Feb. 23, 2011

Contact: Brian McCann

Complete Release in PDF Format

Game 30
Milwaukee (16-12, 11-5) at Cleveland State (23-6, 12-4)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Site: Goodman Arena (8,500), Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Radio: WHKW 1220 AM (Cleveland) & WHKZ, 1440 AM (Warren) (Al Pawlowski)
TV: None Live, Streaming available on the internet via Horizon League Network.
Series: UWM Leads, 20-15
Last Meeting: CSU 82, @UWM 59 (12/4/10)
Tickets: $10, $15 & $25

SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State returns home to close out the 2010-11 regular season with a chance to secure the Horizon League regular season title, top seed for the upcoming league championship and the right to host the tourney in the Wolstein Center. The Vikings (23-6, 12-4) will host Milwaukee on Thursday, Feb. 24 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Wolstein Center and then close the regular season by entertaining Green Bay on Saturday (Feb. 26) at 2:00 p.m. CSU enters the week in first place in the Horizon League standings with a 12-4 record, leading Butler (12-5), Valparaiso (11-5) and Milwaukee (11-5) by one game in the loss column. A win in either game will give CSU a share of the league title, but the Vikings must win both games this week or possibly drop as low as the fourth seed in the tourney and be forced to play four games to win the tournament title. The Vikings claimed the first meeting with the Panthers, an 82-59 decision back on Dec. 4 in Milwaukee but a lot has happened since then, including a current seven-game league winning streak by the Panthers. Milwaukee owns a 20-15 lead in the all-time series with the Vikings, but CSU is 9-7 in games played in Cleveland.

CSU IN THE NCAA STATS: Cleveland State received numerous mentions in the most recent NCAA men's basketball statistics, which were released on Monday (Feb. 21). Individually, Norris Cole ranked 12th in the nation in scoring (21.3), 23rd in steals (2.2) and 27th in assists (5.6). As a team, the Vikings were in the top 75 in eight categories, ranking 22nd in winning percentage (.793), 32nd in turnover margin (+2.7), 43rd in scoring margin (+8.6), 49th in scoring defense (63.0), 51st in turnovers (12.1), 66th in three-point defense (.321), 67th in field goal defense (.410) and 74th in steals (7.5).

THE HORIZON LEAGUE RACE: The Vikings enter the week in control of their own destiny in the Horizon League race, needing a pair of wins to assure themselves of the school's first regular season league title and the top seed (and right to host) next week's Horizon League Championship. There is no margin for error however as Butler, Valparaiso and Milwaukee could each possibily host the tourney if CSU loses once this week.

COLE MEETS PRESIDENT OBAMA, GAINS SUPPORT FOR HIS HI-TOP FADE: Norris Cole added another first to his resume on Tuesday (Feb. 22) when he was one of a handful of Cleveland State students selected to take part in the Winning the Future Forum on Small Businesses in the Wolstein Center. As part of the event, Cole was able to meet and shake hands with President Obama and several of his staff. Although he did not make a public declaration, President Obama did voice his private support for Coles' retro hi-top fade hair style.

VIKES BREAK STARTING RECORD: The Viking are one of three teams in the nation this year who have used the same starting lineup combination in every game. The lineup of Norris Cole, Jeremy Montgomery, Trevon Harmon, Tim Kamczyc and Aaron Pogue are one of three groups that have started all 29 games to break the old CSU record of 23 straight games set by the 1992-93 group of Craig Caldwell, Gravelle Craig, Shawn Fergus, Sam Mitchell & Anthony Reed. The only other teams to start the same lineup in every game are Missouri State (28 games) and St. Bonaventure (25).

COLE & HARMON ARE THE 40-40 MEN: The struggles of the Viking bench of late combined with the tightness of each game has led to the duo of Norris Cole and Trey Harmon each playing all 40 minutes against both Youngstown State and Wright State. It was the first two times this season that a Viking has played every second with Cole accomplishing it for the seventh and eighth time in his career. Cole (35.1) and Harmon (32.3) rank third and eighth, respectively in the Horizon League this year in average minutes played.

NORRIS' BIG DAY: Norris Cole turned in a once in a lifetime kind of performance in the win over Youngstown State on Feb. 12, setting career highs with 41 points and 20 rebounds while adding nine assists and three steals and playing all 40 minutes. Cole:

• recorded only the second 40-20 game nationally in the last 15 years (Blake Griffin vs. Texas Tech, 2/14/09).
• actually had a double-double in each half, totalling 21 points and 10 rebounds in the first half and 20 points and 10 rebounds in the second half.
• set a CSU single game record with 18 defensive rebounds (old record 16 by Sam Mitchell vs. Saginaw Valley State, 12/4/93).
• had the first 20-rebound game in 22 years, recording the most since Warren Bradley had 23 vs. Clarion on Nov. 25, 1988.
• recorded the 12th highest single game scoring total in the nation this year.
• posted the 9th highest single game rebounding total in the nation this year.
• had the third-highest single game scoring total in CSU history and the most since Damon Stringer had 47 at Milwaukee on 1/29/00.
• came one assist short of the first triple-double in school history (1,826 games).
• had his sixth double-double of the season (4th with points-rebounds) and the ninth of his career.
• used the effort to win the Horizon League Player of the Week award for the fourth time this season (and sixth of his career), averaging 34.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in the two games last week.

