VIDEO: Highlights

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State overcame a slow start to shoot 54-percent from the field and claim a 62-53 win over Milwaukee on New Year's Eve in the Wolstein Center.

CSU improved to 5-9 overall and 1-1 in the Horizon League, while the Panthers fell to 4-11 overall (0-2 HL).

STAT LEADERS

• Demonte Flannigan paced the Vikings as he just missed his sixth career double-double, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds. He made 9-of-13 from the field.
• Bobby Word scored 12 points, hitting four three-pointers for the second straight game. He went 8-of-13 from three-point in the two games this weekend.
• Kasheem Thomas posted 13 points, hitting all three of his shots, including two three-pointers, and 5-of-6 at the free throw line.
• Kenny Carpenter tallied eight points and four rebounds, while Derek Sloan scored four points.
• Nelson Maxwell added four points, two rebounds and two assists off the bench.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams struggled from the field in the first half as the game was tied at 12-12 with 4:39 left.
• The Vikings hit their final five shots of the first half, including a three-pointer from Edwards and back-to-back three's by Word to end the half and give the Vikings a 25-16 lead.
• CSU hit its first two baskets of the second half to push the lead to 11 points (29-18) and would extend the lead to as many as 18 points (48-30) with 7:37 to play.
• The lead was still 12 points (55-43) with 2:45 left, but the Panthers used a 10-2 to slice the deficit to four points (57-53) with 56 seconds left.
• After Thomas split a pair of free throws, Terrell Hales came up with a steal that led to a layup from Flannigan in transition to give CSU a 60-53 lead with 18 seconds left and seal the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• CSU used its fourth different starting lineup of the season. Kasheem Thomas, Rob Edwards and Bobby Word all started in the backcourt for the 14^th consecutive game, while Anthony Wright and Demonte Flannigan started in the frontcourt.
• It was the first career start for Wright.
• CSU was 3-of-16 from the field over the first 13 minutes of the game, but finished the game making 20 of its final 27 shots from the field.
• The Vikings shot .535 (23-43), including a 13-of-18 (.722) effort in the second half. Milwaukee was 19-of-45 (.422) for the game and shot .519 (14-27) in the final 20 minutes.
• CSU hit 9-of-11 from the free throw line.
• Both teams took care of the ball with CSU making 13 turnovers and Milwaukee committing just nine.
• The Vikings out-rebounded Milwaukee, 29-22.

UP NEXT

• The Vikings hit the road for their first two Horizon League road contests next week, playing at Wright State on Thursday (Jan. 5) at 7:30 pm and at Northern Kentucky on Saturday (Jan. 7) at 1:00 pm.