QUICK HITS
- Cleveland State won its second straight with a 72-62 win over IUPUI
- The Vikings swept the season series from the Jaguars with the win
- Four Vikings scored in double figures for the second straight game
- CSU led for the final 30 minutes of the contest
- Cleveland State had a 46-32 advantage in rebounds
- The Vikings' 19 offensive rebounds tied their season high
- Craig Beaudion and Torrey Patton tied for game-high honors with 18 points each
- Seven different Vikings had at least five rebounds
GAME RECAP
The Cleveland State University men's basketball team won its second straight game by sweeping the season series from visiting IUPUI with a 72-62 victory Thursday evening inside the Wolstein Center.
CSU led for the entire second half and held off a late Jaguar surge to level its Horizon League record to 5-5.
Four Vikings reached double figures in scoring for the second straight game while seven of the eight Vikings to play meaningful minutes had at least five rebounds. Additionally, all eight of those Vikings had at least one steal as CSU posted 13 steals, its second-highest figure of the season.
Juniors Craig Beaudion and Torrey Patton tied for game-high honors with 18 points each while both contributed five rebounds each.
Juniors Algevon Eichelberger and Franklyn Penn Jr. tied for team-high honors with eight rebounds while tallying 14 and 11 points, respectively. It was Eichelberger's 11th straight double-figure scoring game.
Cleveland State had a slim lead for much of the first half as the lead ranged from one to six points in the opening portion of the game. The teams were tied, 12-12, approaching the midway mark of the first half, and the Vikings still led by just two, 26-24, with two minutes left.
The Vikings then scored six straight points to close the half, holding a 32-24 lead at the intermission, and scored the first five points of the second half. The 11-0 run, featuring five points from Patton, pushed the CSU lead to 37-24 early in the second half.
CSU led by 15 points, 54-39, as the midway half of the second half approached, but a scoring slump brought the Jaguars back into the game.
IUPUI went on a 10-1 run over a six-minute span to pull its deficit to 55-49 with just under five minutes left to play.
However, Beaudion then made a layup on CSU's next possession before he stole the ball on IUPUI's next possession. Sophomore Tre Gomillion then made a pair of free throws to push the lead to double figures.
IUPUI decreased the margin to six twice more, but the Vikings refused to the guests get any closer. CSU went 10-of-12 from the foul line over the final 2:32 to help seal the win.
Gomillion had four points, five rebounds, four assists and no turnovers to aid the CSU cause while sophomore Deante Johnson posted seven boards in 17 minutes.
CSU had a 46-32 lead in total rebounds and tied its season high with 19 offensive boards. The Vikings also had a 36-22 lead in points in the paint.
Cleveland State shot 84.0% from the line (21-of-25) and attempted at least 23 free throws for the eighth consecutive game.
Cleveland State will close its four-game homestand this Saturday, Feb. 1, when it welcomes UIC at 3:00 p.m.
