Fairborn, OH-The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team capped its four game Horizon League road trip on a high note with an 85-77 victory over Wright State at the Warriors' Nutter Center Saturday night. Cleveland State won three of four on the road trip and improved to 12-9 overall and 7-3 in league play. Wright State fell to 11-10 and 4-6 overall.
The Vikings led the entire way, thanks to a dominant first half. Wright State fought back in the second half, but Cleveland State held firm down the stretch to finish off the road win.
Four Cleveland State players finished in double figures, led by Tristan Enaruna with 21 points. Enaruna finished a rebound shy of his fourth double-double with nine boards. This marks the eighth consecutive game Enaruna has scored in double figures. He finished an efficient seven for nine from the field and six of eight from the free throw line.
Tae Williams and Deshon Parker finished with 15 points apiece. Williams scored in double figures in three out of the four games on the road trip. Parker added four rebounds, an assist and a steal. All 15 of his points came in the second half.
Drew Lowder finished with 12 points on 5-10 from the field. Lowder cracked the starting lineup for the second time this season, and has scored in double figures in four of the last five games.
Cleveland State got off to a fast start offensively, scoring the first seven points of the game. The Vikings continued the offensive barrage, as Parker found Deante Johnson for a dunk to make it 13-2 Vikings and force a Wright State timeout at the 16:34 mark.
Over the next seven minutes, Wright State fought back to cut the Viking lead to four at 20-16 with a little over nine minutes to play in the half. Cleveland State responded, as Jayson Woodrich made a three-pointer and was fouled in the act of shooting. Woodrich converted the free throw for a four-point play.
Two possessions later, Enaruna hit a three-pointer to cap a mini 7-0 spurt to push the Viking lead back to double digits, it was 27-16 Cleveland State with eight minutes to go in the half.
The Viking lead climbed to as large as 18 points late in the first half, on a Ramar Pryor three with two and a half minutes left. The Vikings held a 47-31 lead at the break. Cleveland State shot a sizzling 70-percent from the floor (19-27), the highest percentage the Vikings have shot in a half this season.
The Cleveland State lead would grow to as large as 22 points early in the second half. Wright State mounted a comeback, and trimmed the lead down to single digits midway through the second half. A Brandon Noel jumper with 9:17 to go cut the lead to five at 64-59.
The Raiders kept it close down the stretch, but never drew within one possession the rest of the way. The Vikings were solid from the free throw line to finish out the victory.
Cleveland State shot 58-percent from the field, and finished 6-14 from three (.429) for the game.
The Vikings will return to the Wolstein Center this week, starting first with a matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday night. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip.
