QUICK HITS
- Deante Johnson led the Vikings with 13 points
- Franklyn Penn Jr. had 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals
- Cleveland State placed four players in double figures in scoring
- The Vikings shot 50.9 percent from the floor for the game
- Cleveland State had 21 assists on 28 shots
- Head coach Dennis Gates earned his first career win as Vikings coach
GAME RECAP
CLEVELAND -- Sophomore Deante Johnson led four players in double figures in scoring with 13 points and Cleveland State earned head coach Dennis Gates his first career win as a Viking as CSU rolled to a 79-54 win over Edinboro on Saturday in the Wolstein Center before a crowd of 3,533.
Johnson was 5-of-11 from the floor and also added seven rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot to lead the Vikings. Franklyn Penn Jr., had an outstanding all-around game as he finished with 12 points, a game-high eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Tre Gomillion and Torrey Patton also finished in double figures in the scoring column for the Vikings with 11 points each.
Cleveland State, which improved to 1-1 on the season, shot 50.9 percent from the floor for the game, which included shooting 45.8 percent from the three-point line. The Vikings shot 51.5 percent in the first half and 50.0 percent in the second half, while limiting Edinboro to 28.3 percent shooting from the floor for the contest.
Cleveland State, which led for the entire game, scored 20 points off of 14 Edinboro turnovers and the Vikings bench outscored the Fighting Scots 23-5.
Cleveland State opened the game with a 12-0 run, which included three-point baskets by Gomillion and Patton.
The Fighting Scots, who dropped to 1-1 on the season, trimmed the Cleveland State lead to 17-10 on a three-pointer by Jaryn Simpson at the 11:24 mark of the first period.
The Vikings responded with a 15-2 run to effectively put the game away in the first period.
Gomillion began the run with back-to-back buckets to increase the lead to 21-10 at the 9:53 mark of the first period.
After a pair of Edinboro free throws, Craig Beaudion ignited an 11-0 run with a layup and Tyrese Potoma fed Penn Jr., for a layup to cap the run which gave the Vikings a 32-12 lead with 6:04 to play in the first half.
Cleveland State stretched the first half lead to as much as 24 points and took a 41-21 lead into halftime.
Edinboro would get no closer than 15 points in the second half and Cleveland State held a 26-point lead on multiple occasions.
All 13 players who dressed for Cleveland State saw time in the game.
Cleveland State returns to action on Tuesday (Nov. 12) at Missouri State.
