GAME #33
at Ohio
7:00 p.m. EST | Weds., March 19
Athens, Ohio • Convocation Center
CollegeInsider.com Tournament
Audio | Live Stats | Video
THE OPENING TIP:
• Cleveland State opens play in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament with a first round game at Ohio University on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
• This will be the eighth postseason appearance in school history and the first time CSU has played in the CIT.
• The Vikings are 21-11 overall and have not played since falling to Wright State, 68-63, in the Horizon League semifinals on March 8 in Green Bay.
• CSU finished in second place in the Horizon League with a 12-4 mark.
• Ohio is 23-11 overall and posted an 11-7 mark in the Mid-American Conference, finishing in third place in the East Division.
• The Vikings went 2-3 against MAC teams this year, defeating Ball State and Kent State and falling to Akron, Eastern Michigan and Toledo.
• The Bobcats split two games against Horizon League schools this season, defeating Valparaiso and losing at Oakland.
• OU has five seniors, led by Nick Kellogg who was a second team All-MAC selection and leads the team with 15.7 points per game.
• Wednesday's game will be the 12th all-time meeting between CSU and OU with Ohio leading the all-time series, 9-2.
• The teams have not played since an 87-82 OU win in Athens on Nov. 20, 1999.
CSU IN THE POSTSEASON:
• This will be the eighth time that CSU has played in a postseason tournament.
• CSU is 3-2 all-time in the NCAA Championship with a Sweet 16 apperance in 1986 and a second round showing in 2009.
• The Vikings have played in the NIT five times (1987, 1988, 2008, 2011, 2012), posting a 3-5 record.
ABOUT THE CIT
• This is the sixth year of existence for the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, which started in 2009.
• The tournament features 32 teams and is geared toward featuring mid-major schools.
• All games are held on campus sites.
• There is not a traditional bracket for the tournament with future games decided at the end of each round.
FORBES & HARRIS EARN ALL-LEAGUE HONORS:
• Bryn Forbes was named to the All-Horizon League second team, while Jon Harris was voted the league's Sixth Man of the Year.
• Forbes, last year's Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, ranks seventh in the league in scoring (15.4) and second in three-pointers (2.5).
• Harris is 24th in the league in scoring (10.4) and seventh in rebounding (6.0).
• He has 15 double digit scoring games off the bench this season, the most by a CSU reserve in a season in program history.
ON THE ROAD:
• The Vikings are 9-7 on the road this year.
• CSU has won six straight road games and hasn't lost a true road games since a 67-66 last second setback at Youngstown State (Jan. 13).
• The nine road wins are the fourth most in a season in school history.
FOR THREE:
• CSU is shooting .409 from three-point (235-575) this year, the second best percentage in the nation behind Creighton (.410).
• CSU's 235 three-pointers are the second most in a season in program history, topped by the 2010-11 (237 three's).
• The Vikings have hit 200 three's in a season for the fifth time in school history and the fourth straight season.
• CSU has made a three in 499 straight games, including a school-record tying 14 three-pointers at Oakland (Feb. 6).
• The last time CSU failed to make a three was Feb. 21, 1998, when the Vikings were 0-for-8 in a 60-57 win over Detroit.
20-20-20 VISION:
• The Vikings have three players who have amassed 20 assists, 20 steals and 20 blocked shots this year.
• Anton Grady has 53 assists, 30 blocks and 22 steals, while Marlin Mason has 33 assists, 34 blocks and 20 steals.
• Jon Harris has amassed 44 assists, 24 blocks and 30 steals and is the first player in program history to accomplish the feat without starting a game.
• The trio are the 13th, 14th and 15th players in school history to reach 20 in each category.
• It is the first time CSU has had three players accomplish the feat in the same season.
VIKINGS REACH 20 WINS:
• CSU enters the postseason with a 21-11 record.
• The Vikings have won 10 of their last 12 games to reach 20 wins for the 10th time in school history and the fifth time in the last seven seasons.
• Eighth year head coach Gary Waters claims five of the ten 20-win seasons at CSU.
