Cleveland State at Oakland
Friday, Feb. 5 | 7 p.m.
O'rena | Rochester, Michigan
Presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine
Watch | Audio | Live Stats
Game Notes
Cleveland State at Oakland
Saturday, Feb. 6 | 5 p.m.
O'rena | Rochester, Michigan
Presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine
Watch | Audio | Live Stats
Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State men's basketball team hits the road this weekend clinging to a one-game lead atop the Horizon League standings. The Vikings picked up their fifth #HLMBB sweep of the season last weekend against Green Bay. Five Vikings scored in double figures in a 74-68 win on Friday before Algevon Eichelberger stepped up with a season-high 16 points off the bench in Saturday's 73-65 victory. Craig Beaudion netted 16 points in both contests.
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings their first win over Oakland since March 5, 2018 when they upsetthe No. 4-seeded Golden Grizzlies 44-43 in a defensive battle in the Horizon League Tournament semifinal. It would also mark Cleveland State's sixth road win over its last seven tries and keep the Vikings in front in the Horizon League standings.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/OAKLAND
Cleveland State comes into this weekend's pair of #HLMBB contests against Oakland having lost five consecutive games and eight of its last nine against the Golden Grizzlies. The last time these two sides met, Algevon Eichelberger posted 17 points while Torrey Patton added 11 in an 80-59 loss on March 3, 2020 at Athletics Center O'rena in Rochester, Michigan.
SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies head into the weekend having won five of their last six games, including a two-game sweep over Purdue Fort-Wayne last weekend. Oakland blitzed the Mastodons 81-66 on Friday (Jan. 29) before completing the sweep with an 82-75 win. Jalen Moore leads the Golden Grizzlies in points (18.9), assists (8.0), steals (2.0) and minutes (36.5) while Daniel Oladipo paces the squad in rebounding (8.1). Trey Townsend, who is coming off his first #HLMBB Freshman of the Week award after averaging a double-double last weekend, ranks first in blocks (1.0) and second in boards (5.7). After hosting the Vikings, Oakland kicks off a four-game road trip in Moon Township, Pa. with a pair of matchups against Robert Morris.
RISING IN THE HORIZON (AS A TEAM)
Through 14 #HLMBB contest this season, the Vikings are first in steals (8.69) and defensive three-point percentage (.284), tied for first in defensive field goal percentage (.394), and second in points allowed (66.2), scoring margin (3.69) and turnover margin (1.92).
RISING IN THE HORIZON (INDIVIDUALLY)
Through 14 #HLMBB contests this season, Torrey Patton is ranked eighth in rebounds per game (7.5), 13th in field goal percentage (.469) and 18th in scoring (14.1). Deante Johnson is ranked fifth in blocks (1.2) and 13th in rebounds per game (6.2).
OVERALL HORIZON LEAGUE RANKINGS
Torrey Patton is ranked seventh in rebounds (7.6) and tied for seventh in double-doubles (2) while Deante Johnson is third in blocks (1.3) and 14th in rebounds (6.1) and D'Moi Hodge is third in steals per game (1.9).
UNDEFEATED IN #HLMBB PLAY
For the first time ever, Cleveland State began the Horizon League season winning its first nine games. Overall, the Vikings have won 12 of 14 HL contests.
BRING OUT THE BROOMS
The Vikings recorded their fifth two-game sweep of the season last weekend. That stretch features sweeps of Green Bay, which marked only the second time Cleveland State has swept the season series against the Phoenix since the 2011-12 campaign, as well as Northern Kentucky, whom the Vikings had not swept since the 2015-16 season.
HEATING UP
Senior guard Craig Beaudion is enjoying his finest stretch of the season, averaging 16.8 points on .645 shooting over his last four games, including an incredible 7-11 clip (.636) from three-point range. Beaudion racked up 25 points in a 64-53 victory over Milwaukee on Jan. 22, falling just one point shy of his career high, and has upped his field goal percentage to .482 this year compared to .419 last season, a increase of .063 points.
BIG AL IS BACK
Hampered by an ankle injury for much of the season, Algevon Eichelberger is flashing the form that saw him earn All-Horzon League Third Team honors in 2019-20. The Michigan native poured in a season-high 16 points off the bench to lead the Vikings to a 73-65 win over Green Bay on Jan. 30, marking hisfirst time in double figures since scoring 13 in a HL Tournament loss to Oakland on March 3, 2020. That contest capped off a stretch of 20 straight scoring at least 10 points, including five games with 20 points or more.
TRE GOMILLION AKA MR. RELIABLE
Gomillion has started in every game of his Cleveland State career (49 starts). The junior has had a career season thus far, pouring in a career-high 23 points on a near-perfect 11-12 (.917) shooting from the floor on Dec. 27, 2020. His .917 shooting percentage puts the Augusta, Georgia, native in the record book, tying him with Jamal Jackson's .917 clip on 12/5/94 (also 11-12 from the field). Against Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 19, Gomillion contributed 16 points on a then-career-high 8-13 (.615) shooting from the floor.
PATTON POURING IN THE POINTS
Senior Torrey Patton poured in 10-or-more points in a career-high nine-straight contests (Dec. 13-Jan. 16). Over those nine games, all wins for the Vikes, Patton averaged 15.2 points per game. His previous longest 10-plus streak was last season (six straight games). Over those nine games, Patton notched a season-high 19 points in a come-from-behind win over Youngstown State (Dec. 27). Overall, Patton has logged double-digit points in 12 of his last 14 game.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will return to the Wolstein Center to host Detroit Mercy in #HLMBB action (Feb. 12, Feb. 13). Tipoff time for Friday and Saturday is set for 7 p.m. Both contests will be broadcast on an ESPN streaming platform, as well as on 1420-WHK, 102.5 FM and whkradio.com.