GAME #32
WNIT First Round
@ Michigan | Wednesday, March 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Ann Arbor, Mich.
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Cleveland State @ Michigan | WNIT Bracket | WNIT Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
For the first time over the past four seasons the Cleveland State women's basketball team will be playing in the postseason, as the Vikings earned an at-large bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The Vikings will begin play in the WNIT with a first round contest at Michigan on Wednesday, March 18. Wednesday's contest against the Wolverines is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start. Cleveland State enters the WNIT with a 19-12 overall record, while Michigan stands at 16-14. This will be the fifth meeting between the two teams - with the overall series tied at 2-2 - but the first matchup since the 1986-87 season.
A WIN WEDNESDAY WOULD…
Give Cleveland State its second Postseason victory under Kate Peterson Abiad…Improve the Vikings to 4-1 during the month of March…Send CSU to the second round of the WNIT…Mark the third time in program history that the Vikings' have reached the 20-win mark.
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
Michigan enters the WNIT with a 16-14 overall record and earned the Big Ten's automatic bid to participate in the tournament…This marks the sixth straight season that the Wolverines have qualified for postseason play…Michigan finished eighth in Big Ten play this season, and advanced to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament before falling to Michigan State…Wednesday's contest will be Michigan's second game against a Horizon League opponent this season, as the Wolverines defeated Detroit (76-57) in their season opener…Michigan has been led by All-Big Ten Second Team honoree Cyesha Goree (13.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg) and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Katelynn Flaherty (14.4 ppg).
CLEVELAND STATE IN POSTSEASON PLAY
Under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad, the Vikings have now reached the postseason four times, but this will be the first time that CSU is playing in the WNIT. Cleveland State has played in the NCAA Tournament twice (2008 & 2010) and the WBI once (2011), owning a 1-3 record in postseason play.
ABOUT THE WNIT
The 2014-15 season marks the 18th year of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The 64-team field is comprised of 32 automatic qualifying teams and 32 teams that receive at-large berths. The bracket includes six rounds of games that begin on Wednesday, March 18, with the championship game held on Saturday, April 4. All games in the WNIT are hosted by participating schools.
VIKINGS ADVANCE TO HORIZON LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
For just the fifth time under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad and the first time since the 2010-11 season, Cleveland State advanced to the Horizon League Semifinals this year. The Vikings, who now own a 2-3 record in semifinal action, fell to second-seeded Wright State in their semifinal contest last time out. In Horizon League Tournament play, Cleveland State is 11-10 under Peterson Abiad and has finished in the top-four of the league standings five times - earning the No. 3 seed this year.
CLEVELAND STATE CHASING WIN #20
The Vikings enter Wednesday's contest chasing their 20th win of the season - owning a 19-12 record after their first 31 contests. If Cleveland State is able to pick up a win in Wednesday's first round game, it would be just the third time in program history that the Vikings have reached the 20-win mark and the second time under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad (2010-11). Cleveland State would also become the fourth Horizon League team to reach the 20-win plateau this season, joining Green Bay, Wright State, and Youngstown State.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
The Cleveland State senior trio of Cori Coleman (499 pts), Imani Gordon (504), and Kiersten Green (400) has combined for 1,403 of CSU's 2,198 points so far this season - accounting for 64-percent of CSU's offense. All three seniors are ranked in the top-12 on the CSU career scoring list, Coleman ranking sixth with 1,569 points, Gordon ranking 10th (1,312), and Green ranking 11th (1,256). This trio represents the first time in program history that three Vikings on the same roster have recorded 1,000 career points and will finish their careers as the highest scoring senior class under Kate Peterson Abiad (averaging 11.5 ppg).
GREEN PICKS UP 100TH START AT CSU
Last Friday's game against Wright State marked a milestone for senior Kiersten Green, as she picked up her 100th start in a Viking uniform. Green, who ranks fifth on the games started list in the CSU record book, has now started 100 of her 122 games played as a Viking. Green also ranks fifth in the CSU record book with her 122 games played - seeing action in every single game of her CSU career.
…JOINS COLEMAN ON GAMES STARTED LIST
Green's classmate Cori Coleman also picked up her 100th career start earlier this season and enters Wednesday's contest tied for second in the CSU record book with 114 career starts. Coleman, who has started all but six games in her career, has played valuable minutes for the Vikings, playing 4,105 out of a total 4,835 minutes (85%) over the past four seasons. This year, Coleman leads the team and the Horizon League averaging 36.3 minutes per game.
VIKINGS SET SINGLE-SEASON HOME WIN MARK
After recording a 76-70 victory over UIC in the Horizon League Quarterfinals (March 11), Cleveland State set a program record for single-season home wins, as the Vikings currently stand at 14-2 at home this season. The 2014-15 squad is just the seventh team in program history to post double-digit wins at home, while they are tied for the second most homecourt victories among league teams this season (Wright State).
ECKLES FROM THE FIELD
Alexis Eckles has been Cleveland State's most efficient shooter this season, ranking second among Horizon League players with a .502 clip from the field (130-for-259). Through 31 games this season, she has shot 60-percent or better nine times, while she is averaging 9.6 points per game. If she were eligible for CSU career record book status (has not attempted 400 shots) she would be one of just five Vikings to shoot over 50-percent for their career.
…ECKLES ON THE BLOCK
Alexis Eckles continues to add to her season blocked shot total, entering the WNIT ranked seventh in the CSU Single-Season record book with 48 blocks. Eckles, who ranks second among Horizon League players averaging 1.5 blocked shots per game, needs just three more blocks to move into sixth on the single-season list. In addition, Eckles also has the highest amount of career blocks out of all current Vikings - achieving the mark in just one season of play.
GORDON IN THE CSU RECORD BOOK
Entering the WNIT, senior Imani Gordon has etched her name in the Cleveland State career record book multiple times - including becoming the fifth Viking all-time with 1,300 career points and 750 career rebounds. Gordon ranks 10th on the CSU career scoring list with 1,312 points, eighth with 750 career rebounds, third with 508 defensive boards, fifth with 242 offensive rebounds, and third with 399 made free throws.
KATE PETERSON ABIAD IN THE WNIT
This will be head coach Kate Peterson Abiad's third trip to the Women's National Invitation Tournament, as she also helped guide Wisconsin to two consecutive trips to the WNIT as an assistant coach. Peterson Abiad helped the Badgers to a runner-up finish during the 1998-99 season, and then followed that up with a WNIT Championship during the 1999-00 season.
UP NEXT
The winner of Wednesday's first round contest will advance to the play the winner of the Toledo / Wright State first round contest which will be played on Friday, March 20. Game date and time will be announced at a later date.