10 IN THE LEAGUE:
• The Vikings finished in second place in the Horizon League with a 12-4 record.
• It is the sixth time in the last seven seasons that CSU reached double digits in league wins.
• It is the 11th time overall that the Vikings reached double-digit league wins.
• The 12 league wins are tied for the third most in a season in school history.
LEE AT THE LINE:
• Charlie Lee ranks second in the league and 12th in the nation in free throw percentage (82-91; .901).
• Lee had a string of 31 straight free throws end at Valparaiso (March 1). It was the second longest streak in CSU history.
• He also had a streak of 27 straight makes earlier this year.
• Lee is 41-of-41 from the free throw line in the final five minutes and overtime of games this season.
• He is attempting to become the first player in CSU history to shoot 90-percent at the free throw line in a season.
• Franklin Edwards holds the single season school record, shooting .882 (134-152) in 1980-81.
FORBES SETS 3-POINT RECORD:
• Bryn Forbes has made 77 three-pointers this year, the most in a season in program history.
• The old mark was 71 three's by Trey Harmon in 2011-12.
• Forbes has made a three-pointer in all 31 games he has played in this season.
• Forbes has made 138 career three-pointers and is closing in on the all-time top-10 list at CSU.
• He needs two more to move past Norris Cole (139 three's) into 10th place on the all-time list.
THE CENTURY MARK:
• Charlie Lee has 117 assists this year, while Trey Lewis has 108 assists.
• It is the sixth time in program history that the team had two players with 100 assists in a season.
• Lee and Lewis are the first CSU duo to reach 100 assists in the same season since Gravelle Craig had 167 and Craig Caldwell tallied 102 assists in 1992-93.
FROM THE FIELD:
• CSU has shot 60% or better from the field four times (vs. Ball State, Notre Dame College & Oakland twice), tying the school record for most games in a season (2010-11).
• Prior to Gary Waters arriving at CSU in 2006-07, CSU shot better than 60% from the floor just once in the 11 prior seasons.
• CSU has shot better than 50% from the floor in 15 games this year, going 12-3.
• The Vikings rank second in the league and are 41st in the country in field goal percentage (.471).
WATERS SETS CSU WINS RECORD:
• Gary Waters became the all-time winningest coach in CSU history on Jan. 28 with his 150th career win at Eastern Illinois.
• He now has 157 career wins at CSU.
• He passed Ray Dieringer who won 149 games (1969-83).
• Waters' .587 win percentage at CSU is second all-time, Kevin Mackey (.673).
• Has five 20 win seasons at CSU over the last seven years.
• Waters is 328-246 (.571) in 18 seasons as a head coach.
• Led his team's to the postseason 11 times in his 18 seasons, including five times at CSU (one NCAA and three NIT's).
A LOOK AT SCORING:
• CSU is averaging 73.4 points per game.
• The Vikings are on pace to average at least 70.0 points for just the second time in the last 14 years.
• The 2010-11 squad averaged 71.0 points.
• CSU has scored 80 or more points in 10 games this year, the most since it topped 80 points 12 times in 1999-00
• CSU's 97 points in a Dec. 18 win over Notre Dame (OH) were the most since the Vikings scored 113 in a win over Wilberforce on Dec. 12, 2009.
AT THE CHARITY STRIPE:
• CSU is shooting .750 (487-649) at the free throw line to rank first in the league and 17th in the nation.
• It puts CSU on pace to shoot better than 70-percent at the free throw line for the eighth straight season under head coach Gary Waters.
• Prior to Waters arriving at CSU (2006-07), the Vikings shot 70-percent or better just two times (1979-80; .724 & 1986-87; .700).
• The school record for free throw percentage in a season is .749 (477-637) in 2009-10.
FANTASTIC FORBES:
• Bryn Forbes ranks seventh in the Horizon League in scoring (15.4 ppg) and second in three-pointers per game (2.5).
• Missed first career game against Green Bay (Feb. 15) with a stomach virus, the first game he missed in his career.
• Has 13 career 20-point games, including nine this year.
