CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State men's basketball team dropped its first contest in a month Monday evening, dropping a hard-fought 98-93 overtime decision at Big-12 opponent Oklahoma State. The Vikings now stand at 6-3 overall this season.
Game Stats
· Four Vikings finished the game in double-figures, led by D'Moi Hodge with 31 points. Broc Finstuen added 19 points, while Deante Johnson tallied 12 and Torrey Patton chipped in 10.
· Broc Finstuen led CSU on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds, while Tre Gomillion notched eight boards and Deante Johnson recorded six.
· The Vikings combined for 23 assists on the night, including six from Tre Gomillion and five from Deante Johnson.
· Cleveland State's defense recorded 12 steals, forcing Oklahoma State into 18 turnovers.
· As a team, the Vikings shot 50-percent from the floor on the game, including a .613 clip during the first half.
Game Notes
· D'Moi Hodge notched the first 30-point game of the season for Cleveland State, finishing with a season-high 31 points against the Cowboys.
· Broc Finstuen posted his first double-double of the year against OSU, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds, marking season-highs in both categories.
· The Vikings recorded 20+ assists for the third straight game, finishing with a season-high 23 on the night.
· Monday's contest against Oklahoma State marked the first overtime contest of the season for the Vikings.
· Monday's game was the first game of a five-game roadswing for Cleveland State.
The Game
Midway through the first half, Cleveland State was able to gain a six-point advantage at 23-17 following back-to-back baskets from Deshon Parker and D'Moi Hodge, and would maintain this lead four minutes later, as a Jayson Woodrich three-pointer and another Hodge layup put the Vikings up 32-25 with 6:16 left on the clock.
Oklahoma State was able to slowly work its way back into the contest over the next few minutes then, tying the game at 40-40 before a Parker three-pointer gave the advantage back to the Vikings at 43-40 with just over one minute left in the opening half. The Cowboys answered with a three-pointer of their own on the next trip down the floor, but a Broc Finstuen layup put Cleveland State back on top 45-43 with 25 seconds left to play. The CSU lead wouldn't last long though, as the Cowboys were able to go into the halftime break with a 46-45 lead following a last second three-pointer.
Through the first half, Cleveland State recorded 13 assists on 19 made field goals, with seven different Vikings notching at least one assist, led by Tre Gomillion with four helpers through the first 20 minutes of play.
After trading baskets over the first part of the second half, Oklahoma State was able to capitalize on Cleveland State turnovers, posting a 7-0 run to go up 57-50 with 15:30 left to play. A Hodge three-pointer on the next Viking possession stopped the Cowboy run, and put the score at 57-53 OSU.
The Vikings then worked their way back into the contest with an 8-1 run over a span of 2:06 – including a pair of three-pointers from Hodge and Woodrich – once again giving Cleveland State the advantage at 61-60.
Although OSU was able to regain a slight advantage two minutes later, the Vikings responded with a 7-3 run, capped off by a Johnson dunk, that put Cleveland State up 68-65 with just over eight minutes left on the clock.
The momentum would then swing into the Cowboys favor over the next 2:42, as Oklahoma State was able to gain a 77-70 advantage at the 5:28 mark, but back-to-back layups from Torrey Patton brought the Vikings back within three points at 77-74.
Johnson would then close the gap to just one point at 77-76 with a pair of free throws, before another Hodge three-pointer a few plays later tied the game at 79-79 with just 1:43 left to play.
After Oklahoma State was able to regain control with less than a minute left on the clock, Cleveland State responded with back-to-back baskets from Hodge and Finstuen to go up 83-82 with 20 seconds remaining, before a Finstuen free throw following a defensive rebound gave the Vikings a two-point lead at 84-82 with just six seconds left on the clock.
Oklahoma State was then able to tie the game at 84-84 on its next possession, forcing Cleveland State to inbound the ball under the OSU basket with just seconds remaining. Even though OSU was able to intercept the Viking inbounds play, the Cowboys quickly stepped out of bounds under the CSU basket, giving the ball back to Cleveland State with just seven tenths of a second on the clock.
The Vikings had a good look at the basket on the ensuing inbounds play, but the shot would fall short, forcing Cleveland State into its first overtime game of the season.
Cleveland State would strike first during overtime, as a Hodge and-one play gave the Vikings an 87-84 lead less than one minute into the frame. The two teams then traded baskets – and leads – over the next few possessions, until Oklahoma State extended its lead to 96-93 late in the frame to force a Cleveland State timeout.
Out of the timeout, the Vikings came up short on a tying three-point shot, while Oklahoma State would put the contest away with a pair of free throws following a CSU foul on the rebound, claiming the 98-93 overtime victory.
Up Next
Cleveland State will continue its current five-game roadswing at No. 2 Duke on Saturday, December 18.
