CLEVELAND, Ohio – For the fourth time out of the last five seasons the Cleveland State women's basketball team came away victorious in its Horizon League opener, as the Vikings picked up a 71-68 win over Youngstown State Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Vikings improve to 6-6 overall this season and 1-0 in league play.

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Game Stats
· Ashanti Abshaw led three Vikings who finished in double-figures with 27 points.
· Jade Ely added 15 points for the Vikings, while Khayla Livingston posted 11 points.
· Jade Ely grabbed a team-high 15 rebounds, while Ashanti Abshaw tallied nine boards.
· Khayla Livingston handed out six assists, with Jade Ely recorded five helpers and Nicolete Newman adding four assists.
· As a team, Cleveland State shot 46-percent from the field (30-for-64).

Game Notes
· Jade Ely recorded her second straight double-double with her 15-point, 15-rebound performance against YSU.
· Ashanti Abshaw reached the 20-point mark for the sixth time this season after posting 27 points against the Penguins.
· Cleveland State shot at least 40-percent from the field for the fifth time this season, with the .469 clip marking the second best average this season.
· Saturday's win marked the seventh time that the Vikings have won their Horizon League opener under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad.
· The Vikings have now won 11 straight against YSU when playing at the Wolstein Center.

The Game
After going into the halftime break trailing by six points at the 38-32 mark, the Vikings climbed their way back into the contest during the third quarter, outscoring the Penguins 20-18 throughout the 10-minute period to head into the final quarter trailing 56-52.

Over the opening minutes of the fourth quarter the Vikings were able to tie the contest at 58-58 after an Ashanti Abshaw three-pointer, Khayla Livingston jumper and Jade Ely free throw, and were then able to take the lead at 61-58 following an Ely three-pointer.

The two teams then traded baskets over the next few possessions, until Cleveland State regained its lead at the 67-66 mark with an Abshaw layup with 3:20 left on the clock. The Vikings were then able to hold their lead over the final minutes of the contest, as Ely and Abshaw both converted field goals to give Cleveland State the 71-68 victory.

Up Next
· Cleveland State @ Northern Kentucky – Thursday, Jan. 5 – 5:00 p.m.