GAME #17
vs. Green Bay
2 p.m. | Sat., Jan. 18
Wolstein Center | Cleveland, Ohio
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SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will continue its three-game homestand Saturday afternoon (Jan. 18), hosting the Green Bay Phoenix at 2:00 p.m. The Vikings enter Saturday's contest looking to stay perfect in league play, as they currently stand at 8-8 overall and 3-0 in Horizon League games. Green Bay enters the contest with an 8-7 overall mark and a 1-2 record in league action. The Vikings own a 4-3 record at the Wolstein Center this season, while the Phoenix are 3-3 in road games.
LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings continued their winning ways Thursday evening (Jan. 16), defeating Milwaukee, 73-63. Thursday's contest marked the first league loss of the year for the Panthers, and kept CSU perfect in league play. The Vikings controlled play for all but 1:21 of the contest, posting their second straight double-digit victory. Once again, Imani Gordon paced the Vikings with 20 points and 10 rebounds - her fifth double-double of the season.
A WIN SATURDAY WOULD…
Keep the Vikings perfect in Horizon League play…Extend CSU's win streak to four games…Put CSU over .500 for the first time this season…Give Cleveland State its best start to Horizon League play in program history…Snap a six-game Green Bay win streak against the Vikings.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay enters today's contest standing at 8-7 overall and 1-2 in league play…Green Bay is currently on a two-game losing skid and has dropped six out of its last eight contests…Despite the rough start, Green Bay is still leading the league in scoring margin - averaging 8.1 points per game more than its opponents…Green Bay has done a good job of taking care of the ball this season, ranking second in the league with a 1.0 assist/turnover ratio…Individually, Megan Lukan and Tesha Buck are tied for the league lead in the category with a 1.8 assist/turnover ratio…Green Bay has just two players averaging double-digit points; Kaili Lukan (12.0) and Tesha Buck (10.1), while Megan Lukan is just shy of the mark (9.9)…Breannah Ranger has a team-high 110 rebounds, ranking ninth in the league averaging 7.3 per contest.
VIKINGS STAY PERFECT IN LEAGUE PLAY
For just the second time in the past 13 years the Vikings have opened up Horizon League play with a perfect 3-0 record (2003-04) - defeating Detroit, Wright State, and Milwaukee in the opening weeks. CSU is one of just two teams to remain perfect in league play after the first week and a half (YSU 3-0) of league action, and also one of just two teams to own perfect marks on the road in league play (CSU is 2-0 in road league games this season).
ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR GORDON
For the third straight game, junior Imani Gordon notched a double-double for the Vikings, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds against Milwaukee (Jan. 16). Gordon, who is one of just six league players with at least five double-doubles on the season, marked her fourth 20-point game of the season and her sixth double-digit rebound game. For the year, Gordon is averaging 16.9 points per game (7th) and 9.3 rebounds per game (3rd) - one of just three league players to rank in the top-10 in both categories.
…GORDON IN LEAGUE GAMES ONLY
After the first three Horizon League contests, Imani Gordon is averaging 25.0 points per game and 12.0 rebounds per game - leading the league in both categories. Gordon has been averaging 38.7 minutes per contest in league play, also ranking fourth in steals (2.3) and 11th in field goal percentage (.511).
AIDEYMAN TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
For the first time this season, sophomore Adesuwa Aideyman made her way onto the assist/turnover ratio rankings - entering Saturday's contest ranked sixth with a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio. Aideyman, who is now averaging 3.1 assists per contest (11th in HL), has recorded more assists than turnovers in all but three games so far this season, including a season-best mark of 5-to-1 against Miami (Dec. 29).
OFFENSIVE FIRE POWER
Last time out the Vikings were led offensively by the trio of Cori Coleman, Imani Gordon, and Kiersten Green, who notched 62 of CSU's 73 points against Milwaukee. For the season, this trio has accounted for 755 points - or 63-percent of Cleveland State's offense. All three players are averaging double-digit points on the year - Gordon 16.0 ppg (7th), Green 15.6 ppg (8th), Coleman 14.6 ppg (10th) - making CSU the only team with three players ranked in the top-10 in league statistics.
CSU CRASHING THE BOARDS
After struggling in the rebounding category throughout the first part of the season, the Vikings have finally turned it around, posting 40 or more rebounds in each of the last three games. In league games only, the Vikings are tied for second averaging 41.3 rebounds per game, and have outrebounded their opponent during all three league games to date.
GREEN EFFICIENT ON THE OFFENSIVE END
Kiersten Green has been one of CSU's most efficient offensive players this season, leading the team in three-point percentage, ranking second in field goal percentage, and ranking third in free throw percentage. Green also leads the league with a .449 clip from three-point (35-for-78), ranks seventh with a .475 field goal percentage (84-for-177), and ranks eighth with a .783 clip from the free throw line (47-for-60).
COLEMAN EDGES CLOSER TO 3-POINT TOP-10 LIST
With 32 three-point field goals through the first 16 games of the season, Cori Coleman is closing in on the career top-10 list at CSU, entering today's contest with 117 career three-pointers. Coleman, who has notched a three-pointer in all but two games this season, is just five three-pointers shy of cracking the top-10 list. For the year, Coleman is shooting 38-percent from three-point (32-for-84), ranking eighth among league players.