CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Cleveland State women's basketball team was able to pick up its second straight victory Wednesday afternoon, earning a 66-56 victory at Eastern Illinois. With the win, the Vikings are now 4-4 on the season.
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Game Stats
· Ashanti Abshaw and Jade Ely led the Viking offense, Abshaw with 18 points and Ely with 10 points.
· Khayla Livingston and Alexis Eckles both added eight points for the Vikings.
· Shadae Bosley recorded a team-high nine rebounds, while Ashanti Abshaw grabbed eight boards.
· Khayla Livingston posted five assists on the game.
· Ashanti Abshaw tallied four steals, while Alexis Eckles added three takeaways.
·Shadae Bosley recorded three blocked shots, while Olivia Voskuhl added one block for the Vikings.
· As a team, Cleveland State shot 45-percent from the floor (26-for-57).
Game Notes
· Shadae Bosley finished the contest with three blocked shots, becoming just the sixth Viking to record 50 career blocks under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad, ending the game with 51 career blocked shots.
· Ashanti Abshaw has now scored double-digit points in six of the eight games this season, with all six coming as 17+ point performances.
· Jade Ely's 10-point effort marked her first double-digit scoring performance of the season and also marked a season-high for the freshman.
· The Vikings outrebounded the Panthers, 45-34, marking the second straight game that Cleveland State has outrebounded its opponent.
· Wednesday's game marked the third time this season that the Vikings shot 40-percent or better from the field.
· The Vikings scored a season-high 23 points during the first quarter, holding a 23-12 advantage over the Panthers.
The Game
Cleveland State was able to get out to an early lead during the opening quarter, posting a season-high 23 points during the first 10 minutes of play. After the score was knotted at 10-10 at the 5:36 mark, Cleveland State went on a 13-2 run to close the frame, gaining a 23-12 advantage after the first quarter.
The Vikings were then able to hold their advantage during the second quarter, going into the halftime break with a 12-point lead at 38-26 – the second time this season that the Vikings have held a double-digit lead heading into the second half.
Although Eastern Illinois was able to open the third quarter on an 11-5 run, closing the gap to single-digits, the Vikings responded with a three-pointer from Khayla Livingston and a layup from Ashanti Abshaw to extend their lead back to double-digits at 47-37 with 4:36 left in the frame. The two teams then traded baskets during the final half of the third quarter, with Cleveland State heading into the final 10 minutes of play with a 52-43 advantage.
The Panthers were once again able to outscore the Vikings during the opening part of the fourth quarter, as Eastern Illinois came within seven points at 57-50 with 4:39 left on the clock. The Vikings were able to hold off the Panther run though, pulling out the 66-56 victory after a 4-for-6 performance from the free throw line and an Abshaw three-pointer over the final three minutes of action.
Up Next
· Cleveland State vs. Notre Dame (Ohio) – Saturday, December 10 – 1:00 p.m. – Wolstein Center
