Contact: Renee Adam
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SETTING THE SCENE
Cleveland State will continue its four-game roadswing this Sunday (Nov. 18), traveling to Illinois for a 3:00 p.m. EST contest. Both teams are coming off their first losses of the season, as CSU fell at Ohio (63-56) on Tuesday (Nov. 13) and Illinois fell to Bradley (83-77) on Thursday (Nov. 15). The Vikings and the Illini faced each other for the first time in program history last season, with Illinois coming away with a 72-42 victory in Cleveland.
PREVIEWING CLEVELAND STATE
This season's starting lineup will consist of two seniors and three sophomores, led by senior Shalonda Winton (23.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.5 apg), a preseason first team all-league pick. Winton, along with classmate Honesty King (9.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg) and the sophomore trio of Cori Coleman (11.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg), Imani Gordon (6.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.5 apg) and Kiersten Green (1.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.0 apg) will form the backbone of the Viking roster. This group combined for 96 starts last season and recorded over 65-percent of CSU's scoring and over 60-percent of the rebounding. The starting five will be joined by three other returners; senior Kaila Montgomery (3.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg), junior Haley Schmitt (1.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.0 apg) and sophomore Tess Zufall. The eight returning letterwinners will be joined by four freshmen this season, guards Adesuwa Aideyman and Jasmine Flanagan (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 2.0 apg) and forwards Allison Mitchell and Nafeshia Holifield (1.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.0 apg).
SCOUTING THE ILLINI
Under first-year head coach Matt Bollant, Illinois is off to a 1-1 start, defeating Evansville (84-52) in the season opener and falling to Bradley (83-77) on Thursday (Nov. 15). Karisma Penn has led the Illini over the first two games, notching double-doubles against Evansville (11P, 12R) and Bradley (29P, 16R). Illinois has had at least three players score in double-digits during both contests, while they have outrebounded their opponents 89-76. Sunday's contest will be the third straight home game to open the season for Illinois and the third of 16 on the season.
BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLES FOR WINTON
Shalonda Winton tallied her second straight double-double on Tuesday (Nov. 13), posting 24 points and 15 rebounds against Ohio. Winton opened the season with 22 points and 10 boards against South Dakota, and is one of only two league players to post double-doubles in the first two contests of the season. Winton leads the league in scoring, averaging 23.0 points and ranks second in rebounding, averaging 12.5 boards.
...WINTON MARKS TOP PERFORMANCE AGAINST OHIO
Shalonda Winton's 24 points against the Bobcats marks a league-best, putting her at the top of the scoring chart in this weeks' league statistics. Winton's 15 rebounds against Ohio also marked a league-best, and the third time in her career that she has had 15 or more rebounds in a contest.
COLEMAN RETURNS TO FORM
Cori Coleman recorded her first double-digit scoring game of the season at Ohio (Nov. 13) and the 13th of her career. Coleman posted 15 points on a 6-for-12 performance from the field, while also tallying three steals against the Bobcats. She is now tied for third in the league standings, averaging 3.0 steals per game.
WINTON NOTCHES CAREER-HIGH FOUR BLOCKS
Shalonda Winton tallied a career-high four blocks against Ohio (Nov. 13), and now ranks sixth all-time at CSU with 82 career blocks. Winton leads the league averaging 2.5 blocks per game, and holds the top mark among league players so far this season.
KING ADDS TO VIKING OFFENSE AGAINST USD
Honesty King was the second Viking to post double-digit points in the season opener, recording 18 points against USD. King, who is now 4-for-8 from behind the arc, ranks sixth in the league with a .500 three-point field goal percentage and 24th in scoring (9.5 ppg) after the first two contests.
MONTGOMERY SETS CAREER-HIGH
Kaila Montgomery, the third part of the senior trio that led CSU in the season opener (Nov. 9), posted a career-high seven points along with four rebounds in 14 minutes of action against the Coyotes. Montgomery was 3-for-4 from the field, posting a .750 field goal percentage.
HEAD COACH Kate Peterson ABIAD
Cleveland State head coach Kate Peterson Abiad is entering her 10th season at the helm of the Vikings, and became the all-time winningest coach at CSU last season. Peterson Abiad is the third coach in program history to record 100 career victories, currently owning a record of 119-160. During her tenure, Peterson Abiad has led the Vikings to four 19-win seasons, two Horizon League Championships and two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
39TH SEASON OF CSU BASKETBALL
The 2012-13 season will be Cleveland State's 39th year of intercollegiate competition. The Vikings have compiled an all-time record of 427-595 (.418), while also going 82-104 (.441) in 11 seasons in the Horizon League.
WINTON NAMED PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE
Senior Shalonda Winton was named to the 2012-13 Preseason All-Horizon League first team in voting conducted by the league's nine head coaches, sports information directors and select media. Winton's selection to the preseason all-league first team is the second honor of her career, as she was also tabbed a first team honoree as a junior. Last season Winton ranked third in the league in scoring (18.3), fourth in rebounding (9.8), third in defensive rebounding (6.7), sixth in blocked shots (1.1), seventh in offensive rebounds (3.0) and eighth in steals (1.8) and free throw percentage (.772).
RECORDS WATCH
Entering her senior season Shalonda Winton is in position to rewrite the Cleveland State career record book, ranking in the top-15 in eight categories. After becoming the 23rd Viking to record 1,000 career points last year, Winton enters the week ranked 10th in scoring (1,227 points), seventh in rebounding (778 rebounds), second in defensive rebounds (519), fourth in offensive rebounds (269) and free throws made (327), fifth in free throws attempted (451), sixth in blocked shots (82) and 10th in games started (89).
CSU VS. TEAMS IN 2012 POSTSEASON
The Vikings will play 10 games against teams that advanced to postseason play last year, including Green Bay who earned an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Along with Green Bay, CSU will face VCU (WNIT), Miami (OH) (WNIT), New Hampshire (WBI), Detroit (WNIT), Wright State (WBI) and could also possibly face Toledo (WNIT).
DOUBLE THE FUN
Last Friday (Nov. 9) was the first of two doubleheaders for the Cleveland State basketball teams this season, with both the men and women coming away with victories. The CSU men picked up a 92-49 victory over Grambling following the women's contest against South Dakota. The second doubleheader of the season will come on January 12 when both teams face Detroit in Horizon League matchups. The women will take on the Titans at 2:00 p.m., while the men's contest is set for a 4:30 p.m. start.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will continue their four-game roadswing at Illinois, facing the Fighting Illini on Sunday, November 18. Sunday's contest is slated for a 3:00 p.m. EST start.