GAME #27
Cleveland State @ Wright State
Thursday, March 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Fairborn, Ohio
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Cleveland State @ Wright State
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will close out the regular season with a two-game roadswing this weekend, beginning with a 7:00 p.m. contest at Wright State on Thursday, March 3. Cleveland State enters Thursday's game on a three-game winstreak, standing at 8-18 overall this season and 5-11 in Horizon League play. On the other hand, Wright State is on a three-game losing skid, entering Thursday's game with a 20-9 overall record and a 10-6 mark in league action.
A WIN THURSDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings on a four-game winstreak for the first time this season…Give the two teams a season split in the series…Give the Vikings a 1-0 record to start the month of March…Bring Kate Peterson Abiad within two wins of the 175th of her head coaching career.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/WRIGHT STATE SERIES
This will be the 68th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a slight 35-32 avantage in the overall series. The two teams have split the last six meetings, with both teams picking up a win when playing at the Nutter Center during this stretch.
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
Wright State enters Thursday's contest with a 20-9 overall record and a 10-6 mark in Horizon League play…The Raiders are currently tied for third in the league standings with just two games left to play…Wright State has struggled as of late, dropping three straight games heading into Thursday's contest against Cleveland State…The Raiders are averaging a league-best 77.0 points per game, while they also average a league-high 46.8 rebounds per contest…Wright State is one of two teams to outscore its opponent by double-digits, owning a +11.1 scoring margin, holding its opponents to an average of 65.8 points per game…Individually, Kim Demmings leads the league averaging 20.3 points per game, the only league player to average 20+ points per contest.
ABSHAW IMPROVES ON FRESHMAN CLASS SCORING RECORD
Redshirt freshman Ashanti Abshaw continues to add to her Cleveland State freshman class scoring record, entering Thursday's contest with a program-best 422 points this season. Abshaw broke the CSU freshman class scoring record following her 23-point performance against UIC last weekend, and then added to her point total with a career-high 26 points against Valparaiso last time out. Abshaw eclipsed the previous record of 387 points, which was set by Debra Taylor during the 1987-88 season.
…ABSHAW NAMED HORIZON LEAGUE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
After setting a program record for freshman scoring last weekend, Ashanti Abshaw was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week on Monday, February 29. The weekly honor is the fifth of the season for Abshaw, as she is one of three league freshmen to earn the honor at least five times this year (Taylor Jones, Oakland & Emily Vogelpohl, Wright State).
VIKINGS PICKING UP PLAY
Cleveland State has picked up its play over the last seven games, going 4-3 during the month of February. Prior to February, the Vikings had just four wins on the season. During this stretch the Vikings have been averaging 65.1 points and 42.6 rebounds per game - both improvements from the first 19 games of the season. Entering Thursday's game at Wright State, the Vikings are on a three-game winstreak, marking their second winstreak of the season.
VIKINGS SHARING THE BALL
Last time out Cleveland State recorded a season-best 22 assists on 27 made field goals in the win against Valparaiso. This was the first 20-assist game of the season, with every player recording at least one helper during the game. For the season, Cleveland State is averaging 12.2 assists per game.
…LIVINGSTON LEADING THE CHARGE
Khayla Livingston had a team-high seven assists against Valparaiso last time out, marking a career-high with the seven helpers. Livingston has led Cleveland State in assists throughout the season, ranking eighth among league players averaging 3.1 helpers per game. She has 81 total assists on the year, including 53 during league games only.
BOSLEY BLOCK PARTY
Shadae Bosley put on a blocking clinic during the month of February, averaging 2.4 blocked shots per game during this seven-game stretch. Bosley, who has 36 total blocks this season, notched a career-high seven blocked shots against Oakland (Feb. 6), marking the highest single-game block total among league players this season. Bosley currently ranks fifth among league players averaging 1.4 blocks per game on the year, and is five blocked shots shy of cracking the top-10 on the CSU single-season record list.
SMITH ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Entering Thursday's game at Wright State, Brooke Smith continues to lead the Horizon League averaging 3.1 steals per game. Smith, who is the only league player to average more than 3.0 steals per game, has notched at least two steals in all but five games this season, and notched a career-high of eight against UNCG and Oakland earlier this year. Nationally, Smith ranks 10th with her 3.1 steals per game, while she also ranks 17th with her 80 total steals this season.
ABSHAW CLOSING IN ON FRESHMAN CLASS REBOUNDING RECORD
Ashanti Abshaw is also closing in on the freshman class rebounding record, entering Thursday's contest with 245 boards on the season. Abshaw, who posted her 11th double-digit rebounding effort with 13 boards last time out, is just six rebounds shy of setting a program record. With at least three games left in the season, Abshaw needs to average 2.0 rebounds per game to eclipse the previous record of 250 rebounds (Dianne Foster, 1979-80).
PETERSON ABIAD CHASING 175 WINS
Entering the final stretch of the 2015-16 season, head coach Kate Peterson Abiad is chasing down 175 career victories. Peterson Abiad currently has 172 career wins at Cleveland State, and with at least three games left this season, she has the possibility of reaching the milestone this year. Peterson Abiad would become the second active Horizon League coach to reach 175 wins, joining Green Bay's Kevin Borseth.
LIVINGSTON FROM BEHIND-THE-ARC
Redshirt sophomore Khayla Livingston currently sits atop the Cleveland State career record book with a .403 three-point field goal percentage (79-for-196), and has been Cleveland State's top three-point shooter this season. For the year, Livingston is 55-for-132 (.417) from behind-the-arc, converting at least one three-pointer in all but two contests this year, including a career-high six at Detroit earlier this season. Among Horizon League players, Livingston is tops with her .417 clip from behind-the-arc and ranks eighth averaging 2.1 three-pointers per game.
CONGRATULATIONS COACH P!
Last month, head coach Kate Peterson Abiad and her husband Phil (Cleveland State assistant volleyball coach) welcomed their second daughter to the world - Remi Hope Abiad. Since Remi was born (Feb. 18), the Vikings have posted a perfect 3-0 record. Peterson Abiad and her husband also have a six-year old daughter, Mea. The entire Cleveland State women's basketball family would like to extend congratulations to Kate, Phil, Mea, and Remi!
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will close out the regular season on Saturday (March 5), traveling to Northern Kentucky for a 7:00 p.m. contest.