SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State men's basketball team will return to the Wolstein Center to begin a four-game homestand this week, beginning with a 7:00 p.m. contest against Oakland on Thursday, January 13. Cleveland State enters the week standing at 10-3 overall this year and 6-0 in league play, while Oakland is currently 11-4 on the year and 5-0 against league opponents.

A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings five straight wins…Keep the Vikings perfect in #HLMBB play this year…Give the Vikings a 4-0 record during the month of January…Extend Cleveland State's win streak inside the Wolstein Center to nine straight games…Put Cleveland State at 41-32 during Dennis Gates' tenure.

THE CLEVELAND STATE/OAKLAND SERIES
Thursday's game will mark the 23rd meeting between the two teams, with the overall series tied at 11-11. Last year, Cleveland State picked up wins in all three matchups, including an 80-69 victory in the 2021 Horizon League Championship. Thursday's game will mark the first meeting between the two teams at the Wolstein Center since the 2019-20 campaign.

…ENTERING THURSDAY'S GAME
Thursday's game against Oakland will be a matchup between the top two teams in the #HLMBB standings, as both teams enter the week with perfect league records on the season (CSU: 6-0, OAK: 5-0). Cleveland State and Oakland also own the top two overall records among league teams this year, as both teams have eclipsed the 10-win mark through the first part of the 2021-22 campaign.

SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
Oakland enters Thursday's game standing at 11-4 overall this season and 5-0 in Horizon League play…The Grizzlies are currently on a four-game win streak, most recently picking up an 86-65 victory over Milwaukee…Oakland currently ranks second among league teams averaging 75.8 points per game, while the Grizzlies also rank second with a 3.13 turnover margin…Individually, Jamal Cain leads the league averaging 9.9 rebounds per game, while Trey Townsend has a league-best .538 field goal percentage and Jalen Moore is averaging a league-best 8.4 assists per game…Earlier this season, Oakland was picked to finish sixth in the #HLMBB Preseason Poll.

LAST TIME OUT…
The Vikings picked up an 86-80 overtime victory at Youngstown State, extending their current win streak to four straight games. With the win, the Vikings are now 50-48 all-time in overtime games, including a 1-1 record this year. For the second straight game, the Vikings had to come-from-behind to get the win, as they erased a 12-point deficit that the Penguins held late in the first half. Throughout the overtime period, Cleveland State outscored YSU 11-5, including eight points from D'Moi Hodge who finished with a team-high 31 points.

VIKINGS REMAIN PERFECT IN #HLMBB PLAY
With the 86-80 overtime victory at Youngstown State last time out, Cleveland State remained perfect in #HLMBB play, improving to 6-0 in league play this season. Entering Thursday's game against Oakland, Cleveland State is one of three undefeated teams in #HLMBB action, while a win on Thursday would put the Vikings at 7-0 in league play for the second straight season under head coach Dennis Gates.

…#HLMBB PLAY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS
Throughout the last two years, Cleveland State has combined for a 22-4 regular season record against league opponents, including a 12-2 mark when playing at the Wolstein Center. If you include #HLMBB Tournament play, the Vikings have now won 10 straight against league opponents and 15 of their last 17 matchups following Sunday's victory at Youngstown State. 

HOME-SWEET-HOME
Thursday's game against Oakland will mark the 10th home game out of the first 14 contests (excluding cancelations) for the Vikings this season, as Cleveland State has had the benefit of playing in the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center throughout the first half of the season. Under head coach Dennis Gates, the Vikings are 23-11 when playing at home, including a 9-2 record last season and an 8-1 mark so far this year.

HODGE NOTCHES 30-POINT GAME AT YSU
For the second time this season D'Moi Hodge eclipsed the 30-point mark, finishing with 31 points in the overtime win at Youngstown State last time out. Hodge, who notched 27 of his 31 points during the second half and overtime, converted the game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation and then went on to post eight of Cleveland State's 11 points during the overtime period. For the season, Hodge is averaging a team-best 15.3 ppg, ranking him eighth among #HLMBB players. 

DEANTE JOHNSON NOTCHES FIRST CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Last time out, senior Deante Johnson recorded the first double-double of his Cleveland State career, finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds against the Penguins. Johnson, who was making his 101st career appearance as a Viking, notched a career-high with his 13 boards, which included seven offensive rebounds - the most important of which led to D'Moi Hodge's game-tying three-pointer at the end of the regulation. For the season, Johnson is averaging 6.1 rebounds per game, and has grabbed a team-high 29 offensive boards.

PARKER HAS CSU CAREER-HIGH GAME AT YSU
Senior transfer Deshon Parker had one of his most complete games last time out, finishing with 14 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals in the overtime win at Youngstown State. Parker, who shot 5-for-7 from the field against the Penguins, notched a season-high with his 14 points, while his eight assists also marked a season-best. On the season, Parker is tied for the team-lead with 44 total assists, while he is averaging 5.9 ppg on a .547 field goal percentage (29-for-53).

CLEVELAND STATE SPREADING OUT THE OFFENSE
Cleveland State has tallied 15+ assists in eight of its 13 games so far this season, including 17 at Youngstown State last time out. Through the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, the Vikings are averaging a league-best 16.62 assists per game, and have notched 20 or more assists on three occasions. So far this season, 13 Vikings have recorded at least one assist, led by Deshon Parker and Torrey Patton who both have a team-high 44 assists on the year.

VIKINGS FORCING THE TURNOVER
Through the first 13 games of the 2021-22 campaign Cleveland State has forced its opponents into 210 combined turnovers - 12+ against all 13 opponents -  leading all Horizon League teams with a 3.92 turnover margin. As a team, Cleveland State leads the league with a 1.36 assist/turnover ratio, while Deshon Parker ranks second individually (2.6).

COLLEGEINSIDER.COM MID-MAJOR POLL
After receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll throughout the first part of the 2021-22 campaign, Cleveland State finally cracked the top-25 this week, as they enter Thursday's game ranked No. 21 in the most recent poll released on Monday, January 10. The Vikings are one of three Horizon League teams to be mentioned in the poll, joining Oakland (No. 15) and Wright State (RV).

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 40-32 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 will continue its homestand on Saturday, January 15, hosting Detroit Mercy at 3:30 p.m.