth in career starts (103).
• His 103 straight starts are third most in school history (J'Nathan Bullock and Norris Cole both started 106 consecuitve games).
• Has played in 131 straight games, topped only by Norris Cole (140) and Jeremy Montgomery (139).
• Is 10th in career victories (78), three shy of moving into a tie for ninth place.
• 873 points, 456 rebounds, 186 assists and 103 steals in career.
• Sixth in CSU history in three-point percentage (.394; 106-269).
• If he plays in every game this season, would become the 12th player in CSU history to play every game during four-year career.
• One of five players in school history with two 1,000-minute seasons and is 130 minutes shy of joining Norris Cole as only players with three seasons of 1,000 minutes.
• One of three players in CSU history with 400 career rebounds and 100 career three-pointers (Theo Dixon and Norris Cole).
• Already earned his undergraduate degree and will receive his MBA this spring.
FORBES A FAB FROSH:
• Bryn Forbes leads CSU and is 13th in the Horizon League in scoring (12.4).
• Attempting to become just the seventh freshman in school history to lead team in scoring and the first since J'Nathan Bullockaveraged 11.3 points in 2005-06.
• Has 360 points this season, 40 shy of becoming fourth player in school history to score 400 points as a freshman (Franklin Edwards, 467; Ken McFadden, 453; Clinton Ransey, 403).
• His 57 three-pointers are second most by a freshman in a season in CSU history (James Madison made 66 in 1996-97).
• Has a three-pointer in 14 straight games, the longest streak by a CSU freshman.
• Streak of consecutive games in double figures snapped at 14 against Youngstown State (Feb. 5) when he scored four.
• Scored in double digits in 20 of the last 23 games.
• Has three 20 point games, including career-high 24 points vs. Valparaiso on Feb. 9 and against Milwaukee on Feb. 17.
• Had 22 points vs. Loyola (Jan. 23) and 21 vs. Detroit (Jan. 12).
• Is 30-47 (.638) from field, including 16-of-22 (.727) from three-point and 15-17 (.882) at free throw line in his 20-point games.
• His five three-pointers against Detroit were tied for the most in a game by a CSU freshman (done 12 times).
• Inserted into starting lineup against Jan. 7 against UIC.
• Is seventh in the league in three-pointers (2.0).
• Horizon League Newcomer of Week (Nov. 28 & Jan. 14).
TWO FOR 20:
• CSU had two 20-point scorers in the same game for the first time this season on Feb. 17 against Milwaukee.
• Bryn Forbes (24 points) and Charlie Lee (22) both tied their career highs.
• Was the first time CSU had two 20-point scorers since a 73-67 loss to Youngstown State on Dec. 31, 2011.
• Jeremy Montgomery had 21 and D'Aundray Brown scored 20 in that contest.
LEE DISHING IT OUT AT THE POINT:
• Charlie Lee ranks 17th in league in scoring (11.2) and leads the circuit in assists (4.8).
• Is just the seventh player in school history to have at least 70 assists as both a freshman (74) and sophomore (140).
• His 140 assists this year are the most in a season by a CSU sophomore (old record was 138 by Walt Chavis in 2002-03).
• Needs six assists to move into tie for ninth place on CSU single season list (Norris Cole, Ken McFadden, Eddie Bryant; 146).
• Has 15 games with at least five assists.
• Had double-doubles against Bowling Green (Nov. 13) and at UIC (Feb. 2), recording career-high 10 assists in each game.
• Dished out 40% of CSU's assists this year (140 of 359).
• Career-high 22 points in wins over Toldeo (Dec. 1) and Milwaukee (Feb. 17).
• One of five players in CSU history to have 200 assists through sophomore season (Shawn Hood, 240; Ron Harris, 233; Lee, 213; Craig Caldwell, 204; Franklin Edwards; 200).
• Ranks 21st in CSU history with 214 career assists.
JUNIOR AS A FRESHMAN:
• Junior Lomomba has been rounding into form over the last three weeks after missing seven of the first nine games with a foot injury.
• Averaging 6.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game this season.
• Tallied 11 points, four rebounds and career-best five assists vs. Milwaukee (Feb. 17).
• Scored 10 points with career-best six rebounds against Youngstown State (Feb. 5).
• Has four double-digit scoring efforts in the last 10 games.
CAREER NIGHT FOR LONG:
• Devon Long had a career-high 23 points in CSU's win over Youngstown St. (Feb. 5).
• Set career-highs in field goals made (9) and attempted (11).
• Scored 14 points in first half, bettering old career-high of 13 points (vs. Urbana, 11/15/10), in opening 20 minutes.
