QUICK HITS
- Cleveland State is off to its best start in Horizon League play since the 2014-15 season
- Torrey Patton is averaging 18.8 points per game over the last four contests
- Craig Beaudion has 23 assists in the last three games
- Cleveland State shot better than 50 percent from the floor for the second consecutive game
- The Vikings defeated Youngstown State for the fifth-straight game
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Torrey Patton had a career-high 25 points, a career-high eight rebounds and a career-high six assists
- Algevon Eichelberger finished with 14 points and four rebounds
- Cleveland State shot 52.7 percent from the floor, including 61.9 percent in the second half
- Cleveland State outscored Youngstown State 46-24 in the paint
- The Vikings held a 35-28 advantage in rebounding
- Cleveland State had a season-low eight turnovers
GAME RECAP
CLEVELAND -- Junior Torrey Patton scored a career-high 25 points and four players reached double figures in scoring as Cleveland State opened the home portion of its Horizon League schedule with an 82-74 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday in the Wolstein Center.
Patton's career night sparked the Vikings to their second straight Horizon League win and improved the league record to 2-1, which marks Cleveland State's best league start since the 2014-15 season.
Patton finished 9-of-12 from the floor and 5-of-8 from the free throw line to lead the Vikings. He also finished with a career-high eight rebounds and a career-high six assists.
Algevon Eichelberger added 14 points, while Tre Gomillion and Deante Johnson each finished with 10 points for the Vikings.
Cleveland State, which improved to 6-10 overall and 2-1 in league play, shot 52.7 percent from the floor for the game which included shooting 61.9 percent shooting in the second half.
The Vikings turned the ball over a season-low eight times and held a 35-28 advantage in rebounding and outscored Youngstown State 46-24 in the paint.
Cleveland State led for 34:30 of the game, but used a 7-0 run midway through the second half to pull away from the Penguins.
Youngstown State, which dropped to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the Horizon League, rallied to tie the score at 56-56 with 9:30 to play in the second half, but the Vikings would respond.
Eichelberger and Kasheem Thomas scored back-to-back baskets and Patton drained a three-pointer giving the Vikings a 63-56 lead with 7:29 to play in the game.
Cleveland State returns to action on Thursday (Jan. 9) when it hosts Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m. in the Wolstein Center.