GAME #2
Cleveland State vs. Ohio
Saturday, November 13 | 7:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
CLEVELAND STATE ROSTER | OHIO ROSTER
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State men's basketball team will continue the 2021-22 season at home this weekend, hosting Ohio on Saturday, November 13 in the Vikings' home opener. Saturday's contest is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start. Entering the weekend, Cleveland State stands at 0-1 on the young season, after traveling to BYU in the season opener earlier this week.
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD…
Mark the third straight year that the Vikings notch a victory in their home opener…Snap a five-game losing skid against the Bobcats…Improve Cleveland State to 31-30 during Dennis Gates' tenure.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/OHIO SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the 16th meeting between the two teams in program history, with Ohio owning a 13-2 advantage in the all-time series. Cleveland State's last win against the Bobcats came during the 1998-99 season, when the Vikings earned a 64-61 victory.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
Ohio enters Saturday's contest standing at 1-0 on the young season after picking up a 92-80 victory in the season opener against Belmont…Mark Sears (27) and Jason Carter (20) paced the Bobcat offense against Belmont, while Carter grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season…Earlier this year the Bobcats were selected to finish second in the MAC Preseason Poll, while Ben Vander Plas was named Preseason First Team and Jason Carter was named Preseason Second Team…Saturday's game will mark the first of 14 road games for Ohio this season.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State opened the 2021-22 season at BYU last Tuesday, dropping a hard-fought 69-59 contest. Three Vikings finished the game in double-figures, while CSU had a balanced rebounding effort led by Deante Johnson and Tre Gomillion with seven boards each. Cleveland State committed just six turnovers, while the Vikings forced BYU into 14 miscues.
HOME-SWEET-HOME
Saturday's game against Ohio will mark the first of 16 total home games for the Vikings this year, and will also be the start of seven straight contests at the Wolstein Center for the Vikings. Under head coach Dennis Gates, the Vikings are 15-10 when playing at home, including a 9-2 record last season.
VIKING DEBUTS
Cleveland State had four players make their debuts against BYU last time out, as Nathanael Jack, Deshon Parker, Broc Finstuen, and Anderson Mirambeaux donned the Green & White for the first time.
…FINSTUEN IN DEBUT
Broc Finstuen had an excellent outing in his Cleveland State debut against BYU earlier this week, finishing with 11 points, four steals and three rebounds. Finstuen was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, including a three-pointer, finishing as one of three Vikings with double-digit points against the Cougars. Finstuen led all Vikings with his four steals, helping CSU force BYU into 14 turnovers.
VIKINGS FORCING THE TURNOVER
Last time out, Cleveland State forced BYU into 14 turnovers, turning these miscues into 14 points. The Vikings recorded six total steals on the game, with four from Broc Finstuen and one each from Deante Johnson and Tre Gomillion. Cleveland State committed just six miscues, which marks the lowest single-game total among Horizon League teams on the young season.
THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State returns 14 letterwinners from last season's #HLMBB Championship squad, including the starting rotation of Craig Beaudion, Tre Gomillion, D'Moi Hodge, Deante Johnson, and Torrey Patton. This returning core will be joined by four transfers and one freshman for the upcoming season, giving head coach Dennis Gates a well-rounded roster for the 2021-22 campaign.
…HEAD COACH DENNIS GATES
The Vikings will be under the direction of third-year head coach and reigning back-to-back #HLMBB Coach of the Year Dennis Gates. Through his first two seasons, Gates has led the Vikings to a 30-30 overall reecord, including a 19-8 mark last season when the Vikings captured the Horizon League Tournament title and earned the program's third trip to the NCAA Tournament.
CLEVELAND STATE TABBED #HLMBB PRESEASON FAVORITES
Last month the Vikings were selected as the favorites in the Horizon League Preseason Poll - picking up 502 points along with 30 first place votes. Last season, the Vikings finished regular season play with a 16-4 record to clinch the top seed in the #HLMBB Tournament where they picked up a trio of wins against Purdue Fort Wayne, Milwaukee and Oakland to claim the 2020-21 Horizon League Championship. In addition to the Vikings, Wright State (9), Northern Kentucky (1), Milwaukee (2), and Detroit Mercy (2) also picked up first place votes in this year's poll.
PATTON NAMED #HLMBB PRESEASON FIRST TEAM
Senior Torrey Patton earned a spot on the #HLMBB Preseason All-League First Team, which was announced in conjunction with the preseason poll last month. Patton returns after a 2020-21 season in which he averaged 14.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, and earned All-League First Team accolades.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will continue its current seven-game homestand on Tuesday, November 16, hosting Edinboro at 7:00 p.m.
