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GAME #14
Cleveland State (8-5) at UIC (4-9)
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013
Time: 5:30 p.m. EST
Site: UIC Pavilion - Chicago, Ill.
Series: Tied, 30-30
Last Meeting: UIC 72, CSU 50 (@UIC, 2/11/12)
SETTING THE SCENE
For the first time in over three weeks the Vikings will hit the road, as they travel to UIC to begin Horizon League play on Wednesday, January 9. Wednesday's contest is slated for a 5:30 p.m. EST start and will be the 61st meeting between the two teams. Overall, the series between the Vikings and Flames is tied at 30-30, but CSU has been the stronger team over the past three seasons, winning nine of the 11 matchups over that span. Entering league play Cleveland State stands at 8-5 on the season and has won seven of its last eight contests, falling to Butler, 56-54 to finish out its non-league schedule.
LAST TIME OUT
Cleveland State dropped a tough contest to Butler, 54-56, falling for the first time in over a month. The loss, which snapped a seven-game win streak, was the first since November 24 for the Vikings.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
Wednesday's contest will also be the league-opener for UIC, as the Flames enter the week with a 4-9 record...The Flames are currently on a two-game losing skid, falling to Butler (84-61) and Indiana (81-59) last time out...UIC was picked to finish sixth in the Horizon League Preseason poll and currently sits ninth after non-league play...As a team, UIC leads the league in blocked shots (4.3) and offensive rebounds (15.4), while junior Megan Wallace leads the individual category with 1.9 blocks per game...Juniors Rachel Story (15.3 ppg) and Katie Hannemann (12.1 ppg) average double-digit points to lead the UIC offense.
CSU IN HORIZON LEAGUE PLAY
Wednesday's contest at UIC will mark the third straight season that the Vikings will open league play on the road, also traveling to UIC during 2010-11 and traveling to Youngstown State last season. Four out of the past five years CSU has posted at least 10 wins in league play, including a program-best 12 victories during 2010-11 and 2008-09.
GORDON ADDING TO CSU OFFENSE
For the first time in her career, Imani Gordon has recorded double-digit points in four-straight games, most recently notching 13 points against Butler (Jan. 3). Gordon, who was one-point shy of tying her career-high against the Bulldogs, became the fourth Viking to reach 100 points this season, and enters league play averaging 7.9 points per game.
COLEMAN CONVERTING FROM 3-POINT
After going 0-for-2 from three-point against Lake Erie (Dec. 30), Cori Coleman returned to form against Butler (Jan. 3), converting two shots from behind the arc. Coleman, who ranks fourth in the league with a .410 three-point field goal percentage, has made at least two three-pointers in seven of the last eight contests and has a team-best 25 three-pointers on the season.
VIKING STARTING FIVE
One of the factors that has led CSU to an 8-5 record so far this season is consistency in the starting lineup. The Vikings have had the same starting five (Gordon, Winton, Coleman, Green, King) through all 13 games this season - compared to last year when CSU had eight different starting lineups throughout the first 13 contests. CSU joins league-leader Green Bay as the only teams to use the same starting lineup throughout the first part of the season.
WINTON ON THE REBOUNDING CHARTS
With 10 rebounds against Butler last Thursday (Jan. 3), Shalonda Winton became just the third Viking all-time to reach 900 career rebounds, entering league play ranking third at CSU with 904 rebounds. Winton, who ranks second in the league averaging 10.8 rebounds per game, is now 38 boards shy of moving into second play on the list and 127 rebounds shy of becoming the all-time leader at Cleveland State. With at least 16 games left in the 2012-13 season, Winton needs to average 8.0 rebounds per contest to become the all-time leader at CSU.
WINTON MOVES INTO TOP-10 IN FIELD GOALS MADE
After converting seven of her 12 field goals against Lake Erie (Dec. 30), Shalonda Winton moved into the top-10 in career field goals made, and now ranks 10th with 489. Winton, who ranks 13th in the league with a .424 field goal percentage, needs to convert 11 more field goals to become the 10th Viking all-time to reach 500 made field goals.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will return home and continue Horizon League play against Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 12. Saturday's contest is slated for a 2:00 p.m. start and will be a doubleheader with the CSU men's team as they will also take on the Titans at 4:30 p.m. following the women's contest.