VIDEO: Highlights

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Anton Grady scored a career-high 26 points and Cleveland State used a strong second half to surge past Tiffin, 85-56, on Monday night in the Wolstein Center.

The Vikings moved to 1-1 this season, while Tiffin dropped to 1-2.

Grady, whose previous career-high was 23 points at Green Bay as a freshman, hit 9-of-13 from the field and 8-of-11 from the free throw line, while adding seven rebounds.

"Anton has the ability to do this every night," head coach Gary Waters said. "He can shoot the ball well from the outside and has the athleticism to get the ball up and over anyone on the inside."

Trey Lewis added 15 points and four assists, while Marlin Mason totaled 12 points and eight rebounds. Vinny Zollo chipped in eight points, while Andre Yates finished with seven points.

"We are still in the stages of learning, but as the game went on in the first half, I thought we started to figure some things out," Waters said. "And when we went in at halftime, they made a decision they were going to get it done in the second half."

The Vikings led 37-31 at the half after Lewis hit a spinning layup in the lane with five seconds to play. CSU broke the game open early in the second half, using a 17-2 run over the first four and a half minutes to take a 54-33 lead on a three-point play from Grady.

The lead grew to as many as 31 points in the second half.

"This was a good game for us, especially after we let one slip away on Friday night," Waters said. "I like the way we can pressure people and I really like our ball movement. We are playing good team basketball."

CSU forced Tiffin into 25 turnovers, leading to 25 CSU points.

CSU returns to action on Wednesday (Nov. 19) when the Vikings host Jacksonville State at 7:00 p.m. in the Wolstein Center. It will be the first of four games for CSU in the Global Sports Showcase.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and can be heard live on AM 1420 WHK with a live audio stream at www.whkradio.com.

GAME NOTES

• CSU improved to 42-42 all-time in home openers.
• The Vikings have won eight straight home openers and eight of nine under head coach Gary Waters.
• CSU moved to 3-0 all-time against Tiffin.
• The teams were playing for the first time since 1989-90.
• The Vikings hit six three-pointers, extending their streak to 503 straight games with a three.
• CSU has hit at least three three-pointers in 52 straight games and has 18 consecutive games with at least five three's.
• Anton Grady scored a career-high 26 points, his second career 20-point game. His old career-high was 23 points at Green Bay as a freshman.