GAME #29
Oakland (16-11, 8-6 HL) at Cleveland State (8-20, 5-10 HL)

Friday, February 16, 2018 | 7:00 pm ET
Cleveland, Ohio | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | ESPN3 | AM 1420

PDF GAME NOTES
Oakland at Cleveland State

GAME PREVIEW:
    •     Cleveland State hosts Oakland on Friday (Feb. 16) at 7:00 pm in the final home game of the season at the Wolstein Center.
    •    The Vikings are 8-20 overall and 5-10 in the Horizon League. CSU has won two straight, including a 75-72 win over Detroit Mercy on Wednesday night. The Vikings also won at UIC, 86-78, on Saturday night.
    •    The Golden Grizzlies are 16-11 overall and 8-6 in the League. Oakland fell at Youngstown State, 75-73, on Wednesday on a buzzer beater.
    •    Friday's game will be broadcast on AM 1420 and AM 1440 with Al Pawlowski and Pat Vuyancih providing the call.
    •    Ed Daugherty will have the pre-game show on the radio beginning at 6:30 pm.
    •    The game will also be shown live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
    •    Friday is 216HoopyHour with $2 beef or fish tacos, $1 drafts, and $6 game tickets.
    •    Tickets for Friday's game are available by phone or text at 216-687-4848, in-person at the Wolstein Center Box Office or online at www.csuvikings.com.
   
THE OAKLAND SERIES:
    •     CSU leads the all-time series with Oakland, 7-5.
    •     The Vikings won the first six meetings with Oakland taking five of the last six.
    •    Oakland won this year's first match-up at home, 81-68, on Jan. 12.
    •    CSU is 4-2 all-time against Oakland in Cleveland.

GAME 28: @CSU 75, DETROIT MERCY 72 (2/14/18):
    •     CSU won its second straight game with a victory over Detroit.
    •    Stefan Kenic scored a career-high 19 points, while Anthony Wright finished with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, while adding four steals, and two assists.
    •    Bobby Word scored 15 points with two rebounds and two assists and Kenny Carpenter added 11 points and six reounds.

CELEBRATING THE SENIORS:
    •     Friday will be Senior Day with CSU celebrating the six seniors in the program - Kenny Carpenter, Terrell Hales, Jamarcus Hairston, Derek Sloan, Bobby Word and Anthony Wright - in a pre-game ceremony.

ANOTHER TOP-THREE WIN:
    • CSU's 86-78 win at UIC on Saturday marked the second time in as many weeks that the Vikings knocked off a top-three team in the Horizon League.
    •    UIC entered the game on a seven game win streak and had won 10 of its previous 11 games.
    •    On Feb. 1, the Vikings earned a 70-67 win over then first place Wright State. The Raiders had won 11 of 12 games heading into the contest with CSU.

IMPROVING AT THE LINE:
    •    CSU has shown continued improvement at the free throw line since going 13-of-37 (.351) over the first two games.
    •    Since those two games, CSU is shooting 259-of-352 (.736) at the charity stripe.
    •    In Horizon League play, the Vikings have hit 188-of-245 at the free throw line, ranking second in League play in free throw percentage (.767) behind Northern Kentucky (.770).
    •    CSU is shooting .705 (308-437) at the line this year.

CARDIAC VIKINGS:
    •    The Vikings have played in 10 one possession games this year, posting a 5-5 mark in those games.
    •    Six of CSU's League games have come down to the final possession as the Vikings fell to Youngstown State (80-77), defeated Green Bay (80-79), lost at Detroit Mercy (85-84) and defeated IUPUI (70-67), Wright State (77-74) and Detroit Mercy (75-72).
    •    CSU played in three straight one poessession games from Nov. 20 through Nov. 29, falling at ECU, 72-69 (Nov. 20), losing to Central Conn., 74-73, (Nov. 24), and topping Arkansas State, 75-72 (Nov. 29).
    •    It was the first time CSU played three straight one poessession games since the 1999-2000 season when CSU fell at St. Bonaventure, 71-69, (12/30/99), and won at Loyola, 70-68 (1/6/00) and at UIC, 91-89 (1/8/00).

VIKINGS TIE THREE POINT MARK WITH 14 MAKES:
    •     The Vikings have tied the single game school record with 14 made three-pointers four times this year.
    •    CSU was 14-of-32 from three-point in wins over Coppin State (Nov. 17) and Wright State (Feb. 1) and went 14-of-39 from long distance against Notre Dame College (Dec. 10).
    •    CSU was 14-of-31 from three-point at Detroit Mercy (Jan. 10).
    •    The Vikings have hit 14 threes in a game eight times in school history.

