CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State men's basketball team opened up a four-game homestand on Thursday, dropping a hard fought 78-74 contest against Green Bay.
BOXSCORE (PDF)
QUICK HITS
· Craig Beaudion finished with a career-high 26 points on the game, including a 10-for-11 performance from the free throw line. Beaudion, who entered Thursday's game averaging 11.6 points per game in league play, eclipsed the 20-point mark for the first time this season.
· Algevon Eichelberger posted 10 points on the game, marking his ninth straight double-digit scoring game.
· Tre Gomillion finished with a team-high eight rebounds, while Torrey Patton and Jaalam Hill both grabbed six boards.
· As a team, the Vikings posted a season-best 27-for-29 performance from the free throw line against the Phoenix. This marks the 15th time this season that Cleveland State has shot 20 or more free throws.
· Thursday's game marked the first of a four-game homestand for the Vikings – their longest homestand of the year.
GAME RECAP
After closing the first half on a 7-4 run over the final 1:12, the Vikings were able to cut into the Green Bay lead, and go into halftime trailing by just eight at 33-25.
The Vikings were able to chip away at the Phoenix lead over the opening minutes of the second half then, with a 6-2 run that ended with a Deante Johnson dunk putting the score at 40-35 Green Bay at the 15:59 mark.
The two teams traded baskets over the next few plays then, until a Kasheem Thomas three-pointer followed by a Thomas steal which led to Torrey Patton layup brought the Vikings within three points at 45-42 with just over 14 minutes left to play.
The Vikings then pulled within two points at the 46-44 mark following a Tre Gomillion jumper at the 13:21 mark, but Green Bay responded with a 7-4 run of its own that put the Phoenix lead back at six points at 54-48.
Although Green Bay was able to hold a sizeable lead over the next seven minutes, the Vikings used a late run that included 11 straight points to pull within one at 71-70 with just over one minute left on the clock. During this stretch the Vikings got a trio of and-one baskets from Johnson, Craig Beaudion and Algevon Eichelberger – along with a pair of Beaudion free throws – bringing the Vikings as close as they would get during the second half.
Green Bay responded with a three-point play on the ensuing possession, and went on to hold at least a two-point lead for the remainder of the game, coming away with the 78-74 victory.
The Vikings will continue their current homestand on Saturday, January 25, hosting Milwaukee in a 3:00 p.m. game.
