SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State men's basketball team will have one of its busiest stretches of the season this week, beginning on Wednesday, January 5 when the Vikings host Purdue Fort Wayne in the first of three games over a five-day span. Cleveland State enters Wednesday's game standing at 7-3 overall this year and 3-0 in league play, while Purdue Fort Wayne is currently 5-6 on the year and 1-2 against league opponents.

A WIN ON WEDNESDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings back-to-back wins - both of which coming against Purdue Fort Wayne…Keep the Vikings perfect in #HLMBB play this season…Extend Cleveland State's win streak inside the Wolstein Center to eight straight games…Put Cleveland State at 38-32 during Dennis Gates' tenure.

THE CLEVELAND STATE/PURDUE FORT WAYNE SERIES
Wednesday's game will mark the 10th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a 7-2 record in the all-time series. Last week, Cleveland State picked up a 90-81 victory against the Mastodons, improving to 5-1 against Purdue Fort Wayne since they joined the Horizon League prior to the 2020-21 campaign.

SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
Purdue Fort Wayne enters the week with a 5-6 record on the year, including a 1-2 mark against league opponents…The Mastodons' lone win during #HLWBB play came as a 71-57 decision against Northern Kentucky during the first week of league action…The Mastodons currently rank second among league teams in scoring (74.2) and field goal percentage (.455)…Earlier this season, Purdue Fort Wayne was selected to finish ninth in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, while Jarred Godfrey earned a spot on the Preseason Second Team.

LAST TIME OUT…
The Vikings got back in the win column with a 90-81 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne, as five Vikings finished in double-figures. Torrey Patton led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Tre Gomillion and D'Moi Hodge both added 19 points. As a team, CSU shot 53-percent from the field, recording 16 assists. 

…PURDUE FORT WAYNE HISTORY
Wednesday's game against Purdue Fort Wayne will mark the second meeting between the two teams over the last seven days, and the seventh meeting over the last 12+ months. Due to rescheduling, Cleveland State matched up with Purdue Fort Wayne five times during the 2020-21 campaign, and are now slated to face each other three times during the 2021-22 season.

VIKINGS REMAIN PERFECT IN #HLMBB PLAY
After picking up a 90-81 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne last time out, Cleveland State remained perfect in #HLMBB play, improving to 3-0 this season. Entering the third week of league play, Cleveland State is one of three undefeated teams in #HLMBB action, while a win on Wednesday would put the Vikings at 4-0 in league play for the second straight season under head coach Dennis Gates.

…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. 

HOME-SWEET-HOME
Wednesday's game against Purdue Fort Wayne will mark the ninth home game out of the first 11 contests (excluding cancelations) for the Vikings this season, as Cleveland State has had the benefit of playing in the friendly confines of the Wolstien Center through the first two months of action. Under head coach Dennis Gates, the Vikings are 22-11 when playing at home, including a 9-2 record last season and a 7-1 mark so far this year.

PATTON NOTCHES DOUBLE-DOUBLE AGAINST PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Last time out, Torrey Patton recorded his second double-double of the season, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds against Purdue Fort Wayne. Patton is now one of 11 #HLMBB players with multiple double-doubles on the year, while he is one of 10 league players with three or more 20-point games on the year. In addition, Patton also finished with eight assists on the game, finishing just shy of a triple-double.

CLEVELAND STATE ON THE OFFENSIVE END
Entering Wednesday's game against the Mastodons, Cleveland State is shooting a league-best 48-percent from the floor, including a .500 clip or better in its last five games. Last time out, the Vikings posted a .536 clip from the floor, including five players with double-figure points - just the second time this season that five Vikings have finished with 10+ points (Wright State 2/4). 

…CLEVELAND STATE SPREADING OUT THE OFFENSE
Cleveland State has tallied 15+ assists in each of its last five games, including a trio of 20-assist performances against Oklahoma State, Wright State and Northern Kentucky. Through the first 10 games, the Vikings are averaging a league-best 17.30 assists per game, and have posted 10 or more assists in all 10 games. So far this season, 13 Vikings have recorded at least one assist, led by Torrey Patton with 37 and Deshon Parker with 30.

VIKINGS FORCING THE TURNOVER
Through the first 10 games of the 2021-22 campaign Cleveland State has forced its opponents into 155 combined turnovers - 12+ against all nine opponents -  leading all Horizon League teams with a 4.00 turnover margin. Last time out, the Vikings forced Purdue Fort Wayne into 16 turnovers, while committing just eight miscues themselves. As a team, Cleveland State leads the league with a 1.50 assist/turnover margin, led by Deshon Parker with a 2.7 assist/turnover margin (30 assists, 11 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 98th appearance last time out against Purdue Fort Wayne. Johnson has played in all but two games during his collegiate career, and has picked up a spot in the starting lineup 44 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 eight games, and senior transfer Broc Finstuen ranks third on the team averaging 10.3 points per game. 

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 37-32 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 is scheduled to hit the road for a pair of #HLMBB games at Robert Morris on Friday, January 7 and Youngstown State on Sunday, January 9.