VIDEO: Highlights | Postgame Press Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State concluded its three-game homestand to open Horizon League play with a 67-63 setback to Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon in the Wolstein Center.

The Vikings are now 4-12 this year and 1-2 in the Horizon League, while the Panthers improved to 9-8 overall and 2-2 in the League.

STAT LEADERS

• Kenny Carpenter led the Vikings with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists.
• Bobby Word scored 11 points with five rebounds and two steals.
• Kasheem Thomas tallied eight points, three rebounds and two assists.
• Dontel Highsmith chipped in seven points off the bench, hitting 3-of-4 from the floor.

COACH SPEAK

• "This game comes down to made shots and missed shots and that was the case tonight. I thought we had several high-quality looks, including some open threes that we didn't hit."
   – Head Coach Dennis Felton

FIRST HALF RECAP

• The Panthers scored the first five points of the game before the Vikings answered with an 11-5 run to take their first lead of the game (11-10) on a Stefan Kenic layup.
• A three-point play from Brock Stull gave the Panthers a 22-15 lead with 4:57 to play and UWM extended the lead to as many as 11 points (29-18) with just under a minute to play.
• The Vikings hit three free throws over the final minute to close the halftime deficit under double figures (29-21).

SECOND HALF RECAP

• CSU scored the first 10 points of the half, including threes from Carpenter and Word, to take a 31-29 lead.
• Milwaukee came right back with seven straight points to regain a 36-31 lead and force a Viking timeout.
• The Panthers lead reached 10 points (60-50) with 4:16 to play as Jeremiah Bell hit back-to-back threes to extend a four-point advantage.
• The lead was still 10 points with 2:36 to play, but three-pointers from Carpenter and Word pulled CSU within four points (62-58) with 53 seconds to play.
• Brock Stull hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back to six points, but Tyree Appleby responded quickly with a layup. After two free throw from Bell, Word hit a three-pointer with 11 seconds to play to cut the lead to three points (66-63), but Bryce Nze banked in the second of his two free throws with eight seconds left to extend the lead to four.

KEY STATS

• CSU shot .400 (24-60) from the field, while the Panthers hit 22-of-43 (.512).
• The Vikings committed just 11 turnovers and forced Milwaukee into 18 miscues. The Panthers came in averaging a League low 12.2 turnovers per game. CSU scored 12 points off those turnovers.
• The CSU bench out-scored Milwaukee's, 22-14.
• Milwaukee hit 16-of-22 at the free throw line, while CSU was 7-of-8.

UP NEXT

• CSU is in action for two games in Michigan next week, playing at Detroit Mercy on Wednesday (Jan. 10) at 7:00 pm and at Oakland on Friday (Jan. 12) at 7:00 pm.
• The Vikings will conclude a three-game road swing at Northern Kentucky on Monday (Jan. 15) with a 7:30 pm contest.