GAME #5 {Cerebro Sports Lake Erie Challenge}
Cleveland State vs. Coppin State
Monday, November 22 | 7:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
CLEVELAND STATE ROSTER | COPPIN STATE ROSTER
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State men's basketball team will round out the Cerebro Sports Lake Erie Challenge on Monday, November 22, hosting Coppin State at 7:00 p.m. Entering Monday's game the Vikings are 2-2 on the season, while the Eagles currently stand at 1-6 so far this year.
A WIN ON MONDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings three straight wins…Keep Cleveland State perfect against Coppin State all-time…Put Cleveland State at 33-31 during Dennis Gates' tenure…Give the Vikings a 4-1 record in in-season tournaments over the last three years.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/COPPIN STATE SERIES
Monday's game will mark just the second meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State picking up an 80-56 victory during the first matchup during the 2017-18 campaign. After Monday's contest, both games in the series will have been played at the Wolstein Center.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Coppin State enters Monday's game with a 1-6 record on the year, with the lone win coming in a 71-49 decision over Loyola Maryland in the Eagle's only home game so far this season…Coppin State will play 12 of its first 13 games away from home this season, including both games in the Cerebro Sports Lake Erie Challenge…Earlier this year, the Eagles were selected to finish fourth in the MEAC Preseason Poll, while Nendah Tarke was named Preseason First Team and Kyle Cardaci was named Preseason Second Team…So far this year, Jesse Zarzuela leads the Eagles averaging 11.9 points per game, while Tyree Corbett is averaging a team-best 5.7 rebounds per game.
CEREBRO SPORTS LAKE ERIE CHALLENGE
Cleveland State's last contest against Canisius and Monday's game against Coppin State will be part of the Cerebro Sports Lake Erie Challenge - a round robin tournament featuring Canisius, Coppin State and the Vikings. The Vikings picked up an 80-70 victory over Canisius in their first game of the tournament, and will welcome Coppin State on Monday, November 22, while Canisius will host Coppin State on Wednesday, November 24 to round out the tournament.
…CLEVELAND STATE IN IN-SEASON TOURNAMENTS
This will mark just the second in-season tournament for the Vikings during head coach Dennis Gates' tenure, with Cleveland State owning a 3-1 record in in-season tournaments after Saturday's 80-70 victory over Canisius. During the 2019-20 campaign Cleveland State participated in the Battle for the Capital, picking up wins against UNCW and Eastern Kentucky.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State notched its second straight win with an 80-70 victory over Canisius to open the Cerebro Sports Lake Erie Challenge. The Vikings eclipsed the 80-point mark for the first time this season, led by three players in double-figures, including D'Moi Hodge with 27. The Vikings recorded 21 assists on 31 made field goals, while shooting 57-percent from the floor.
HOME-SWEET-HOME
Monday's game against Coppin State will be the fourth game of a current seven-game homestand for the Vikings, and the fourth of 16 total home games for Cleveland State this season. Under head coach Dennis Gates, the Vikings are 17-11 when playing at home, including a 9-2 record last season.
HODGE NOTCHES FIRST 20-POINT GAME OF 2021-22
Last time out D'Moi Hodge notched Cleveland State's first 20-point game of the 2021-22 campaign, finishing with 27 points in the win over Canisius. Hodge's 27-point game marked the third 20-point effort of his CSU career, and came on an 11-for-15 effort from the floor, including a trio of three-pointers. Entering Monday's contest against Coppin State, Hodge now leads the Vikings averaging 13.3 points per game.
GREENE TALLIES CAREER-HIGH AGAINST CANISIUS
Senior Chris Greene posted a career-high against Cainisius last time out, finishing with 15 points as one of three Vikings to notch double-figures against the Griffins. Greene posted his career-best 15-point outing on five made field goals, three of which came from behind-the-arc. The five made field goals and trio of three-pointers both tied career-highs for Greene, while he also went 2-for-3 from the free throw line on the game.
CLEVELAND STATE SPREADING OUT THE OFFENSE
Last time out, the Vikings recorded 21 assists on 31 made field goals, marking the second highest single-game total among Horizon League team so far this season. Six different Vikings recorded at least one assist on the game, led by Deshon Parker with seven and Torrey Patton with six. Overall this season, Cleveland State is averaging 15.00 assists per game, and has tallied 10+ assists in all four games.
VIKINGS FORCING THE TURNOVER
Through the first four games of the 2021-22 campaign Cleveland State has forced its opponents into 55 combined turnovers - 12+ against all four opponents - ranking second among Horizon League teams with a 3.25 turnover margin. Last time out, the Vikings forced Canisius into 15 turnovers, turning these miscues into 19 points. As a team, Cleveland State leads the league with a 1.43 assist/turnover margin, led by Deshon Parker with a 2.2 assist/turnover margin (13 assists, 6 turnovers).
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 32-31 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 return to action on Saturday, November 27, hosting Penn State Behrend at 3:00 p.m. inside the Wolstein Center.
