MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Despite getting out to a strong start during the first half, the Cleveland State women's basketball team came up short at Milwaukee Thursday, falling to the Panthers, 79-72. The Vikings are now 11-5 overall this season and 3-2 in Horizon League play.
Cleveland State vs. Milwaukee Box Score
Game Stats
· Khayla Livingston led the Vikings with 24 points, while Olivia Voskuhl added 17 and Ashanti Abshaw posted 15.
· Olivia Voskuhl and Rachel Slaney both posted seven rebounds, while Mariah Miller added four.
· As a team, the Vikings recorded 15 assists, including five from Khayla Livingston.
· Cleveland State notched 11 steals as a team, with five from Ashanti Abshaw and three from Jade Ely.
· Rachel Slaney notched two blocked shots on the game, while Mariah Miller added one block.
Game Notes
· Khayla Livingston recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season with 24 points against Milwaukee.
· This marked the third Kids Day Game for the Vikings this season.
· Thursday's game was the first of a three-game roadswing for the Vikings, as they will also face Green Bay (Saturday, January 13) and Northern Kentucky (Monday, January 15) during this stretch.
The Game
Cleveland State got off to a quick start during the first quarter, jumping out to a 20-9 lead after the first 10 minutes of action. Cleveland State's first basket came on an Olivia Voskuhl layup after an Ashanti Abshaw steal on Milwaukee's opening possession. After Milwaukee was able to even the score on the next trip down the floor, the Vikings rattled off 15 straight points to gain a 17-2 advantage with 3:05 left in the frame. The Vikings then held their lead for the remainder of the opening quarter, forcing Milwaukee into nine turnovers and posting six steals.
The Vikings were able to hold onto their double-digit lead throughout the first part of the second quarter then, until a 9-2 Milwaukee run brought the Panthers within eight points at 33-25 with just over four minutes left in the frame. The Panthers were then able to close the gap to just one point throughout the closing minutes of the quarter, until a Rachel Slaney layup as time expired put the Vikings up 36-33 heading into the halftime break.
Cleveland State's lead didn't last long into the third quarter though, as Milwaukee went on a 10-3 run to open the frame, gaining a 43-39 advantage at the 6:37 mark. The Panthers then went on to hold the advantage for the rest of the frame, taking a 55-49 lead into the final quarter.
The Vikings chipped away at the Milwaukee lead throughout the first part of the fourth quarter, until a pair of Livingston baskets and a Voskuhl three-pointer gave the advantage back to Cleveland State at 60-59 with 6:50 left on the clock. Although the Vikings were able to hold this lead over the next stretch, Milwaukee regained the advantage at the 2:07 mark for good, and went on to control play for the rest of the contest, earning the 79-72 victory.
CSU Career Record Book
· With five assists at Milwaukee, Khayla Livingston moved into sixth place in the CSU Career Record Book with 346 career helpers.
· Following her six three-pointers against the Panthers, Khayla Livingston now has 184 career three-pointers and ranks third in the CSU Career Record Book.
· With 15 points on the game, Ashanti Abshaw now ranks ninth in the CSU Career Record Book with 1,370 career points.
Up Next
· Cleveland State will continue its three-game roadswing at nationally ranked Green Bay on Saturday, January 13. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. EST.
