Posted: Jan 12, 2018
GAME #17
Cleveland State @ Green Bay
Saturday, January 13 | 2:00 p.m. EST | Green Bay, Wis.
Live Stats | Live Video
CLEVELAND STATE @ GREEN BAY GAME NOTES
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will continue its three-game roadswing on Saturday, January 13, traveling to nationally ranked Green Bay for a 2:00 p.m. EST contest. Entering Saturday's contest, the Vikings stand at 11-5 overall and 3-2 in Horizon League action, while Green Bay is currently 13-2 overall and 3-1 against league opponents.
A WIN SATURDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings back on the winning track…Improve Cleveland State to 4-2 in Horizon League play…Mark the sixth win out of the last eight games for the Vikings…Bring head coach Kate Peterson Abiad within one win of her 200th career victory.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/GREEN BAY SERIES
This will mark the 67th meeting between the two teams, with Green Bay owning the 61-5 advantage in the overall series. Cleveland State's last victory against the Phoenix came during the 2010 Horizon League Tournament, when the Vikings picked up an 83-75 overtime victory in a semifinal contest.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay enters Saturday's contest ranked No. 24 nationally standing at 13-2 overall this season and 3-1 in Horizon League play…To open the 2017-18 season, the Phoenix posted five straight wins, including victories over Wisconsin and Arizona State…Green Bay enters Saturday on a two-game winstreak, picking up wins over Milwaukee and Youngstown State last time out…Earlier this year, the Phoenix were picked to finish first in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, earning 21 of the 25 first place votes…Green Bay is currently in the midst of a three-game homestand, and owns a 6-0 record when playing at home this season.
LAST TIME OUT...
The Vikings came up short at Milwaukee, dropping a 79-72 contest despite getting out to a quick start during the first half. Khayla Livingston finished with 24 points to lead the Vikings, while Olivia Voskuhl and Rachel Slaney both grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. The Vikings recorded 15 assists and 11 steals, and forced Milwaukee into 22 turnovers throughout the game.
LIVINGSTON CLOSING IN ON 350 CAREER ASSISTS
Entering Saturday's contest at Green Bay, Khayla Livingston is just four assists shy of 350 career helpers, as she ranks fourth among league players averaging 4.5 assists per game so far this season. Livingston, who currently ranks sixth in the CSU Career Record Book with 346 total assists, would become just the sixth Viking all-time to eclipse 350 helpers, and the first since the 2007-08 season.
ABSHAW CONTINUES CLIMB UP CSU SCORING CHART
Following her 15-point performance at Milwaukee last time out, redshirt junior Ashanti Abshaw moved into ninth place in the CSU Scoring Chart, finishing the game with 1,370 career points. Abshaw, who ranks second among league players averaging 19.9 points per game this season, has posted 319 total points this season, marking her third straight season with 300+ points. Abshaw enters Saturday's game at Green Bay just 30-points shy of becoming the ninth Viking all-time to record 1,400 career points.
VIKINGS ON THE ROAD
After spending the first two weekends of Horizon League play in the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center, the Vikings are on the road for the first time during #HLWBB play this weekend. During the first part of the league slate Cleveland State will play just three games on the road, while the second half of league play will see the Vikings on the road for six of their nine games. So far this season, the Vikings own a 3-2 record in true road games.
…AND ENTER TOUGHEST STRETCH OF 2017-18 SEASON
The Vikings are in the midst of a three-game roadswing over a five-day span - the toughest stretch of the season for Cleveland State. Although this is the second time this season that Cleveland State will be playing three games in five days, it will be the first time for all three contests to come on the road. Over the course of the weekend, the Vikings will travel over 1,300 miles to Milwaukee, Green Bay and Northern Kentucky.
HEAD COACH KATE PETERSON ABIAD
Entering Saturday's contest at Green Bay, Cleveland State head coach Kate Peterson Abiad is closing in on her 200th career victory, needing just two more wins to reach the milestone. Peterson Abiad, who is in her 15th season at the helm of the Vikings, would become the fourth active Horizon League coach to record 200 career wins, and just the second to eclipse the milestone at their current school (Kevin Borseth, Green Bay).
VOSKUHL CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS
After averaging a career-best 13.5 points per game so far this season, redshirt senior Olivia Voskuhl is closing in on joining the 1,000-point club, entering Saturday's contest with 905 career points. Voskuhl, who has tallied double-digit points in all but two games this season, would become the 29th Viking all-time and the third current Viking to join the exclusive club (Ashanti Abshaw & Khayla Livingston). In league games only, Voskuhl is averaging 15.8 ppg, and set a career-high with 21 points against Detroit Mercy earlier this year.
BOSLEY WITH THE BLOCK
Entering Saturday's game against the Phoenix, senior Shadae Bosley continues to lead the league in blocked shots, currently sitting at the top of the standings averaging 2.2 blocked shots per game. Bosley has recorded 35 total blocks so far this season, and is just six blocked shots shy of cracking the top-10 single-season list with at least 14 games left to play during 2017-18. Bosley also ranks fourth in the CSU Career Record Book with 122 career blocked shots.
VIKINGS OFF TO BEST START UNDER KPA
After the first part of the 2017-18 season, Cleveland State is off to its best start under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad, owning an 11-5 record heading into the 17th game of the season. For the first time over the last 15 years - and just the second time in program history - the Vikings entered the month of January with 10 wins. During non-league action, the Vikings posted an 8-3 record, tying the most non-league wins under Peterson Abiad and setting a record with the .727 winning percentage.
VIKING STARTING FIVE
So far this season, Cleveland State has used the same starting lineup throughout the entire non-league slate and first five #HLWBB contests, with Ashanti Abshaw, Khayla Livingston, Olivia Voskuhl, Jade Ely, and Shadae Bosley all earning a spot in the starting five. Abshaw leads this group with 75 career starts, while Livingston (72) and Voskuhl (69) are right behind her.
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 3.93 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.
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 its three-game roadswing on Monday (January 15), traveling to Northern Kentucky for a 5:00 p.m. contest.
