VIDEO: Highlights | Kate Peterson Abiad Highlights
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Behind the senior trio of Cori Coleman, Imani Gordon, and Kiersten Green, the Cleveland State women's basketball team closed out the regular season with a 58-46 victory over UIC Saturday afternoon. The win came on Senior Day, as the senior trio combined for 47 of Cleveland State's 58 points.
The win improves CSU to 18-11 overall this season and 10-6 in league play, and solidifies the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament. A complete bracket for the 2015 Horizon League Tournament will be released in the coming days.
This is the first time since the 2010-11 season that the Vikings finished the regular season with double-digit wins in league play, and also the first time that CSU finished the regular season with at least 18 overall victories.
Green led all scorers with 22 points – including six three-pointers – while Gordon added 13 points, and Coleman notched 12. Alexis Eckles was the fourth and final Viking to get in the scoring column Saturday, as she posted her eighth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
After a back-and-forth first half, the two teams went into the halftime break tied at 24-24.
The Vikings then opened the second frame on an 8-0 run over the first three minutes – gaining a 32-36 advantage with 17:00 left to play. During this run, CSU got a pair of three-pointers from Green and Gordon and a layup from Coleman.
Cleveland State then extended the run to 15-3 over the next 3:49, extending its lead to double-digits at 39-29 following another three-pointer from Green at the 13:11 mark.
The Vikings then held at least an eight-point lead over the final 13 minutes of the contest, gaining its largest lead of 14 (52-38) following yet another Green three-pointer with 6:15 left on the clock.
Cleveland State was then able to control play over the closing minutes of the contest, coming away with the 12-point victory. This marked the second-straight double-digit win for the Vikings.
As a team, Cleveland State notched a season-high 17 steals – with Brooke Smith grabbing six, Coleman notching five, and Gordon and Eckles each finishing with three.
The Vikings will begin play in the 2015 Horizon League Tournament on Wednesday (March 11), hosting a quarterfinal contest at 7:00 p.m. Check back to CSUVikings.com for a complete release and tournament bracket.
