Posted: Dec 12, 2021
GAME #9
Cleveland State at Oklahoma State
Monday, December 13 | 8:00 p.m. EST | Stillwater, Okla.
Live Stats | Live Video | Radio: 1350 WARF/iHeartRadio App
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State men's basketball team will hit the road for the first time in over a month this week, traveling to Oklahoma State on Monday, December 13. Monday's game is slated for an 8:00 p.m. EST start. Entering the week, Cleveland State stands at 6-2 overall this season, while Oklahoma State is currently 6-3 on the year.
A WIN ON MONDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings seven straight wins…Keep the Vikings perfect during the month of December…Mark the first win over Oklahoma State in program history…Put Cleveland State at 37-31 during Dennis Gates' tenure.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES
Monday's game will mark just the second meeting between the two teams, with Oklahoma State picking up a 92-66 victory during the 1981-82 campaign.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
Oklahoma State enters Monday's game standing at 6-3 overall this season, most recently dropping back-to-back games against Xavier (71-77) and Wichita State (51-60)…Monday's game will mark the final home game for the Cowboys during the calendar year, with OSU currently owning a 3-3 record at home this season…Cleveland State will be the second #HLMBB opponent for OSU this season, as the Cowboys fell to Oakland back in November (55-56)…Earlier this season, Oklahoma State was selected to finish tied for fifth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll ,while Avery Anderson III and Moussa Cisse earned a spot on the Preseason Honorable Mention team.
LAST TIME OUT…
The Vikings notched their sixth straight win with an 85-75 victory over Wright State. For the first time this season, five Vikings finished the game with double-figure points, led by Jayson Woodrich with 17. Cleveland State recorded 22 assists on 32 made field goals, and shot 55-percent from the field. On the defensive end, the Vikings recorded 10 steals and forced WSU into 15 turnovers.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After spending the last month in the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center, Monday's contest will mark the first game of a five-game roadswing for the Vikings. Cleveland State will open up this stretch with back-to-back games against Power Five teams in Oklahoma State and Duke, before traveling to Kent State, IUPUI and UIC. The Vikings' last road game came in the season opener, when CSU traveled to BYU.
VIKINGS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO SIX GAMES
With the 85-75 victory over Wright State last time out, Cleveland State extended its current win streak to six straight games, picking up wins against Edinboro, Canisius, Coppin State, Penn State Behrend, Northern Kentucky, and WSU during this stretch. This marks just the second time that the Vikings have won six straight games during head coach Dennis Gates' tenure, while the six-game win streak is a Horizon League-high so far this year.
PATTON & HODGE LEADING THE VIKING OFFENSE
Through the first eight games of the season D'Moi Hodge and Torrey Patton have been Cleveland State's top offensive threats, averaging 12.9 and 12.1 points per game, respectively. This duo has accounted for 11 double-digit scoring games this year, including a 27-point game against Canisius from Hodge and a pair of 20+ point efforts from Patton against Northern Kentucky and Coppin State. In addition, Hodge and Patton have also combined for 37 assists on the year.
BENCH COMES UP BIG AGAINST WRIGHT STATE
Last time out, the Vikings had excellent support from the bench, as they outscored WSU 37-6 in bench points. This marked the sixth time this season that Cleveland State has had a sizeable contribution from its bench, and the fourth time that CSU has outscored its opponent in bench points.
…WOODRICH LEADING THE WAY
A large portion of Cleveland State's bench points against Wright State came from Jayson Woodrich, as he tallied a career-high 17 points last time out. Woodrich went 6-for-10 from the field, including a 5-for-7 mark from three-point. Woodrich's 17 points marked his second double-digit scoring performance over the last three games, while the five triples also marked a career-high for the sophomore.
CLEVELAND STATE SPREADING OUT THE OFFENSE
Entering Monday's game at Oklahoma State, Cleveland State has recorded 134 total assists on the season - the only Horizon League team to eclipse the 130-assist mark so far this season. The Vikings have posted 10 or more assists in all eight games so far this season, including 22 assists in back-to-back games against Northern Kentucky and Wright State last time out. Through the first eight games, 12 Vikings have recorded at least one assist, led by Deshon Parker and Torrey Patton who both have a team-high 26 total assists on the year.
VIKINGS FORCING THE TURNOVER
Through the first eight games of the 2021-22 campaign Cleveland State has forced its opponents into 121 combined turnovers - 12+ against all eight opponents - leading all Horizon League teams with a 3.88 turnover margin. Last time out, the Vikings forced Wright State into 15 turnovers. As a team, Cleveland State leads the league with a 1.49 assist/turnover margin, led by Deshon Parker with a 3.3 assist/turnover margin (26 assists, 8 turnovers).
DEANTE JOHNSON CLOSING IN ON 100 GAMES PLAYED AT CSU
Senior Deante Johnson is closing in on becoming the first active Viking to play in 100 career games at Cleveland State, notching his 96th appearance last time out against Wright State. Johnson has played in all but two games during his collegiate career, and has picked up a spot in the starting lineup 42 times - including every game over the last two seasons.
BUILDING MOMENTUM
Entering the 2021-22 campaign, Cleveland State welcomed back 14 letterwinners - including all five starters - from last season's team that captured Horizon League Regular Season and Tournament championships. The Vikings returned 93-percent of their offense from a year ago, with the group accounting for 78-percent of CSU's offense so far this season.
…AND WELCOMING FRESH FACES
In addition to the strong returning core, Cleveland State also welcomed five new Vikings for the 2021-22 campaign, including four transfers. Two of these newcomers have had an immediate impact for the Vikings, as senior transfer Deshon Parker has appeared in the starting lineup for the last six games, and senior transfer Broc Finstuen ranks third on the team averaging 8.6 points per game.
CLEVELAND STATE TABBED #HLMBB PRESEASON FAVORITES
Earlier this season, 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.
…2-0 START TO #HLMBB PLAY
After beginning #HLMBB play with a two-game weekend series last time out, the Vikings are tied for the top spot in the league standings with a 2-0 record. Cleveland State opened its 22-game league slate against Northern Kentucky and Wright State - the preseason No. 2 and No. 3 teams - with the Vikings earning convincing victories against both teams. Cleveland State will return to league play at the end of the month, traveling to IUPUI and UIC.
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 three seasons, Gates has led the Vikings to a 36-31 overall record, 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.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will continue its current five-game roadswing next weekend, traveling to Duke on Saturday, December 18.
