JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – For the first time in program history the Cleveland State women's basketball team is off to an 8-1 start, following the Vikings' eighth straight win in a 62-54 decision at East Tennessee State.
Game Stats
· Mariah Miller finished with a team-high 22 points, while Mariah White recorded 16 points to lead the Viking offense.
· Savanna Crockett grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds, with Mariah Miller adding eight boards.
· Isabella Geraci paced the Vikings with three assists on the game.
· As a team, the Vikings recorded nine steals, including four from Mariah White.
· Cleveland State posted five blocked shots against ETSU, including two from Savanna Crockett.
· The Vikings committed just eight turnovers on the contest, while they forced ETSU into 14 turnovers – which turned into 13 Cleveland State points.
Game Notes
· Sunday's win marked the eighth straight win for the Vikings, and improved them to 8-1 on the year.
· Cleveland State's 8-1 start marks the best in program history, while it also marks just the fourth time over the last 20 seasons that the Vikings have notched eight or more wins during non-league play.
· Six of Cleveland State's eight wins during this span have come on the road.
· Mariah Miller's 22-point performance against the Bucs marked her sixth 20-point game of the year.
· Savanna Crockett recorded double-digit rebounds for the third time this season after grabbing 11 boards against the Bucs.
· Sunday's game marked the first meeting all-time between the two teams.
PDF BOX SCORE: Cleveland State 62, ETSU 54
After a back-and-forth first half, the Vikings were able to take a slim three-point lead into the halftime break, owning a 32-29 advantage after the first 20 minutes of play.
The Vikings started the third quarter with a 4-2 run following a pair of layups from Mariah Miller and Mariah White, forcing an ETSU timeout with the Vikings leading 36-31 at the 7:37 mark. The two teams then traded baskets throughout the remainder of the frame, as ETSU worked its way back into the contest to knot the score at 43-43 entering the final 10 minutes of action.
Cleveland State was then able to regain the lead on the opening possession of the fourth quarter, as a JaMiya Braxton three-pointer put the Vikings up 46-43 less than a minute into the frame. The Vikings then went on to score five straight points, extending their lead to 51-43 with just under six minutes left to play.
During this span, the CSU defense forced the Bucs into eight missed shots while they were able to gain an eight-point lead, and regain control of the contest.
After an ETSU free throw snapped the Viking scoring run, a Miller three-pointer on the ensuing possession gave the Vikings a 10-point lead at 54-44, their first double-digit advantage of the game.
Over the next three minutes, the Bucs were able to work their way back into the contest, closing the gap to four points at 56-52 with 2:01 left to play.
This would be as close as ETSU would get though, as a trio of free throws from Miller and White put the Vikings back up by seven at 59-52 with just 32 seconds left on the clock.
The Vikings were then able to clinch the game with a White fastbreak layup on the final possession of the game, having the advantage of the open court following a crucial Savanna Crockett defensive board on another ETSU missed shot, giving Cleveland State the 62-54 victory.
Up Next
Cleveland State will close out its current four-game roadswing next weekend, traveling to Omaha for a 4:00 p.m. EST contest on Sunday, December 15.
