GAME #2
Cleveland State at Loyola
Sunday, November 12 | 3:00 p.m. EST | Chicago, Ill.
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will continue the first week of the 2023-24 campaign Sunday, traveling to Loyola for a 3:00 p.m. EST contest. Entering Sunday's matchup, the Vikings are 0-1 on the young season, while Loyola stands at 1-1 on the year.
A WIN ON SUNDAY WOULD…
Give Cleveland State its first win of the 2023-24 season…Mark the first win over Loyola in 12 years…Give Chris Kielsmeier his 97th win at Cleveland State.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/LOYOLA SERIES
Sunday's game will be the 42nd meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a 26-15 advantage in the all-time series. This will mark just the second matchup over the last 11 seasons, with Loyola picking up a 66-52 win during the 2021-22 campaign the last time the two teams met. Cleveland State's last victory came as a 67-65 decision during the 2011-12 season.
SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
Loyola enters Sunday's game with a 1-1 record on the young season, picking up a 74-47 victory at Chicago State last time out…2023-24 will mark the second season for Loyola in the Atlantic 10, with the Ramblers selected to finish 15th in the Preseason Poll…Loyola will be under the direction of second year head coach Allison Guth, with seven letterwinners returning, including three starters…Through the first two games, Alyssa Fisher leads the Ramblers averaging 11.5 points per game, while Emma Nolan (6.0 rpg) and Sitori Tanin (5.0 rpg) have been the top rebounders for Loyola.
THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State returns six letterwinners from last season's team that captured the 2023 #HLWBB Tournament Championship and set a program record with 30 wins on the year. In addition, Cleveland State welcomes seven newcomers – six transfers and one true freshman.
LEO NOTCHES 30TH 20-POINT GAME IN SEASON OPENER
Last time out, Destiny Leo finished with a game-high 33 points at Bowling Green, recording the 30th 20-point game of her career and the eighth 30-point performance. Leo recorded her 33 points on a career-high 12 made field goals, including a trio of three-pointers that moved her into a tie for second place in the CSU Career Record Book with 217 career three-pointers. Six of Leo's points came from the free throw line, as she improved her career free throw percentage to .904, which sits at the top of the CSU Career Record Book.
MAPLES HAS STRONG FIRST OUTING FOR THE GREEN & WHITE
Colbi Maples made her Cleveland State debut at Bowling Green in the season opener, finishing with 27 points on 10 made field goals - including a 2-for-2 effort from three-point. Maples played 28 minutes as a starter for the Vikings, also posting three rebounds and three assists on the game.
…OTHER CSU DEBUTS
In addition to Colbi Maples, the quartet of Mickayla Perdue, Grace Ellis, Brooklnn Fort-Davis, and Kali Howard also made their Cleveland State debuts at Bowling Green in the season opener. All four came off the bench for the Vikings, with Ellis posting five points and four rebounds and Fort-Davis recording two points and four boards.
THE NON-LEAGUE SLATE
Sunday's game will mark the second of an 11-game non-league slate for Cleveland State, and the second of five road contests during this stretch. Four of Cleveland State's non-league opponents were postseason teams last season, including NCAA Runner-Up Iowa and WNIT Fab Four team Bowling Green.
CLEVELAND STATE TABBED SECOND IN PRESEASON POLL
Last month, Cleveland State was selected to finish second in the #HLWBB Preseason Poll, picking up 107 points. This marks the third time in program history that the Vikings were selected to finish second in the #HLWBB Preseason Poll, with the Vikings also tabbed in the top-two prior to the 2011-12 and 2009-10 seasons.
LEO REPEATS AS #HLWBB PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cleveland State senior Destiny Leo was honored by the Horizon League last month, earning her second straight nod as the #HLWBB Preseason Player of the Year. Leo, who is the reigning Horizon League Player of the Year, is the only Viking in program history to earn the recognition more than once. Leo returns as Cleveland State's leading scorer from a season ago, as she averaged 17.9 points per game to lead all league players, while also leading the league and ranking seventh nationally with a .911 free throw percentage (164-180).
…AND NAMED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Destiny Leo was also named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List earlier this season – one of 25 student-athletes named to the national preseason watch list. Leo, who is the first Cleveland State player to earn a spot on the list, enters her senior campaign at the top of the CSU Career Record Book in Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (.389) and Free Throw Percentage (.903), while ranking third with 214 Three-Point Field Goals and 11th with 1,433 Total Points.
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of sixth-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who owns a career head coaching record of 512-171. Through six seasons at Cleveland State, Kielsmeier has led the Vikings to a 96-55 overall record, including a trio of 20-win seasons. Last year, Kielsmeier guided the Vikings to their third #HLWBB Tournament Championship, while he led the Vikings to their first-ever postseason title in 2021 when Cleveland State captured the WBI championship.
…KIELSMEIER NAMED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Chris Kielsmeier was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List last week - one of 20 coaches named to the inaugural watch list. Under Kielsmeier, the Vikings have advanced to the postseason in three straight years, and have tallied 20-win campaigns three times over the last four seasons.
A LOOK BACK AT 2022-23
Cleveland State combined for a program-best 30-5 record last season, marking the first 30-win campaign in program history and the third 20+ win season over the last four years. The Vikings captured the #HLWBB Tournament title for the third time in program history, and earned the program's highest seed in NCAA Tournament play. Cleveland State's trip to the NCAA Tournament marked the third straight postseason appearance.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will host its home opener on Saturday, November 18, welcoming Central Michigan to the Wolstein Center for a 2:00 p.m. contest.
