GAME #10
Cleveland State @ Illinois State
Sunday, December 17 | 3:00 p.m. EST | Normal, Ill.
Live Stats | Live Video
CLEVELAND STATE @ ILLINOIS STATE GAME NOTES
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will continue its current three-game roadswing this Sunday (December 17), traveling to Illinois State for a 3:00 p.m. EST contest. The Vikings, who are closing in on their final non-league game of the season, currently stand at 6-3 overall this year, while Illinois State owns a 4-4 record.
A WIN SUNDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings back in the win column…Improve Cleveland State to 7-3 during the 2017-18 campaign…Keep the Vikings undefeated against Illinois State in program history…Bring head coach Kate Peterson Abiad within six wins of her 200th career victory.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/ILLINOIS STATE SERIES
This will mark just the second meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State picking up a 64-50 victory during the 2008-09 season when the two teams met during the Preseason WNIT.
SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS
Illinois State enters Sunday's contest with an even 4-4 record on the year, most recently picking up a 65-56 victory against Eastern Michigan…The Vikings will be the fourth Horizon League opponent for ISU this season, as the Redbirds also faced Oakland (L, 64-43), Northern Kentucky (W, 49-37) and Milwaukee (L, 61-59)…Illinois State enters Sunday's game with a 4-1 record when playing at home this season…The Redbirds have used a variety of starting lineups so far this season, with the trio of Katrina Beck, Viria Livingston and Paige Saylor starting all eight games…Hannah Green (14.0 ppg) and Megan Talbot (10.4 ppg) have been leading the ISU offense, while the duo also leads the rebounding effort, Green with 6.6 boards per game and Talbot with 6.4 rebounds per contest.
LAST TIME OUT...
Cleveland State snapped its four-game winstreak, dropping a 65-56 contest at Toledo. The Vikings were paced by Olivia Voskuhl who recorded 15 points and seven rebounds, while Shadae Bosley and Jade Ely combined to post 21 points. The Vikings were plagued with turnovers against the Rockets, as 26 CSU turnovers turned into 22 points for Toledo.
VIKINGS IN NON-LEAGUE PLAY
Entering the final stretch of the non-league slate, Cleveland State is off to one of its best starts in recent history, owning a 6-3 record. This marks just the second time over the last five seasons that the Vikings have notched six+ wins in non-league play, and with two more wins Cleveland State would tie the record for most non-league wins under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad (8 non-league wins during the 2014-15 & 2012-13 seasons).
LIVINGSTON CRACKS ASSIST TOP-10 LIST
After posting a pair of assists at Toledo last time out, redshirt senior Khayla Livingston earned a spot in the top-10 in the CSU Career Record Book in assists, finishing the game ranked 10th with 311 helpers. Livingston, who ranks third in the Horizon League averaging 4.7 assists per game this season, has tallied 4+ helpers in six games, including a career-high tying nine against Marshall.
VOSKUHL INCREASES SCORING PRESENCE
As one of the most consistent offensive threats for the Vikings this season, redshirt senior Olivia Voskuhl has steadily increased her scoring presence and is now averaging 13.2 points per game this season. Voskuhl, who ranks 11th in the Horizon League in scoring, has tallied double-digit points in all but one game this season, and is shooting at a .475 clip from the field (47-for-99).
…AND CLIMBS REBOUND CHARTS
Olivia Voskuhl enters Sunday's game ranked 10th in the CSU Career Record Book with 397 defensive rebounds, and just shy of the top-20 with 513 total boards. Voskuhl, who leads the Vikings and ranks fifth in the Horizon League averaging 7.6 rebounds per game this season, recorded her first double-digit rebound game of the season against Ohio last week (10 rebounds).
BOSLEY WITH THE BLOCK
Through the first nine games, Shadae Bosley has 20 total blocked shots, and enters Sunday's contest at the top of the Horizon League standings averaging 2.2 blocks per game. Bosley, who has tallied at least one blocked shot in all but one game this season, ranks fifth in the CSU Career Record Book with 107 total blocks. Earlier this season, Bosley became just the fifth Viking all-time to eclipse 100 blocks on their career.
LIVINGSTON NOTCHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Redshirt senior Khayla Livingston became the 28th Viking all-time to record 1,000 career points earlier this season, as she achieved the feat with an 18-point performance against Saint Louis at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. Livingston joined teammate Ashanti Abshaw in the 1,000-point club, marking the sixth time in program history that a Cleveland State team has had a pair of 1,000 point scorers on the same roster (Kailey Klein & Dominique Butler/2008-09, Ashley Schrock & Shannon Sword/2003-04, Audra Cook & LeAnna Hicks/1998-99, Terri Miller & Lisa Kipp/1987-88).
ABSHAW IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Redshirt junior Ashanti Abshaw continued her streak of consecutive games started last time out, picking up her 68th consecutive start. Abshaw, who played just six games as a freshman before tearing her ACL, returned to start all 29 games as a redshirt freshman and all 30 games as a redshirt sophomore. Abshaw's 68 career starts leads all current Vikings.
…AND IN THE CSU CAREER RECORD BOOK
Entering the final two non-league games of the season, redshirt junior Ashanti Abshaw ranks 13th in the CSU Career Record Book with 1,234 total points. Abshaw, who leads the Vikings and ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 20.3 points per game this season, has 183 total points on the year. Abshaw enters Sunday's game at Illinois State just 16 points shy of moving into 12th place in the CSU Career Record Book and becoming the 13th Viking all-time with 1,250 career points.
DAVIDSON APPOINTED TO CSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Junior forward Sierra Davidson is currently serving a two-year term as a student member of the Cleveland State University Board of Trustees after being appointed to the position at the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year. Davidson, who was a three-year class president in high school, carries a 3.96 GPA while pursuing a degree in psychology and is on track to graduate in three years. Davidson is also an active member of the CSU Student-Athlete Advisory Council, serving as the Community Service chair.
HEAD COACH KATE PETERSON ABIAD
Cleveland State head coach Kate Peterson Abiad is in her 15th season at the helm of the Vikings, and owns a 193-244 career mark at CSU. Peterson Abiad became the winningest coach in program history during the 2011-12 season, and is just shy of reaching the 200-win milestone. During her tenure, Peterson Abiad has led the Vikings to five 19-win seasons, two Horizon League Tournament Championships, and four trips to the postseason (2015-WNIT, 2011-WBI, 2010-NCAA, 2008-NCAA).
2018 HORIZON LEAGUE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
For the second straight season, the Horizon League men's and women's championships will run concurrently, with 'Motor City Madness' running from March 2 through March 6 at the brand new Little Caesers Arena in downtown Detroit, Mich. The five-day tournament will again feature two first round games, four second round games, two semifinals, and a championship contest. All nine games will be carried on the ESPN network.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will close out the non-league portion of its schedule on Tuesday, December 19, traveling to Bradley for a 12:00 p.m. EST contest.
