Game 35 - No. 8 Northern Colorado vs. No. 9 Cleveland State
Cleveland State Game Notes
2024 Ro College Basketball Invitational Round 1
Ocean Center - Daytona Beach, FL
11:00 a.m.
All-Time vs. Northern Colorado: 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A
Tickets: collegebasketballinvitational.com
Radio: WTAM 1100 AM
Play-By-Play: Ed Daugherty
TV: Flo Hoops
Play-By-Play: Tom James, Jennifer George
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team is set to make a school record fourth consecutive postseason appearance as the Vikings travel to Daytona Beach, Florida for the opening round of the 2024 Ro College Basketball Invitational. Cleveland State is one of three Horizon League teams continuing play in the postseason. The Vikings fell in the Semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament to eventual tournament champion Oakland 74-71. Northern Colorado enters postseason play with a 19-13 overall record. The Bears fell in the Quarterfinals of the Big Sky Tournament and finished with a 12-6 record in Big Sky regular season action.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/NORTHERN COLORADO SERIES
Sunday's contest is the first ever meeting between Cleveland State and Northern Colorado. UNC's basketball history dates back to 1904. This is also the first time that the Vikings have matched up against a current member of the Big Sky Conference.
CLEVELAND STATE MAKES SCHOOL RECORD FOURTH STRAIGHT POSTSEASON APPEARANCE
Cleveland State has earned a fourth consecutive postseason appearance, a feat that has never been accomplished in the history of the program. The Vikings appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, the NIT in 2022, and the CBI in each of the past two seasons. Cleveland State has also secured a third straight 20-win season which equals a program best. The Vikings are 0-3 in postseason games in the last four seasons and in search of their first postseason victory since the 2015 CIT.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS ROAD QUARTERFINAL VICTORY AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Cleveland State defeated Youngstown State on Thursday to advance to the Horizon League Tournament Semifinals. Road teams were 1-11 in the Quarterfinal Round coming into Thursday's action and the Vikings were one of three lower seeds to advance. Cleveland State did it without first-team all-league performer Tristan Enaruna who missed the game due to injury. Chase Robinson led a group of four Vikings in double figures with a career-high 20 points. Cleveland State secured its third consecutive 20-win season with the victory.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Northern Colorado is 19-13 and finished 12-6 in the Big Sky in the regular season. The Bears fell in the Quarterfinals of the Big Sky Tournament to Idaho State. UNC features four players who average in double figures in scoring led by Saint Thomas who averages just shy of a double-double at 19.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Steve Smiley is in his fourth season as the head coach after spending the previous four seasons as the associate head coach for a total of eight combined seasons in Greeley. The Bears are making a second trip to the CBI in the last three seasons after appearing in the tournament in 2022. UNC won its first two games before falling in the semifinals to UNC Wilmington.
CLEVELAND STATE DOWNS ROBERT MORRIS FOR TENTH #HLMBB WIN
Cleveland State defeated Robert Morris on the road on Sunday afternoon to claim its tenth league victory and improve to 10-8 in Horizon League competiton. The Vikings held a double-digit lead at the half before a furious RMU comeback eventually evened the score in the final minutes. Drew Lowder made a driving layup with one second remaining to secure the 73-71 road victory. Tristan Enaruna tallied 24 points and Tae Williams finished with 15. Lowder added 10 including the game-winner.
CLEVELAND STATE PICKS UP COMEBACK WIN OVER YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Cleveland State defeated Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 81-73 thanks to a monster game from Tristan Enaruna and several key second half surges. The Vikings trailed by four at the break and by as many as eight early in the second half before a late surge propelled them to victory. Enaruna finished one shy of a career high with 31 points, and Tae Williams added 18 with 10 coming in the second half.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS ROAD VICTORY AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Cleveland State defeated Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday night 75-72 to earn its fourth road victory and second in three games. The Vikings came from 11 points down in the second half to earn a come-from-behind win. Tristan Enaruna struck for 24 points, his fifth consecutive game with 23 or more, to lead the way for the Vikings. Drew Lowder was critical to the second half comeback, scoring all 20 of his points after halftime including connecting on seven of nine field goal attempts in the second half.
HOME SWEET HOME
Cleveland State has made a habit of protecting its home court throughout the last two seasons. The Vikings are 14-3 at home this season and have a 27-6 overall record in Cleveland in the Daniyal Robinson era. Cleveland State is outscoring opponents by over 10 points per game in home contests this season.
GOING TO THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Through the Horizon League season, the Vikings have been one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the conference. Cleveland State ranks fourth in the league in offensive rebounding, averaging 12.6 offensive rebounds per contest in league play.
20 WIN CAMPAIGN FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW
With Thursday's victory, Cleveland State has amassed 20-plus wins for the third year in a row. Daniyal Robinson is the most successful two-year head coach in program history, becoming the first coach to win 20 games in his first two years in charge in the history of the progam. Robinson has amassed 41 total victories and counting in his first two seasons.
FOURTH STRAIGHT SEMIFINAL APPEARANCE
Cleveland State made its fourth sraight trip to the Horizon League Semifinals this past week. The Vikings are 2-2 in semifinal games over the past three seasons, advancing to the championship in 2021 and 2023. In addition, this also marks the fourth consecutive year that both the men's and women's programs have made it to the Semifinals. Cleveland State was the only league school with both teams in the Semifinals this season.
ENARUNA TAKES HOME HORIZON LEAGUE HARDWARE
Tristan Enaruna has earned multiple accolades from the Horizon League in the past week. He was named as one of five student-athletes to the league's All-Academic Team on Thursday. Enaruna is the first CSU men's basketball student-athlete to be recognized by the league on the all-academic team. He carries a 3.49 GPA as a Communications Studies major. On Monday he was named to the all-league first team for the secondc consecutive year. Enaruna ranks second in the league in scoring at 20.2 points per game.
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.
UP NEXT
With a win the Vikings will advance to the quarterfinal round of the CBI to take on top seed High Point. The game will be broadcast on FloHoops and radio coverage will be available on Fox Sports 1350 AM. Tip-off is scheduled for noon on March 25.
