ARLINGTON, Texas - Bryn Forbes and Charlie Lee combined for 46 points, both tying their career-highs, and Cleveland State made 11 three-pointers in an 83-73 win at Texas Arlington on Friday night at the College Park Center in the opening game of the Keightley Classic for both teams.
CSU improves to 2-1 with the win, while UTA fell to 2-2.
Forbes tallied 24 points, hitting four three's and all eight of his free throws, while Lee finished with 22 points, including 15 in the first half. Lee was 9-of-10 at the free throw line and added five rebounds and three assists.
Anton Grady battled foul trouble all night, playing just 13 minutes, but still finished with nine points and four rebounds. Jon Harris added eight points and five rebounds and Trey Lewis and Marlin Mason scored seven points each.
Reger Dowell led all scorers with 25 points, while Brandon Edwards recorded a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.
The first eight minutes were tight with two lead changes and three ties, the final one coming on an Edwards bucket in the paint to knot the contest at 12-12 with 12:50 to play in the first half. CSU answered with a 15-2 run to claim a 27-14 lead on a Mason three-pointer with just under eight minutes to play in the half.
CSU maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the half, taking a 43-28 lead after 20 minutes behind the duo of Lee and Forbes who combined for 25 first half points, including 15 from Lee.
A pair of free throws by Forbes pushed CSU's lead to 19 points (49-30) just two minutes into the second half, but the Mavericks whittled the lead down to seven points (56-49) with 11:03 left on the strength of a 19-7 run.
Harris stopped the run with a three-pointer from the corner and after two Dowell free throws, Mason converted a layup and Forbes hit a three-pointer to give CSU a 64-51 lead with 7:26 to play.
The Mavericks had one more run, cutting the CSU lead to six points three times in the final two minutes, the last time coming with 47 seconds left.
But Forbes hit two free throws and Sebastian Douglas had a steal on the other end and went coast to coast for a dunk to put the Vikings up 10 with 35 seconds left and ice the game.
The Vikings shot 48-percent from the floor, including 11-of-24 (.458) from three-points. The Mavericks, who came into the game averaging just over 95 points per game, shot just 21-of-64 (.328), but were aided by a 25-of-34 performance at the free throw line.
The Vikings are back in action on Monday (Nov. 18) with a 7:00 p.m. contest at Eastern Michigan in their second of four games in the Keightley Classic.