VIDEO: Highlights

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State rallied from a 12 point second half deficit to take a lead, but Northern Kentucky came back to claim a 62-60 win over the Vikings on Thursday night in the Wolstein Center.

CSU fell to 8-19 overall and 4-11 in the Horizon League. NKU improved to 18-9 overall (9-5 HL).

STAT LEADERS

• Rob Edwards led CSU with 19 points, adding six rebounds and two steals.
• Kasheem Thomas had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.
• Bobby Word scored nine points with three rebounds.
• Demonte Flannigan scored six points and Derek Sloan finished with five points and three rebounds.
• Anthony Wright had six rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
• NKU's Carson Williams led all scorers with 22 points, while Drew McDonald had 13 points and 13 rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Norse took a six point lead (16-10) nine minutes into the contest, but three-pointers from Edwards and Nelson Maxwell helped the Vikings pull within two (18-16) at the 8:54 mark.
• NKU scored six straight points to extend the lead to eight points, but the Vikings answered with five straight to cut its deficit back to three points (24-21) with five minutes to play in the first half.
• NKU responded with five straight points to once again open up an eight point lead and would lead by six points (33-27) at the half.
• The Norse opened their largest lead of the game (42-30) less than three minutes into the second half.
• But CSU responded with a 14-6 spurt to cut the NKU lead to four points (48-44) with just over 12 minutes to play.
• A driving layup by Thomas tied the game at 56-56 with just over four minutes to play and Flannigan gave the Vikings their first lead since early in the second half when he converted a layup with 2:33 to play that put the Vikings ahead, 58-56.
• Drew McDonald hit his lone field goal of the night – a three-pointer with 1:24 left- to give NKU a 59-58 lead.
• Wright hit a pair of free throws on the other end to give CSU a 60-59 lead with just under a minute to play, but McDonald hit a pair of free throws on the other end to put the Norse up, 61-60.
• The Vikings had a chance to take the lead, but Flannigan's hook shot in the lane came up short and after McDonald split a pair of free throws, Edwards' three-pointer was off the mark at the buzzer.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• NKU held a 39-34 advantage on the boards.
• The Vikings led in fast break points, 8-2 and scored 10 points off NKU's 10 turnovers.
• CSU committed just eight turnovers.
• The game was tied six times and there were six lead changes.
• CSU held the Norse to 2-of-16 from the field over the final 13:19 of the game.

UP NEXT

• The Vikings host Wright State at 3:30 pm on Saturday (Feb. 18) in the Wolstein Center.
• The game will be broadcast live on Spectrum Sports and ESPN3, as well as AM 1420.
• It will be a doubleheader with the CSU women hosting Northern Kentucky at 1:00 pm.