The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team picked up a critical Horizon League road victory, defeating Robert Morris on the road, 63-54, to move to 3-1 in league play.
The win pushed the Vikings to 8-7 overall. CSU shot 43-percent from the field, and a 13-17 performance at the free throw line, to hold off the host Colonials, who fell to 7-8 and 2-2 in the Horizon League.
Tristan Enaruna led the way for Cleveland State, finishing with 18 points, five rebounds and three steals. Enaruna also finished a season best seven for nine from the charity stripe.
Deshon Parker finished with 14 points, on 6-10 shooting from the floor. Parker added four rebounds and two steals.
The Viking bench was also critical to the winning effort. CSU won the bench scoring battle 21-12. Drew Lowder added 11 points, Jayson Woodrich had six points and six rebounds, and several others contributed key minutes on the defensive end.
The first half was a defensive battle. Physical play on both ends of the floor kept the score close throughout the early going.
The score was tied at 19 with just under four minutes to play. Cleveland State went on an 9-1 run to close the half and carry an 8-point lead into the halftime locker room. Deshon Parker scored all nine of the Cleveland State points, including a driving layup through contact that he converted into a three-point play.
CSU came out of the locker room with a flourish, as the Vikings stretched the lead to nine on an Enaruna dunk a little under 90 seconds into the second half.
RMU kept the game close, and several times cut it to within one possession, but each time the Colonials made a run, Cleveland State answered. Woodrich knocked down two critical threes in the middle portion of the half to keep the Vikings in front. The Vikings connected on only four three pointers in the game, but each one came at a critical time.
A Tae Williams dunk at the 3:45 mark pushed the lead back to nine, and the Vikings made their free throws late to hold the lead.
CSU returns home to the Wolstein Center next week for two more Horizon League contests. The Vikings play host to Milwaukee on Thursday, January 5th and Green Bay on Saturday, January 7th.