FOR THREE:
    •    CSU has hit a three-pointer in a school record 625 straight games.
    •    The Vikings have hit at least three three's in 174 straight contests, extending the streak with 11 threes against Detroit Mercy on Wednesday.
    •    The last time CSU failed to make a three-pointer was Feb. 21, 1998, when the Vikings were 0-for-8 in a 60-57 win over Detroit.

KENIC SCORES CAREER-HIGH:
    •    Stefan Kenic scored a career-high 19 points in Wednesday's win over Detroit Mercy, hitting 6-of-9 from the floor and all five of his free throws.
    •    It bettered his old career-high of 16 points at IUPUI on Feb. 8.
    •    Over the last three games, Kenic is averaging 16.0 points, while shooting 14-of-27 (.519) from the field.
    •    In the game at Detroit Mercy (Jan. 10) earlier this year, Kenic scored 15 points and was 6-of-10 from the floor. His three-pointer from the top of the arc with 3.9 seconds left gave the Vikings an 84-83 lead before UDM won the game at the buzzer.
    •    Kenic is averaging 9.4 points and 3.3 rebounds this year, playing in all 28 games with 25 starts.

APPLEBY HAS CAREER NIGHT:
    •     Freshman Tyree Appleby set career-highs in points (25) and rebounds (9) in Saturday's win at UIC.
    •    Appleby made 7-of-13 from the field, including three of four from three point, and was 8-of-10 at the free throw line.
    •    It was the most points by a CSU freshman since Rob Edwards scored 26 points at Detroit Mercy on Jan. 4, 2016.
    •    He bettered his old career-high of 24 points set at Western Michigan, while his old career-high was seven assists done five times this year.
    •    Appleby ranks 21st in the League in scoring (11.4), third in assists (3.8) and fifth in steals (1.4).
   
APPLEBY EARNS FOUR LEAGUE HONORS:
    •    Tyree Appleby has been named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week four times this year, earning the award in back-to-back weeks (Dec. 4, Dec. 10) and again on Jan. 15 and Feb. 4.
    •    Appleby earned the first award after averaging 10.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals vs. Arkansas State and at Kent State, shooting .562 (9-16) from the floor.
    •    Appleby picked up his second straight honor after averaging 18.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.5 steals, shooting .800 (12-15) from the field and 5-of-6 (.833) from three-point at Western Michigan and vs. Notre Dame College.
    •    He won his third award after averaging 16.5 points, 7.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals in games at Detroit Mercy and Oakland.
    •    Appleby captured his fourth award on Feb. 4 after averaging 15.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block vs. Wright State and Northern Kentucky.

A DEEPER LOOK AT THE FRESHMAN:
    •     Tyree Appleby's 318 points this year are the 10th most by a freshman in school history.
    •    Appleby is also just the fifth freshman in program history to reach 100 assists in a season, ranking fourth among CSU freshmen with 106.
    •    His 40 steals rank seventh for a freshman in a season in CSU history, just four shy of moving up to fourth place on the list.
    •    Appleby is 80-of-111 at the free throw line this year. The 80 makes are tied for the seventh most by a freshman in program history, while his .721 percentage is currently eighth best for a CSU freshman.
   
CARPENTER GOING TO WORK:
    •     Senior Kenny Carpenter is enjoying his best season to date. He ranks 18th in the Horizon League in scoring (12.7) and 14th in rebounding (5.2), while adding 2.3 assists.
    •    Carpenter is 10th in the League in field goal percentage (.471).
    •    He has three, 20-point games this year and has 21 double figure scoring games.
    •    Carpenter also has three double-digit rebounding games.
    •    He had 23 points in a win over IUPUI (Jan. 18) and scored 20 (10-14 FG) in a victory over Green Bay (Jan. 4).
    •    Carpenter scored a career-high 26 points against Coppin State (Nov. 17), bettering his old career-high of 24 points set at UIC as a sophomore.
    •    He scored 24 points in the first half vs. Coppin State and finished the game 10-of-17 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point.
    •    The six three-pointers are tied for the fourth most in a game in program history and the 17th time a CSU player made six three's.
    •    He became the first CSU player to make six threes since Charlie Lee hit six at Oakland on Feb. 6, 2014.
    •    Carpenter has posted two double-doubles this year, the first two of his career.
    •    Carpenter recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 boards in the season opener at Akron (Nov. 11).
    •    He had a career-high 26 points and 11 boards against Coppin State (Nov. 17).

