CLEVELAND, Ohio – Behind a 26-point effort from Ashanti Abshaw, the Cleveland State women's basketball team was able to pick up a victory in its Horizon League opener Thursday evening, capturing a 70-62 win over Oakland. The Vikings, who have now won five of their last six league-openers, improved to 9-3 overall this season and stand at 1-0 in league action.
Cleveland State vs. Oakland Box Score
Game Stats
· Three Vikings finished the game in double-figures, led by Ashanti Abshaw with 26.
· Olivia Voskuhl added 19 points, while Jade Ely posted 13.
· Olivia Voskuhl grabbed a team-best eight rebounds, with Jade Ely recording seven boards, and Ashanti Abshaw and Shadae Bosley both recording six rebounds.
· Khayla Livingston recorded six assists on the game.
· As a team, the Vikings recorded six blocked shots – five from Shadae Bosley and one from Olivia Voskuhl.
· Cleveland State shot 48-percent from the floor on the game, including a .545 clip during the fourth quarter.
Game Notes
· With five blocked shots against Oakland, Shadae Bosley has now recorded at least one block in all but one game this season.
· Ashanti Abshaw recorded her eighth 20-point game of the season, finishing with 26 points against Oakland.
· The Vikings are now 8-7 in Horizon League openers under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad.
· Cleveland State has won three straight and seven of its last eight.
The Game
Through the opening minutes of the contest, both teams were evenly matched, until a 10-2 run from the Vikings gave Cleveland State a 19-14 advantage at the 3:49 mark. Although Oakland was able to close the gap to just two points following a three-pointer at the 2:14 mark, Cleveland State was able to close the frame with an and-one play from Ashanti Abshaw, taking a 22-17 lead into the second quarter.
Oakland was then able to open the second frame on a 13-4 run, regaining a 30-26 advantage at the 4:55 mark. The Vikings responded with a 6-2 run of their own over the final minutes of the frame then, heading into the halftime break with the score tied at 32-32.
To begin the third quarter, the Grizzlies once again went on a scoring run to gain a 39-35 advantage, but seven straight points from the Vikings put Cleveland State back on top at 42-39 with 6:50 left in the frame. The two teams then traded baskets throughout the rest of the frame, going into the final 10 minutes of action with the score tied at 49-49.
After starting the fourth quarter knotted at 49-49, Cleveland State rattled off seven straight points over the first 3:32, gaining a 56-49 advantage. The Viking defense was able to hold the Grizzlies off the board until the 6:14 mark, when Oakland posted back-to-back baskets to close the gap to just two points at 56-54. The Vikings answered with five straight points from Abshaw, as Cleveland State was able to extend its lead to 61-54 with 4:31 left on the clock. The Vikings were then able to hold a multi-point lead over the final part of the contest, clinching the 70-62 victory.
Up Next
· Cleveland State will continue #HLWBB play against Detroit Mercy on Saturday, December 30, with tip set for 1:00 p.m. from the Wolstein Center.
