CLEVELAND – Cleveland State men's basketball has been selected to finish at the top of the Horizon League in its annual preseason poll, as voted upon by #HLMBB head coaches, media members and sports information directors. Additionally, senior guard/forward Torrey Patton has been named to the Preseason All-League First Team.
The reigning Horizon League regular season and tournament champions received 30 first place votes, 21 more than second-place Wright State (nine). The Vikes, who are coming off their third-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament, are led by third-year head coach and reigning back-to-back #HLMBB Coach of the Year Dennis Gates.
Cleveland State finished the 2020-21 season with a 19-8 record, including 16 regular season conference wins, marking the most wins in league play in team history (previously 15, 1992-93 season). The Vikings finished at the top of their conference for the fifth time in program history (2010-11 in the Horizon League, and 1992-93, 1985-86, and 1984-85 in the Mid-Continent Conference/AMCU).
Torrey Patton earns Preseason All-League First Team honors after a career season in 2020-21, averaging career bests in points (14.7), rebounds (8.0) and assists (2.7). Voted to be a member on the #HLMBB All-League First Team last season, Patton became the first Viking to be named to the All-League First Team since Trey Lewis and Anton Grady in 2015.
Throughout the course of the team's record-breaking campaign, the 2021 Horizon League Tournament MVP recorded two career-high scoring streaks, tallying 10-or-more points in nine straight games on two separate occasions (Dec. 19-Jan. 15, Jan 22-Mar. 9). Patton logged double figures in 22 of 24 Horizon League contests this past season, while leading the team with seven double-doubles.
Cleveland State men's basketball recently announced this season's slate of single-game promotions, which includes Viking Family Weekend, 216 Hoopy Hour, unique giveaways, ticket specials and more. Season and single-game tickets are on-sale now and can be purchased here. Season tickets to catch the reigning Horizon League champions begin as low as $60.00, while single-game tickets begin as low as $10.00.
2021-22 #HLMBB Preseason Poll Results
Pl. School (1st-place) – Votes
1. Cleveland State (30) – 502
2. Wright State (9) – 463
3. Northern Kentucky (1) – 406
4. Milwaukee (2) – 396
5. Detroit Mercy (2) – 350
6. Oakland – 340
7. Youngstown State – 214
8. UIC – 204
9. Purdue Fort Wayne – 169
10. RMU – 157
11. Green Bay – 146
12. IUPUI - 85
Preseason Player of the Year
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Preseason All-League First Team (alphabetical order by school)
Torrey Patton, Cleveland State
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Patrick Baldwin Jr., Milwaukee
Jalen Moore, Oakland
Grant Basile, Wright State
Preseason All-League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
DeAndre Gholston, Milwaukee
Trevon Faulkner, Northern Kentucky
Marques Warrick, Northern Kentucky
Jarred Godfrey, Purdue Fort Wayne
Tanner Holden, Wright State
The Viking Fund
Fans of Cleveland State men's basketball are invited to join the Viking Fund by visiting www.csuvikings.com/VikingFund. The financial support benefits all 340+ student-athletes as they become champions in the classroom, in the community and through competition. For more information on the Viking Fund, contact Assistant Athletics Director Brandon Longmeier at b.longmeier@csuohio.edu or call (216) 630-2974.
