CHICAGO, Ill. – The Cleveland State women's basketball team fell in the Quarterfinals of the Horizon League Tournament Wednesday evening, falling at fourth-seeded UIC, 77-72. The Vikings end the season with a 14-16 overall record, including a 9-7 mark in league contests.
The Viking offense was led by four players in double-digits, including Imani Gordon who notched 22 points – her seventh 20-point game of the season. Olivia Voskuhl added a career-high 15 points on a 6-for-6 effort from the field and a 3-for-3 performance from behind-the-arc, while Khayla Livingston added 11 and Kiersten Green posted 10 points.
The Flames opened the contest on a 15-0 run, holding the advantage from the beginning to the end of the contest. Despite the slow start, CSU was able to end the half on a 24-15 run though, putting the score at 35-28 at the halftime break.
To open the second half, CSU posted a mini 5-2 run, coming within four points at the 37-33 mark just 1:50 into the frame. The Flames responded with a 6-0 run of their own, extending their lead back to double-digits (43-33) with 16:30 left to play.
Over the next 10 minutes, UIC was able to hold a sizeable lead, until the Vikings went on a 12-4 run that brought CSU within one point at the 66-65 mark with 4:35 remaining. During this stretch, four Vikings scored, including Aideyman and Voskuhl who both knocked down three-pointers.
The two teams traded baskets over the next 3:51, keeping it a one possession game until UIC gained a four-point advantage at the 72-68 mark with just 27 seconds left on the clock.
A Green jumper with 12 seconds on the clock brought CSU back within two points (72-70), but after the Vikings were forced to foul on UIC's next inbounds play, the Flames regained a four-point lead (74-70) with 12 seconds remaining.
Another field goal from Green on the following possession put the score at 74-72 with seven seconds remaining, but the Flames sealed the victory with a 3-for-4 performance from the free throw line over the final five seconds.
Despite the loss, the Vikings shot 52-percent from the floor (28-for-53), and 47-percent from three-point (8-for-17).