GAME #24
Cleveland State vs. Green Bay
Saturday, February 3 | 2:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will open the month of February by beginning a four-game homestand this weekend, hosting Green Bay for a 2:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, February 3. Entering Saturday's matchup, the Vikings are 19-4 overall this season and 10-2 in league play, while Green Bay is currently 17-4 on the year and 10-1 against league opponents.
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings a win to start the month of February…Mark the third straight 20-win campaign…Give Cleveland State a series split against Green Bay…Extend Cleveland State's home win streak to 18 straight games.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/GREEN BAY SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the 83rd meeting between the two teams, with Green Bay owning a 72-10 advantage in the all-time series. The Phoenix earned an 85-72 victory in the first matchup of the season, while Cleveland State's last victory over Green Bay came in last year's #HLWBB Championship game.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay enters Saturday's game with a 17-4 record on the year, including a 10-1 mark in #HLWBB play…The Phoenix currently sit at the top of the league standings as the only team with one loss so far this season, just one game ahead of Cleveland State…Green Bay is currently on a two-game win streak, and has won 12 of its last 13 contests…The Phoenix lead the league averaging 76.3 points per game on a league-best .495 field goal percentage…In addition, Green Bay has a league-best .363 three-point field goal percentage and .791 free throw percentage, while also leading the league with 18.81 assists per game…Individually, Bailey Butler ranks second with 105 assists on the year, while she has a league-best 3.1 assist/turnover ratio.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State picked up a 70-60 victory at Purdue Fort Wayne to mark its first series sweep of the season. With the win against the Mastodons, the Vikings reached double-digit #HLWBB wins for third straight year. The Viking offense shot 52-percent from the floor, while the defense outrebounded Purdue Fort Wayne 36-28 and recorded seven blocked shots.
#NGWSD
Saturday's game will be Cleveland State's annual National Girls & Women In Sports Day, featuring pre-game activities, poster making & create your own lanyard stations, postgame autographs, and more. The Vikings will be partnering with Play Gap to provide interactive opportunities exploring the many aspects of women and girls in sports.
VIKINGS IN #HLWBB PLAY
Continuing the seventh week of #HLWBB play, the Vikings are currently second in the league standings with a 10-2 league record. Cleveland State sits one game out of first place, which is held by Green Bay who owns a 10-1 #HLWBB record. As one of just two teams with double-digit league wins, the Vikings have now posted 10 or more #HLWBB victories in three straight seasons.
HOME-SWEET-HOME
Cleveland State will host its first home game during the month of February on Saturday, marking the 12th of 16 scheduled home games for the Vikings this season and the first of a four-game homestand. So far this year, Cleveland State owns a perfect 11-0 record when playing at home, while the Vikings combined for a 61-18 record at home during Kielsmeier's tenure.
TRACKING A 20-WIN SEASON
Entering Saturday's game against Green Bay the Vikings are just one win shy of reording a 20-win campaign - which would be the third straight 20-win season and fourth over the last five years. A win on Saturday would make Cleveland State the first #HLWBB team to reach the 20-win plateau this season, while it would be the first time in program history that the Vikings have recorded three consecutive 20-win campaigns.
PERDUE NOTCHES 10th 20-POINT PERFORMANCE
Last time out, Mickayla Perdue paced the Viking offense with 20 points in the win at Purdue Fort Wayne, marking her 10th 20-point performance of the season and fourth straight. Perdue, who is tied for the league-lead with 10 20-point efforts this season, is averaging 16.3 points per game to be tied for third among league players, while she has been one of Cleveland State's most efficient shooters, owning a .473 clip from the floor.
REISMA ON THE BLOCK
Entering Saturday's game, sophomore Jordana Reisma has 28 blocked shots on the year and 71 for her career. Reisma, who is one of five #HLWBB players with 25+ blocks on the year, has posted a block in 17 of 23 games this year, including three at Purdue Fort Wayne last time out. Reisma's 71 career blocks are just one block shy of earning her a spot in the CSU Career Record Book.
CLEVELAND STATE ON THE OFFENSIVE END THIS SEASON
Through the first 13+ weeks of the season, Cleveland State has been one of the top offensive teams in the Horizon League, currently ranking second in the league averaging 75.3 points per game while also ranking second with a .466 field goal percentage. Through the first 23 games, the Vikings have tallied 70+ points 18 times, and currently own a 13.1 scoring margin. Individually, two Vikings rank in the top-five in scoring, with Colbi Maples and Mickayla Perdue tied for third averaging 16.3 points per game.
...AND ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Cleveland State also enters Wednesday's game as one of the top defensive teams in the league, averaging 9.96 steals per game. Last time out, the Vikings grabbed seven steals at Purdue Fort Wayne, while Cleveland State has tallied 10 or more takeaways in 11 games this year. Individually, Carmen Villalobos leads the league with 52 total steals on the year, while Colbi Maples ranks third with 49 takeaways.
VIKINGS AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
As a team, Cleveland State has combined for 396 made free throws this season, leading the league and ranking second nationally in the category (trailing LSU with 459 made free throws). Through 23 games the Vikings are averaging 17.22 free throws made per game, ranking sixth among Division I teams. Cleveland State has converted 20+ free throws six times so far this year, including a season-high 31-for-38 performance against IUPUI earlier this year.
#HLWBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
So far this season Cleveland State has been recognized four times with weekly honors from the Horizon League - marking a season-high among league teams. Colbi Maples has picked up the honor twice (Dec. 4, Jan. 22), while Jordana Reisma (Dec. 26) and Mickayla Perdue (Jan. 15) have both earned #HLWBB honors once.
LEO HONORED AT GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS AWARDS
Last month Destiny Leo was honored at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, being named the 2023 Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year. Leo, who was one of three finalists from the Greater Cleveland area, won the award after helping Cleveland State to its best season in program history during 2022-23 as the #HLWBB Player of the Year, helping the team to a 30-5 overall record, Horizon League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
VIKINGS IN THE MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
Entering the weekend, Cleveland State was ranked 13th in the latest College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Vikings are one of two Horizon League teams to be ranked, as Green Bay enters the weekend ranked sixth.
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings are under the direction of sixth-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who owns a career head coaching record of 531-174. Through six seasons at Cleveland State, Kielsmeier has led the Vikings to a 115-58 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.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will continue its current homestand on Wednesday, February 7, hosting Wright State at 7:00 p.m.
