LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Cleveland State women's basketball team got back in the win column Sunday afternoon, picking up a 54-45 victory over Louisiana to close out the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. The Vikings now stand at 3-2 this season.
Cleveland State vs. Louisiana Box Score
Game Stats
· Three Vikings finished the contest in double-figures, led by Khayla Livingston with 18 points.
· Ashanti Abshaw added 16 points for the Vikings, while Olivia Voskuhl notched 11.
· Olivia Voskuhl grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, while Mariah Miller chipped in eight boards.
· Khayla Livingston recorded five assists on the game.
· Olivia Voskuhl and Mariah White both recorded blocked shots on the game.
· Khayla Livingston recorded two steals against Louisiana.
Game Notes
· Cleveland State finished the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout with a 1-1 record.
· Olivia Voskuhl was just shy of a doube-double, recording 11 points and nine rebounds.
· Freshman Mariah White had a solid outing, recording three points, two rebounds and one blocked shot in 11 minutes of action.
South Point Thanksgiving Shootout All-Tournament Team
· Khayla Livingston was named to the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout All-Tournament Team after averaging a team-best 18.0 points per game along with 4.5 assists per game. Livingston tallied 18 points in both games this weekend, and scored her 1,000th career point against Saint Louis in the weekend opener.
The Game
During the opening quarter the Vikings got out to a quick 10-0 lead, holding Louisiana off the board until the 4:34 mark, but the early advantage wouldn't last long, as the two teams ended the frame tied at 12-12.
Both teams then traded baskets over the opening minutes of the second quarter, until a Mariah White layup and ensuing free throw at the 7:26 mark put the Vikings up by three at 20-17. Olivia Voskuhl then added to the Cleveland State lead on the next possession, as she converted a three-pointer to put the Vikings up 23-17. The two teams then traded baskets once again over the final minutes of the frame, as Cleveland State headed into the halftime break with a 29-24 advantage.
The Cleveland State offense was quiet out of the halftime break then, as Louisiana was able to gain its first lead of the contest at the 32-29 mark, but eight straight points from Ashanti Abshaw – including a pair of three-pointers – put the Vikings back on top at 37-32.
After taking a two-point lead into the fourth quarter at 37-35, the Viking offense once again got off to a slow start over the opening minutes of the frame, but a Khayla Livingston three-pointer and an Abshaw layup gave Cleveland State a 42-39 advantage with just over seven minutes left to play in the contest. Although Louisiana was able to make one final run during the middle of the fourth quarter, Cleveland State went on a 10-2 run to close out the contest, earning the 54-45 victory.
CSU Career Record Book
· With her 16-point performance against Louisiana, Ashanti Abshaw now ranks 16th in the CSU Career Record Book with 1,160 points.
· Ashanti Abshaw also cracked the top-20 in rebounding in the CSU Career Record Book, finishing the game with 526 career boards to rank 20th.
Up Next
· Cleveland State will return home for a brief stint, hosting Eastern Illinois at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28.