• Added five rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots.
• Averaging 6.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and shooting team-best .598 (64-107) from the floor.
LONG AT THE LINE:
• Devon Long has dramatically improved his free throw shooting with his new catch and shoot routine at the line.
• Opened the season going 4-for-18 over the first 16 games.
• Has gone 19-of-28 (.679) over the last 13 games.
• Improved to 23-of-46 (.500) for the season.
YOUTHFUL VIKINGS:
• CSU is one of the youngest teams in the nation this year.
• The 12 man roster - one senior, three juniors, four sophomores and four freshman - combine for just 11 years of college basketball experience.
• With Anton Grady's injury, the 11 player roster is down to 10 years of collegiate basketball experience.
• Cal State Northridge and Dartmouth also have rosters that combine for just 11 years of collegiate experience.
20-20-20 VISION:
• Marlin Mason is the 12th player in CSU history with at least 20 blocks, 20 assists and 20 steals in a season.
• Now has 30 blocks, 27 assists and 30 steals this season.
• Is the second sophomore to accomplish the feat (Jamal Jackson, 1994-95).
• Only one player in school history (Sam Mitchell in 1993-94) has posted 30 blocks, 30 assists and 30 steals in a season. He had 40 blocks, 34 assists and 32 steals.
FREE THROWS:
• CSU is shooting .706 (343-486) at the line this year.
• The Vikings have shot .766 (98-128) from the line over the last nine games.
• CSU has shot better than 70-percent at the free throw line in each of head coach Gary Waters' first six seasons.
• Prior to Waters arriving at CSU (2006-07), CSU shot better than 70-percent from the free throw line just two times since the 1965-66 season (1979-80 & 1986-87).
WORKING OVERTIME:
• The 79-73 overtime win over Bowling Green on Nov. 12 snapped CSU's streak of not playing an OT game at 170.
• Prior to that game, CSU had not played an OT contest since a 69-66 win over Florida State on Nov. 17, 2007.
• CSU's streak of not playing an overtime game in the Horizon League reached 111 straight on Wednesday night against Wright State.
• The last OT game in league play was a 57-56 loss at Milwaukee (1/29/07).
FOR THREE:
• CSU has hit at least one three-pointer in 463 straight games.
• The last game CSU failed to hit a three-pointer was vs. Detroit on Feb. 21, 1998, when the Vikings went 0-for-8.
• CSU hit 12 three-pointers vs. Toledo (Dec. 1) and against vs. Milwaukee (Feb. 17), tied for the second most in a game in CSU history.
• The single game school-record is 14 three-pointers versus Milwaukee (12/4/10) and at Michigan State (12/16/05).
FOR STARTERS:
• CSU has used seven different starting lineups this year.
• Nine different players have started at least two games.
• Charlie Lee and Tim Kamczyc are the only two players to start every game.
• CSU has used the same starting five for the last 13 games.
• Two seasons ago (2010-11), CSU was one of just three Division I teams to use the same starting five in every game.
SUCCESSFUL MID-MAJOR PROGRAM:
• The Vikings have been one of the top mid-major programs in the nation since the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
• Entering this season, the Vikings had won 112 games since 2007-08, tied with Vermont for the 14th most among all mid-major programs in the country.
• CSU won 21 games in 2007-08, 26 the following season, 16 in 2009-10, 27 in 2010-11 and 22 last year.
• Only 30 Division I mid-major programs entered the 2012-13 season with at least 100 wins over the last five seasons; Butler (139), Saint Mary's (133), VCU (132), Gonzaga (131), Murray State (122), Belmont (121), Old Dominion and Creighton (119), Robert Morris and Kent State (117), Akron (116), Davidson (115) and George Mason (113) were ahead of Cleveland State.
MR. 300:
• Head coach Gary Waters earned his 300th career win in the Dec. 19 victory over Notre Dame College.
• Waters, who is third all-time at CSU with 135 wins, won 92 games at Kent State and 79 at Rutgers. He has a 17-year head coaching mark of 306-233 (.568).
• Is in his seventh season at CSU, making him the third longest tenured coach in history behind Ray Dierenger (1969-83) & Homer Woodling (1929-41, 1952-53).
• His 233 games coached at CSU are second most in program history by a head coach (Ray Dieringer; 360 games).
LONG TIME ASSISTANTS:
• Gary Waters has had the same staff in place for seven years with associate head coach Jayson Gee and assistant coachesLarry DeSimpelare and Jermaine Kimbrough.
• The group is the longest tenured staff in the country.
UP NEXT:
• CSU closes the regular season at 3:00 p.m. EST at Loyola on Saturday (March 2).