• Career-high 27 points vs. Notre Dame (OH) and at Detroit.
• He has 885 career points and is the fourth player in CSU history to reach 800 points as a sophomore (Ken McFadden, Clinton Ransey, Franklin Edwards).
• Is 15 points shy of becoming just the 12th player in school history to score 500 points in a season.
• Made a three-pointer in all 31 games he has played this year.
• Has made a CSU single season record 77 three-pointers this year, besting the old mark of 71 by Trey Harmon in 2011-12.
• Forbes made 30 straight free throws to open the season and is fifth in league in free throw percentage (.820; 105-128).
• Last year's Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, he was an second team All-Horizon League pick after earning preseason second team accolades.
GENERAL LEE:
• Charlie Lee is 26th in the league in scoring (9.8), sixth in assists (4.0) and steals (1.4) and second in FT% (82-91; .901) and three-point percentage (42-95; .442).
• He dished out a CSU season-high nine assists vs. Detroit (Jan. 8), one off tying his career-high.
• 344 career assists to rank 10th all-time in CSU history.
• Lee's 344 career assists trail only Shawn Hood (351) for the most assists by a Viking in his first three seasons.
• Is 41-of-41 at the free throw line in the final five minutes and overtime of games this year.
• Had streaks of 27 and 31 straight free throws made this year.
THE SIXTH MAN:
• Jon Harris was honored as the Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year after coming off the bench in all 31 games.
• The Miami (OH) transfer ranks 24th in the league in scoring (10.4) and seventh in rebounding (6.0).
• Attempting to become the first CSU player to average double figures off the bench since Percell Coles scored 10.2 points per game in 2003-04.
• He is sixth in the league in field goals percentage, shooting .535 (116-217) from the field.
• Notched his first career double-double with 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against Wright State (Jan. 19).
• Second career double-double at UIC (Jan. 22) with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
• Scored a career-high 27 points at Drexel (Dec. 4), breaking his old high of 21 points against Akron last year.
• Scored in double figures in 15 games this year, the most in a season by a CSU reserve (Anton Grady had old record with 13 in 2011-12).
A VERY GRADY SEASON:
• After missing all but six games last season with a knee injury, Anton Grady has rounded back into form this year.
• He is 23rd in the league in scoring (10.4), fifth in rebounding (6.9) and ninth in blocked shots (1.0).
• In league only games, Grady averaged 11.4 points per game and topped the circuit in rebounding (8.5).
• Battled through stomach virus to post 14 points and eight rebounds, helping CSU clinch No. 2 seed in win over Youngstown State (Feb. 25).
• Clinched that win by blocking Kendrick Perry's 18-foot jumper at the buzzer in overtime.
• Has six double-doubles this year with four coming in league play (Green Bay, Milwaukee, UIC, Wright State).
• He is fifth in CSU history with 83 blocks.
LOOKIN' AT LEWIS:
• Trey Lewis is 10th in the league in scoring (13.3) and ninth in assists (3.4).
• He sat out last year after transferring from Penn State.
• Has started 25 of the 32 games this year.
• Made a career-high five three-pointers, going 5-of-6, on Jan. 13 at Youngstown State.
• Scored a career-high 29 points vs. Oakland (Jan. 16), going 9-of-14 from the field.
• Played 53 of 55 minutes in 3OT at Drexel (Dec. 4), the third most minutes played by a player in CSU history.
• Has scored in double figures in 24 of 31 games this year with four 20-point games.
DOUGLAS OUT:
• Sebastian Douglas is scheduled to have surgery on his knee on Wednesday and will miss the postseason.
• Douglas averaged 8.1 points and 3.3 rebounds as the top guard off the bench this year.
• He played in 26 games with seven starts, missing five (Jan. 16-28) games with a concussion and one (March 1) with a knee injury.
• Douglas leads the Horizon League in field goal percentage (.614), hitting 89-of-145 from the field.
UP NEXT:
• The winner of Wednesday's game will advance to the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament and play an opponent to be determined.
• The opponent, location, date and time of the game will be announced at the conclusion of the first round games.
