GAME #20
at UIC
4 p.m. | Sat., Jan. 25
UIC Pavilion | Chicago, Ill.
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Live Stats | Live Video
SETTING THE SCENE
In the midst of its busiest stretch of the season, the Cleveland State women's basketball team will hit the road for a two-game roadswing this weekend, beginning with a 4:00 p.m. EST contest at UIC on Saturday, January 25. Entering the weekend CSU stands at 8-10 overall this season and 3-2 in Horizon League play, while the Flames currently own a 14-4 overall mark and a matching 3-2 record in league action. Saturday will be the 63rd meeting between the two teams, with the Vikings owning a slight 32-30 advantage in the overall series.
A WIN SATURDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings back on the winning track and snap a two-game losing skid…Mark the third straight victory over UIC and the sixth out of the last seven contests between the two teams…Give head coach Kate Peterson Abiad her 140th career victory…Keep the Vikings above .500 in league play (4-2).
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
UIC enters Saturday's contest standing at 14-4 overall and 3-2 in league play…Heading into league play, the Flames were on an 11-game win streak, but dropped their first two league contests before rebounding to go 3-0 over the past week…The Flames are one of just three league teams to a have a positive scoring margin this season, outscoring their opponents by an average of 7.1 points per game…UIC ranks second behind Cleveland State with a .412 field goal percentage on the season, while they rank fourth with a .315 three-point field goal percentage…The Flames have been the top rebounding team in the league so far, averaging 43.5 boards per contest…Individually, Ruvanna Campbell leads the league averaging 10.7 rebounds per game - the only league player to average double-digit boards…Terri Bender also leads the league averaging 2.7 steals per game.
GORDON NOTCHES 20-REBOUND PERFORMANCE
Imani Gordon had an excellent rebounding performance against Oakland Thursday evening, grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds. Gordon, who notched 14 defensive boards and six offensive boards, is the first Viking to record 20 rebounds in a single game since the 1998-99 season. Gordon is also just the second league player to achieve the feat this season, joining UIC's Ruvanna Campbell who grabbed 21 boards against the Grizzlies earlier this season.
…AND POSTS SIXTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Along with her 20 rebounds, Imani Gordon also tallied 27 points against Oakland - becoming just the fifth Viking in program history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game. After the first 12 weeks of the season, Gordon is now averaging 17.6 points per game (5th in HL) and 9.6 rebounds per game (2nd in HL), the only league player to rank in the top-five in both categories. Gordon has been CSU's top scorer in nine contests this year, and CSU's top rebounder in all but two games.
VIKINGS ON THE ROAD
Contrary to the norm, the Vikings have enjoyed being on the road during league play so far this season, as they are one of just three teams to be unbeaten in league play away from home. CSU started the league portion of its schedule with road victories at Detroit and Wright State, and will look to stay perfect on the road this weekend at UIC and Valparaiso.
CLEVELAND STATE FROM BEHIND-THE-ARC
The Vikings have been excellent from three-point range this season, as they lead the Horizon League with a .348 clip from behind-the-arc. So far this season, CSU has knocked down at least 10 three-pointers in eight contests, including a season-high of 13 against Miami (Dec. 29) and VCU (Dec. 15). The Vikings also rank third in the league averaging 8.2 three-pointers per game, and are on track to finish the season with a top-five mark in program history.
…AND HAVE BALANCED ATTACK FROM 3-POINT
So far this season the Vikings have had a balanced attack from three-point range, with four players converting 19 or more three-pointers throughout the first 18 contests. This group has been led by Kiersten Green who has notched 38 three-pointers on the season, and leads the league with a .437 clip from behind-the-arc (38-for-87). Cori Coleman (35 3-ptrs), Haley Schmitt (19), and Adesuwa Aideyman (19) round out this group, while Schmitt (4th - .404) and Coleman (7th - .372) also rank in the top-10 in three-point field goal percentage among league players.
VIKINGS CRASHING THE BOARDS
For the fifth time this season - and the fourth time in league play - the Vikings eclipsed the 40-rebound mark, posting 43 boards against Oakland Thursday evening. Entering the week CSU was averaging just 32.0 rebounds per game, ranking ninth out of the teams in the league. Almost half of CSU's rebounds against Oakland came from Imani Gordon who notched 20 boards, while Cori Coleman and Olivia Voskuhl each added five.
GORDON IN LEAGUE GAMES ONLY
Imani Gordon has picked up her play on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor over the past five games, averaging a double-double in league games only with 24.2 points per game and 12.0 rebounds per game. Gordon leads the league in both categories – one of just two players to average a double-double in league games only. Gordon, who has been CSU's leading scorer in four of the five league contests, is shooting 48-percent from the floor during this stretch (37-for-77) ranking 11th among league players.
COLEMAN EDGES CLOSER TO 3-POINT TOP-10 LIST
With 35 three-point field goals through the first 18 games of the season, Cori Coleman is closing in on the career top-10 list at CSU, entering Saturday's contest with 120 career three-pointers. Coleman, who has notched a three-pointer in all but two games this season, is just two three-pointers shy of cracking the top-10 list. For the year, Coleman is shooting 37-percent from three-point (35-for-94), ranking seventh among league players.