GAME #11
vs. Indiana
2 p.m. | Sat., Dec. 21
Wolstein Center
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SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team returns to the Wolstein Center Saturday afternoon, hosting the Indiana Hoosiers at 2:00 p.m. The Vikings (5-5) are fresh off a 1-1 road trip where they defeated New Hampshire and fell to VCU, while the Hoosiers enter Saturday's contest with a perfect 11-0 mark on the season. This will be just the second time that the two teams will meet in Cleveland, as the Vikings picked up a 77-75 overtime victory the first time the two teams faced off in the Wolstein Center (12/19/09).
LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings evened their record with a 65-50 victory at New Hampshire last Wednesday, picking up their first true road win of the season. After a back and forth first half, the Vikings were able to go into the halftime break with a six-point lead (34-28), and held the advantage for the remainder of the contest - including a double-digit lead for the final five minutes. The Vikings once again had three players with double-digit points, including Cori Coleman who had a game-high 18 points.
A WIN SATURDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings over .500 for the first time this season…Mark CSU's third win out of its last four contests…Keep the Vikings perfect at home against Indiana…Even the overall series against IU, and mark the second straight victory for Cleveland State.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
Indiana enters Saturday's contest on an 11-game win streak, owning a record of 11-0 so far this season…Through their first 11 games, the Hoosiers have averaged 77.1 points per game, and have outscored their opponents by an average of 18.1 points per game…Only two players have been averaging double-digit points for IU - Larryn Brooks (19.2 ppg) and Sasha Chaplin (10.2 ppg), while Tabitha Gerardot is just shy with 9.9 points per game…As a team, Indiana is shooting a .450 clip from the field (290-644), including a .348 clip from behind-the-arc (78-224)…The Hoosiers have been averaging 40.5 rebounds per contest - including 120 total offensive boards…Gerardot leads the Hoosiers averaging 6.5 boards per contest.
#VIKINGSTRONG ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Cleveland State posted a strong defensive front last Wednesday against New Hampshire, allowing the Wildcats to score just 50 points - marking the first time since the 2011-12 season that the Vikings held their opponent to 50 points or less in a game. CSU forced 16 UNH turnovers during the game, and held the Wildcats to just 20 made field goals (20-for-52).
CSU CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Vikings tallied a season-high 40 rebounds against New Hampshire last Wednesday, with nine players grabbing at least one board throughout the contest. Wednesday's game marked the first time this season that the Vikings have outrebounded their opponent, as the Vikings are now averaging 31.8 rebounds per game.
…GORDON CSU'S TOP REBOUNDER
Junior Imani Gordon has been CSU's top rebounder this season, ranking sixth in the league averaging 8.7 boards per game. Gordon ranks third in defensive rebounds (6.1 rpg) and 12th in offensive rebounds (2.6 rpg). Through the first six weeks of the season, Gordon is one of just two Horizon League players to rank in the top-10 in both scoring and rebounding.
SCHMITT AMONG THE LEAGUE'S SHOOTERS
For the third straight week, Haley Schmitt leads the Horizon League in field goal percentage, posting a .538 clip after the first 10 games of the season. Schmitt has converted 43 of her 80 attempts from the floor, and has notched at least a 60-percent field goal percentage in five games this year. Schmitt also leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (.500), converting 15 of her 30 attempts so far this year.
COLEMAN GETS BACK ON TRACK
Cori Coleman got back on the offensive track last weekend, posting back-to-back double-digit games against VCU (13 points) and New Hampshire (18 points). Coleman is one of four Vikings to average more than 10 points per game this season, ranking 19th in the league with 11.2 ppg. The last two performances marked her fourth and fifth double-digit scoring games of the season, and the 36th and 37th of her career.
…AND ECLIPSES 700-POINT MARK
With her 13-point performance against VCU (Dec. 15), Cori Coleman eclipsed the 700-point mark for her career, and enters Saturday's contest with 730 career points. Coleman, who is averaging 11.2 points per game this season, leads all current Vikings in career points, and became the fourth Viking with at least 100 points this season - posting 112 through the first 10 games.
CLEVELAND STATE FROM BEHIND-THE-ARC
The Vikings converted a season-best 13 three-point field goals against VCU last Sunday, a mark that is tied for fifth all-time in program history. For the season, CSU is shooting .367 (81-221) from behind-the-arc - leading the Horizon League in the category. The Vikings have knocked down 10 or more three-pointers in five games this year (Butler, EMU, ECU, Ohio & VCU).
GORDON & GREEN RACK UP THE DOUBLE-DIGIT GAMES
The junior duo of Kiersten Green and Imani Gordon have posted double-digit points in all 10 games so far this season - accounting for 316 points, or 44-percent of CSU's offense. Entering Saturday's contest, Gordon ranks eighth among league players averaging 16.2 points per game, while Green ranks ninth (15.4 ppg), making CSU one of three teams with at least two players ranked in the top-10.
VIKINGS LEADING THE WAY
As a team, Cleveland State leads the Horizon League in three statistical categories, while ranking in the top-three in three others. After the first six weeks of the season, the Vikings lead the league in field goal percentage (.426), three-point field goal percentage (.367), and steals (10.1). CSU ranks third in scoring defense (68.6), free throw offense (.716), and turnover margin (+3.5).