Game 15 - Cleveland State at IUPUI
Cleveland State Game Notes | IUPUI Game Notes
December 31, 2023
Indiana Farmers Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN
2:00 p.m.
All-Time vs. IUPUI: 9-4
Last Meeting: 1/29/23 78-72 W
Tickets: iupuijags.com
Radio: Fox Sports 1350 AM
Play-By-Play: Al Pawlowski, Ed Daugherty(Host)
TV: ESPN+
Play-By-Play: Greg Rakestraw, Bob Lovell
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team heads east to Indianapolis for its final game of the 2023 calendar year. The Vikings are winners of three in a row coming in, winning the final two non-conference games of the season and picking up a Horizon League victory over Oakland on Thursday night at the Wolstein Center. IUPUI also comes into Sunday's matchup with momentum, as the Jaguars have won two in a row, including a league victory over Detroit Mercy on Friday afternoon.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/IUPUI SERIES
The New Year's Eve matchup will be the 14th all-time meeting between Cleveland State and IUPUI. The Vikings hold a 9-4 advantage in the series. Cleveland State has taken the last eight meeetings between the two teams, including both matchups last season. The Vikings defeated the Jaguars 89-54 in Indianapolis on January 14, and then won the rematch in Cleveland 78-72 just over two weeks later on January 29. Tristan Enaruna, Tae Williams and Drew Lowder all scored in double figures in both contests last year to help the Vikings to victories. Cleveland State holds a 4-3 lead in games played in Indianapolis.
CLEVELAND STATE PICKS UP #HLMBB VICTORY OVER OAKLAND
Cleveland State defeated Oakland 75-67 Thursday night at the Wolstein Center to move to 2-1 in league play. The Vikings led the entire way, building a lead as large as 23 points in the first half. Oakland punched back in the second half but the Vikings held firm and secured the victory. Cleveland State showed its depth with four Vikings finishing in double figures. The Vikings built the first half lead despite Tristan Enaruna picking up two fouls and heading to the bench for the majority of the first half. The win marked the 16th consecutive home victory for the Vikings dating back to January 7.
CLEVELAND STATE CLOSES NON-CONFERENCE SLATE WITH WIN OVER WESTERN MICHIGAN
Cleveland State defeated Western Michigan on Thursday night to close the non-conference portion of its scchedule with a 90-77 victory. The Vikings finish the non-conference season with a 7-4 overall record and winning all six home games against non-conference foes. Tristan Enaruna and Jayson Woodrich each had career nights in the win, with Enaruna finishing with 32 points and Woodrich finishing with 21. Enaruna recorded a double-double finishing with 10 rebounds in the contest. Woodrich added six rebounds to go with his 21 points and finished a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
IUPUI is 4-9 on the season and 1-2 in Horizon League play. The Jaguars come in with momentum having won their first league game on Friday afternoon defeating Detroit Mercy 67-55. IUPUI defeated Defiance to close the non-conference schedule, making it two wins in a row. The Jaguars are led by preseason Horizon League Second Team selection Jlynn Counter who averages 16.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest. Counter did not play against Detroit Mercy due to illness. Matt Crenshaw, an IUPUI alum and one of three players in program history to have his number retired, is in his third season as the head coach.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS FIRST ROAD WIN OF THE SEASON AT BRADLEY
Cleveland State defeated Bradley on Friday night by a final score of 76-69 to earn the first road victory of the 2023-24 season. Drew Lowder and Tristan Enaruna combined for 49 points in leading the Vikings to a come-from-behind win over the Braves. Cleveland State trailed by five with under four minutes remaining before catching fire, posting a 12-0 run in the game's final minutes to seize control and earn the victory. Enaruna and Lowder combined for all 12 points in the scoring run, with each tallying a key three-pointer in the outburst. The game was close throughout with neither team holding more than a seven-point advantage.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS VIKING INVITATIONAL TITLE
Cleveland State posted a 2-0 week inside Woodling Gymnasium in claiming the Viking Invitational tournament championship over Thanksgiving Weekend. The host Vikings tallied wins over East Tennessee State and Alabama A&M in claiming the top spot. The Vikings defeated ETSU in a thriller to kick off the tournament, with Tristan Enaruna tallying the last four points, including the game winning bucket with under four seconds left which lifted the Vikings to a 72-70 win. Cleveland State rolled past Alabama A&M in the final game of the tournament, winning 86-59 to close out the weekend. Four Vikings finished in double figures and all but one of the ten players who saw action in the contest cracked the score sheet.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS 82-78 WIN OVER OHIO
Cleveland State earned the program's third all-time victory in the series against Ohio and the first since 1998 with a strong performance Saturday at the Wolstein Center. The game was back and forth the entire way and featured 13 lead changes and 13 ties. Tristan Enaruna led the way for the Vikings with a season-high 22 points, six rebounds and a career-high six assists. Jayson Woodrich also finished in double figures with 14 points on 4-5 shooting from three-point range, including multiple critical makes down the stretch to push the Vikings in front.
DANIYAL ROBINSON ACHIEVES RECORD-SETTING FIRST SEASON
Cleveland State head coach Daniyal Robinson set a new school record in his first season in charge of the program. Robinson and the Vikings recorded 21 wins in 2022-23, which is the most wins of any first-year head coach in school history. Cleveland State finished as the runner-up in the Horizon League Tournament and made the program's third-straight postseason appearance, earning a trip to the CBI. Should the Vikings reach the postseason this year, it would be the first time in school history that CSU has reached the postseason four consecutive years.
VIKINGS PICKED FOURTH IN #HLMBB PRESEASON POLL
Cleveland State was picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League Men's Basketball Preseason Poll following a vote amongst league head coaches, media members and Sports Information Directors from the league's 11 participating schools. Cleveland State received one first-place vote and finished with 362 points. In addition, senior forward Tristan Enaruna was named to the all-league first team after averaging 15.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season.
ENARUNA EARNS SECOND #HLMBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
Following a career-high 32 points against Western Michigan, Tristan Enaruna picked up his second Horizon League Player of the Week award, the league office announced Tuesday. Enaruna makes it back-to-back weekly awards for the Vikings after Drew Lowder earned the honor last week. Enaruna tied a career mark with 12 made field goals in the game and also finished with 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. He finished 7-of-9 from the charity stripe and added four assists and four steals, each of which led the team.
DREW LOWDER NAMED #HLMBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Following a 26-point night against Bradley on Friday, senior guard Drew Lowder was named the Horizon League Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. Lowder finished one point shy of his career high, set in the season opener at Duquesne, and tied his career best with six three-pointers in nine attempts. He also registered a career-high four steals. Lowder helped ignite the Vikings down the stretch, as he scored five points as part of the closing 12-0 run that secured the victory. Lowder hit the game-tying three-pointer with 3:23 remaining and the Vikings led for good after that point. This is Lowder's first league player of the week award.
ENARUNA EARNS #HLMBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
Following a stellar week over Thanksgiving at the Viking Invitational, Tristan Enaruna was named as the Horizon League's Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Monday. Enaruna was named MVP of the tournament after averaging 20 points and seven rebounds over the two-game week. He finished with a career-high 28 points against East Tennessee State in the opening game, including scoring the final four points of the game to push the Vikings to a two-point win. He followed it up with a 12-point, seven rebound performance against Alabama A&M in the second game.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State remains on the road for a Thursday night matchup at Wright State on January 4. The game will air nationally on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. The Vikings return to the Wolstein Center next weekend, playing host to Northern Kentucky on Sunday, January 7. Fans can "Ring in the New Year" with the Vikes and purchase two lower-level tickets for $20.24. Click HERE to purchase this offer today.