THE WRIGHT STUFF:
    •     Anthony Wright notched his second career double-double in Wednesday's win over Detroit Mercy with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. He also had a career-best four steals.
    •    Wright returned from injury at IUPUI (Feb. 8), playing 17 minutes off the bench and scoring eight points. He was back in the starting lineup at UIC on Saturday (Feb. 10) night.
    •    He had missed the previous seven games.
    •    Earlier this year, Wright recorded his first career double-double at Kent State (Dec. 2).
    •    Wright scored a career-high 21 points, hitting 8-of-11 from the field, including a career-best four three's (in six attempts). He also had a career-high tying 11 rebounds.
    •    Wright is averaging 7.7 points and is 13th in the League in rebounding (5.5). He is shooting .806 (25-31) at free throw line and has made his last 11 free throws.

HAIRSTON TIES CAREER HIGH:
    •     Jamarcus Hariston tied his career-high with 17 points on Saturday (Feb. 10) at UIC and just missed his first career double-double with a career-high nine rebounds.
    •    Hairston is averaging 6.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in League games, shooting .507 (38-75) from the field.
    •    He scored 16 points - hitting 4-of-7 from three-point - with seven rebounds vs. UIC (Jan. 20).
    •    Hairston posted six points and set career-highs in rebounds (8) and steals (4) in a win over IUPUI, playing a career-high 32 minutes. His tip-in with 22 seconds left gave CSU the lead for good (68-67).
    •    He had 14 points (5-6 FG) with six boards at Detroit (Jan. 10).
    •    Hairston set a career-high with 17 points at Niagara (Dec. 19), hitting 7-of-9 from the field, adding five boards and two assists.

WORD UP!:
    •     Bobby Word has started all 59 games during his CSU career.
    •    He is 24th in the League in scoring this year (10.3), while ranking fifth in the League in three pointers (2.3)
    •    Word has hit five or more threes in five games this year.
    •    Word scored a career-high 26 points - hitting a career-best seven threes - at No. 2 Michigan State (Dec. 29).
    •    He followed that up with a 24 point effort vs. Youngstown State (Jan. 1), which included nine points in the final 49 seconds. His three-pointer with nine seconds left tied the game at 77-77 before the Penguins won it with a buzzer beater.
    With his 11 point effort vs. Green Bay on Jan. 4, Bobby Word reached 1,000 career points.
    •     Word scored 487 points during his two seasons at Oral Roberts and has 617 points during his CSU career for 1,104 career points.
    •    Word also notched his first career double-double vs. Green Bay.
    •     He scored 14 points and added a career-high 10 rebounds. His old career-high was seven rebounds.
    •    Word is the top returning scorer from last year's team (11.1).
   
KASH IS MONEY:
    •     Kasheem Thomas has been one of the top sixth men in the Horizon League, averaging 7.0 points and 2.8 assists in League play.
    •    Thomas scored a season-high 11 points with six assists against Youngstown State (Jan. 1).
    •    He had eight points with six assists at Detroit Mercy (Jan. 10) and posted 10 points and six assists at NKU (Jan. 15).
    •    Thomas scored 13 points against UIC (Jan. 20), setting career highs in free throws made (11) and attempted (12).
    •    Thomas started 39 consecutive games to open his career, including all 31 last year, the most by a freshman in program history.
    •    Thomas has a career assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.8 (166 assists to 91 turnovers).

HALE & HEARTY:
    •     Senior Terrell Hales has provided CSU with a spark off the bench over the last two games.
    •    He had eight points with four rebounds at UIC (Feb. 8) and posted six rebounds, including four offensive, on Wednesday vs. Detroit Mercy.

THE FELTON FILE:
    •     First-year head coach Dennis Felton earned his first victory at CSU with an 80-56 win over Coppin State (Nov. 17).
    •     Felton, who made his CSU regular debut on Nov. 11 at Akron, was named the 15th head coach in CSU history on March 24.
    •    Felton, a coaching veteran with more than 30 years of experience, is in his 12th season as a head coach, having spent five years at Western Kentucky (1998-03) and five-plus seasons at Georgia (2003-09).
    •    During his time on the sidelines Felton has amassed 192 victories, won seven conference championships and led six of his teams to the postseason, including four NCAA berths.

UP NEXT:
    •    The Vikings close the regular season with two road games next week. CSU will play at Wright State on Monday (Feb. 19) and at Youngstown State on Saturday (Feb. 25).