. . . AND A SEARS BRACKETBUSTERS ENCORE: The 35-point outburst by Norris Cole in the Sears BracketBusters game against Old Dominion was the most by a single player in a televised game during the nine-year history of the event. Cole broke the old record of 33 points set by Ball State's Chris Williams in 2003. The scoring total was the most by an opposing player in the history of ODU's Constant Center.

COLE DIALS THREE FROM LONG DISTANCE: The Old Dominion contest featured an eight-for-15 shooting performance from three-point by Norris Cole, leaving the Viking senior just short of a pair of CSU single game records. The eight treys was one short of Percell Cole's school record of nine at Duequesne (11/27/02) while the 15 attempts was one away from Percell Coles' record of 16 vs. North Carolina (11/29/03).

LOOKING FOR BENCH RELIEF: One of the key statistics that has helped to determine the difference between a win and a loss this season has been he performance of the Viking bench. In the 23 CSU wins, the Viking reserves have averaged 12.5 points a game. In the six losses however, the bench is averaging just 3.7 points a game, being shutout twice. With four regulars missing time because of injury, the CSU bench has been depleted of late, being held scoreless in three of the last four contests.

MONTGOMERY TO REACH CENTURY MARK: The Milwaukee game will be the 100th game in the career of Jeremy Montgomery, giving the Viking junior the 10th longest streak of consecutive games played in school history. Montgomery, who has played in every game during his career, will make his 49th straight start vs. the Panthers.

MONTGOMERY & HARMON ARE CHASING 1,000: With the 2010-11 season winding down, juniors Jeremy Montgomery and Trey Harmon are working their way towards becoming the 19th and 20th players in school history to score 1,000 career points. Montgomery enters the week with 921 points while Harmon has 831 points.

ATTENDANCE ON THE RISE: Just like CSU's winning percentage, attendance at Viking games this season is on the rise. In 15 home games, CSU is averaging 3,277 fans, the largest since a 3,668 average in 1999-2000. Included in that total was a crowd of 8,490 for the Butler game on Feb. 5. It was the fifth-largest crowd in building history -- and first capacity crowd -- in building history and the largest crowd since 11,534 saw CSU face North Carolina on Nov. 29, 2003. (The building seats 13,610 but has a capacity of approximately 8,500 when configured using the curtain in the east end).

. . . CSU APPROACHES BUILDING ATTENDANCE MARK: With at least two games left in the Wolstein Center this year, the Vikings are quickly approaching the building record for single season attendance. In 19 years, CSU has drawn 50,000 fans or more four times, including a record 60,581 in 15 games during 1991-92, the first year the building was open. With a total attendance of 49,160 this year, the Vikings need to draw 11,421 fans the rest of the year to break the mark. This year's total is the most since 53,838 came to games in 1998-99.

. . . AND ARE AHEAD OF THE ATTENDANCE RECORD FOR LEAGUE GAMES: With two home league games left, the Vikings are ahead of the pace to break the school record for home league games attendance. In seven games, CSU has drawn 31,156 fans for an average of 4,451 per game. The average is ahead of the school record of 4,117 set in 1992-93 and the attendance total trails only the 37,049 that CSU drew for nine league games in 1992-93.

VIKINGS APPROACH WIN MARK: The win over Wright State on Feb. 16 was the 23rd victory of the year for the Vikings, giving them the fourth-highest single season win total in school history. The 23 wins is the eighth 20-win season in program history, and the third in the last four years. The 1985-86 Vikings set the record by winning 29 games.

COLE EYES SCORING RECORD: The 35-points against Old Dominion on Sunday raised Norris Cole's season scoring total to 621 points, the fourth-highest single season total in school history. Cole needs 87 points to break the Ken McFadden's single season record of 708 points, which was set in 1986-87. Cole, who had 539 points last year, joined Franklin Edwards, Ken McFadden and Clinton Ransey to become the fourth player in program history to score 500 points or more in multiple seasons.

CSU IS ONE AWAY FROM EQUALLING HOME WINS MARK: With 14 home wins entering the week, the Vikings are just one win shy of the school record for home wins in a season. CSU went 15-0 in both 1985-86 and 1987-88 to set the record, playing every game in Woodling Gym in 1985-86 and 11 of the 15 games in Woodling in 1987-88 with the other four contests being held in Public Hall.

. . . AND VIKINGS CREATE A HOME COURT EDGE: When Gary Waters took over as head coach at CSU, he talked about the importance of creating a home court advantage by winning at home. Waters has done that as the Vikings have won 12 or more games in the Wolstein Center in each of the last four years, going 52-10 (.839) at home during that span.

THE TREY TRIO: The Vikings have achieved a statistical first this season as Jeremy Montgomery (144 three-pointers), Norris Cole (132) and Trevon Harmon (129) are the first active trio in school history to play together on the same team after each has made 100 career three-pointers. Montgomery (144-397) ranks sixth in school history in both three-pointers made and eighth in attempts while Cole (132-398) is 10th in makes and seventh in attempts and Harmon (129-396) is 12th in makes and ninth in attempts.

COLE TIES ONE FREE THROW MARK: Norris Cole has spent an awful lot of time at the foul line this year as the Viking senior is averaging 7.3 free throws attempted per game. He is 177-for-211 to rank second in the league in free throw percentage (.839). Cole tied the school record for free throws made in a season and is 23 attempts short of the record. Ken McFadden holds the school records for free throws made (177 in 1987-88) and attempted (233 in 1987-88) in a season.

NEXT UP: The Vikings close the regular season at home against Green Bay on Saturday (Feb. 26) at 2:00 p.m.

(A complete set of notes is attached to this document in PDF format)