Dec. 12, 2009

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes

Contact: Brian McCann

• Purchase Tickets
• Group Ticket Information
• 2009-10 Basketball Promotions
• CSU Hoops Luncheon Series

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State Vikings turned to their history to snap a four-game losing streak, returning to a venue in which it has won over 80-percent of its games to blow past Wilberforce, 113-61, on Saturday afternoon.

The Vikings returned to Woodling Gym for only the second time since the Wolstein Center opened in 1991 and the results were still the same as CSU showed dominance in every phase of the game to improve to 124-21 all-time in the building.

The Viking offense was firing on all cylinders as CSU recorded the fifth-highest single game scoring total in CSU history, and the most since tallying 121 points against Northern Iowa on Feb. 18, 1989.

CSU shot a season-best .589 from the field (43-73), made 12 three-pointers, the second-highest single game total in CSU history, and shot .600 from three-point and set a season-high with 25 assists en route to winning by the third-highest margin of victory in Viking annals.

The offensive heroes were numerous as all 13 Vikings scored in the game with six finishing in double figures.

Jared Cunningham, who came off the bench for the first time this season, led CSU with a career-high 18 points, going sevenm-for-12 from the field.

Norris Cole added 16 points, five assists and three steals to go over the 800-point mark for his career. He was seven-for-eight from the field to finish with 815 points in his three seasons.

Nigel Ajere, who made his first career start, reset his career high for the second straight game, scoring 14 points with six rebounds and three steals. His scoring total was two points better than the 12 points he scored against Detroit last week.

D'Aundray Brown broke out of a mini-scoring slump to tally 11 points while Jeremy Montgomery knocked down four treys for 12 points.

TyJaun Wallace led Wilberforce with 18 points, going nine-for-11 from the field, while Taverius Wilkins came off the bench to add 11 points.

In a game in which the offense stood out, the CSU defense made its mark as well. The Vikings out-rebounded Wilberforce, 40-18, for a season-best +22 rebounding margin.

The pressure zone defense forced 25 turnovers, making 13 steals, and owning a 31-11 edge in points off turnovers.

The win improved CSU to 4-6 while Wilberforce dropped to 6-4.

Although the Vikings never trailed in the game, it was tied at 2, 4 and 7 before CSU went on a 9-1 run to take control. The lead grew to 12 at the 10:31 mark (26-14), 20 with 2:30 left (44-24) and 26 at the half (52-26).

The rest of the game was an opportunity for Waters to try some different playing combinations out and give some minutes to his bench in preparation for the next four games, all of which will be played against post-season teams from last season. The stretch opens at home on Tuesday (Dec. 15) vs. Robert Morris and against West Virginia on Saturday (Dec. 19). Road games at Ohio State (Dec. 22) and Kansas State (Dec. 29) close out CSU's non-conference slate.