The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team fought all the way to the final buzzer in its first road test of the 2022-23 season. The Vikings(0-2) had the lead early in the second half before a late Cincinnati(2-0) run put the game away. The game was much closer than the 69-58 final score indicated.
Three Vikings scored in double figures, led by Tristan Enaruna who finished with 15 points. Deante Johnson added 12 points, along with six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Drew Lowder chipped in 10 points off the bench, on 4-7 from the floor.
The game was played in front of a crowd of 9,227 at the Bearcats' Fifth Third Arena, but from the start Cleveland State was unfazed by the road environment. Enaruna scored the game's opening points and the two teams were dead even at 8 apiece at the first media timeout.
Cincinnati grew its lead to eight with under five minutes to play in the first half, but the Vikings fought back, closing the first half on a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to one headed into the halftime locker room. Deshon Parker capped off the run with a beautiful bounce pass to Enaruna for a fast break layup with just seven seconds left in the half.
The momentum from the first half carried over to the second, as Cleveland State grabbed the lead in the opening minutes. A dunk by Johnson just under two minutes in forced a Cincinnati timeout, with Cleveland State up three at 35-32.
From there, it was a back and forth battle until the Bearcats seized control late. David DeJulius hit a key three pointer off a second chance opportunity that put Cincinnati up nine with just over seven minutes to play. DeJulius finished with 18 points to lead all scorers in the game. From there Cleveland State could get no closer than seven points, as Cincinnati held on down the stretch.
The Vikings shot just 3 of 12 from three point range, with two of those makes coming from Lowder, but were a much improved 7 of 9 from the free throw line.
Cleveland State will stay on the road and next travel to Athens, OH to take on the Ohio Bobcats in a non-conference game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
