Men's Basketball ends regular season with clash against Oakland on Saturday Athletics

Posted: Feb 26, 2022

SETTING THE SCENE

The Cleveland State men's basketball program already clinched the Horizon League's No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament, and are still playing for a shot at sole possession of the 2021-22 Horizon regular-season championship. The Vikes made sure to secure themselves at least a share of the conference title with their successful 2-0 road trip to Wisconsin over the past weekend. In order to take the championship for itself, CSU needs to win today OR a Purdue Fort Wayne loss. The five-game road trip to end the year is finally coming to a conclusion for the Vikings, with Saturday afternoon's clash with Oakland also serving as the regular-season finale. Cleveland State enters Saturday at 19-8 overall and 15-5 in conference play. Both CSU and Oakland have already faced each other once this year, as the Golden Grizzlies knocked off the Vikes, 70-65 in Cleveland back on Jan. 13, 2022.

A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD…

Clinch sole possession of the 2021-22 Horizon League Regular Season Championship for the Vikes…Start a new winning-streak for CSU heading into the conference quarterfinals on Thursday…Improve the Vikings to 3-2 on their treacherous road trip to end the season…Give head coach Dennis Gates his 50^thcareer victory with the program (see below).

THE CLEVELAND STATE/OAKLAND SERIES

The Cleveland State and Oakland rivalry is one that is fierce despite only existing for a few years since Oakland joined the Horizon back in 2013. Today will be just the 24^thmeeting between the two programs, if you can believe it, with the Golden Grizzlies holding a slight 12-11 edge. The Vikings are 5-6 on the road against the Golden Grizzlies, and dropped the two team's matchup earlier this year by a 70-65 margin back on Jan. 13, 2022. Oakland enters the game on a three-game losing streak while the Vikes have split their current five-game road trip to end the season (2-2). CSU has won three of the past four meetings coming into this one.

LAST TIME OUT…

The Cleveland State men's basketball program went on a spirited second-half surge, but in the end the home team was too much as Detroit Mercy was able to defeat the Vikings by a 74-67 margin at Calihan Hall on Friday.

- The Vikings had three student-athletes reach double-figures as Tre Gomillion led the column with 12 points scored. Deante Johnson and D'Moi Hodge each added 10 apiece, respectively.

- Broc Finstuen and Torrey Patton both finished with eight points.

- CSU had 10 different student-athletes on the scoring sheet.

- Johnson chipped in a team-high seven rebounds and also tied for the game-high with three blocks.

- Deshon Parker, Patton and Hodge finished tied for the game-best with three steals.

- The Vikes, a squad that has already clinched the No. 1 seed for the Horizon League Championship, will need to win or a Purdue Fort Wayne loss to guarantee sole possession of the regular season title on Saturday.

- Detroit Mercy still has yet to drop at game inside Calihan Hall this season (8-0).

50 FOR GATES

Head coach Dennis Gates is looking for his 50th win of his coaching career today against Oakland, over his first three seasons with the program. With a win, Gates will be just the seventh Vikes coach in school history to reach the 50-win plateau.

SATURDAY'S NET-CUTTING CELEBRATION

The Cleveland State men's basketball program and the CSU Athletic Department would like to invite you to the Wolstein Center this Saturday, Feb. 26 to watch and celebrate the net-cutting ceremony for your 2022 Horizon League Regular Season Champions. The festivities will begin as soon as the team returns from Michigan from their matchup against Oakland on Saturday evening. Doors to the Wolstein Center will open at 9:00 PM ET. Admission to the event is free and there is complimentary parking in the South Garage. For more information please visit CSUVikings.com.

VIKINGS ALL OVER THE NATIONAL RANKS

CSU enters Thursday's conference clash with its name all over the national rankings:

- 11th in the nation in assists per game with 16.8 per contest (tops in Horizon)

- 18th in field goal percentage, shooting at a clip of 48.3 percent (tops in Horizon)

- 22nd with 454 total assists (tops in Horizon)

- 29th in steals per game with 8.6 per contest (fourth in Horizon)

- 34th with 15.44 turnovers forced per matchup (second in Horizon)

- 35th in the nation in free throw attempts with 571 shots (tops in Horizon)

- 35th with 231 total steals (fourth in Horizon)

- 53rd in scoring offense with 76.3 points per game (tops in Horizon)

- 55th with assist-turnover ratio at 1.25 (tops in Horizon)

- 62nd in the country with 70.4 won-lost percentage (tops in Horizon)

- 69th in turnover margin at 2.0 (third in Horizon)

COOKIES

D'Moi Hodge is one of the best student-athletes at generating steals in all of NCAA DI as the senior guard ranks 18th in the nation in steals per game with 2.22 per contest. Hodge also slots in at 14th overall in the country, and tops the Horizon, in total steals with 60. The senior has 105 career steals at CSU over two seasons.

COLLEGEINSIDER.COM MID-MAJOR POLL

For the seventh straight week, Cleveland State was ranked in the Top-25 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll. The Vikings now sit at 18th in the nation in the rankings and are the only team in the conference to earn a slot in the poll this week.

PARKER PASSES

Veteran guard Deshon Parker ranks 48th in the country with his 2.31 assist to turnover ratio.

HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT TICKETS

While the opponent is still not set, the Vikings secured the No. 1 seed and home court advantage for the Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship Quarterfinals, set for March 3 at the Wolstein Center. Tickets purchased in advance are $6 and $10 at the door the day of the game. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.csuvikings.com/buytickets or call 216.687.4848.

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