CLEVELAND, Ohio – Following a three-game roadswing, the Cleveland State women's basketball team returned to the Wolstein Center Wednesday night, dropping a hard fought 65-60 decision against Toledo. The loss marked the first of the season at the Wolstein Center, and put the Vikings at 3-6 overall this year.
Toledo 65, Cleveland State 60 PDF Box Score
Starting Five
· Crockett, Geraci, Slaney, Braxton, White
Game Stats
· Three Vikings finished the game with double-digit points, led by Savanna Crockett who posted 18 points.
· Isabelle Gradwell added 15 points for the Vikings, while Mariah White chipped in 14.
· Rachel Slaney grabbed a team-best 13 rebounds on the game, while Savanna Crockett added eight boards.
· As a team, the Vikings tallied 10 assists, including four from Mariah White and three from JaMiya Braxton.
· The trio of Isabella Geraci, Mariah White and Isabelle Gradwell all posted two steals against Toledo.
· The Vikings forced Toledo into 17 turnovers during the contest, turning those miscues into 19 points.
Game Notes
· Isabella Geraci and JaMiya Braxton appeared in the starting lineup against the Rockets, posting their first starts of their collegiate careers.
· Rachel Slaney notched a career-high with her 13 boards against the Rockets – which included seven offensive rebounds.
· Savanna Crockett posted a season-high with her 18 points against Toledo, while it marked the sixth double-digit point game of the year for Crockett.
· Today's game featured eight lead changes, and had the score tied 10 times.
The Game
After ending the first quarter knotted at 14-14, both teams traded baskets throughout the start of the second period, until Cleveland State went on a 7-0 run to gain a 26-20 advantage at the 3:01 mark. During this stretch, the Vikings got two points from Isabella Geraci and Savanna Crockett, and three points from Isabelle Gradwell. The Vikings were then able to hold the advantage for the rest of the frame, as they headed into the halftime break with a four-point lead at 33-29 following a Mariah White three-pointer.
Despite Crockett extending the Cleveland State lead to 35-29 on the opening possession of the second half, Toledo responded with 11 straight points to regain control of the contest at 40-35 midway through the quarter. A Crockett layup snapped the Rocket run on Cleveland State's next possession, and then a pair of three pointers from White and JaMiya Braxton put the Vikings back on top at 43-42 with 3:26 left in the frame.
The two teams then traded baskets – and leads – throughout the final part of the third quarter, with Toledo taking a 50-47 lead into the final 10 minutes of action.
Despite the Vikings tying the contest at 50-50 on Gradwell's fourth three-pointer of the contest at the start of the quarter, Toledo answered with an 11-4 run that gave Toledo a 61-54 advantage at the 3:41 mark. A Braxton three-pointer brought the Vikings back within four at the 61-57 mark to stop the Toledo scoring run, while a Crockett layup and ensuing free throw brought the Vikings within three points at 63-60. With 1:44 left on the clock, this was as close as the Vikings could get, as Toledo converted a pair of free throws in the final seconds to come away with the 65-60 victory.
Up Next
The Vikings will hit the road for a single game on Saturday, December 5, traveling to Marshall for a 5:00 p.m. contest.