All-Time vs. YSU: 55-45
Last Meeting: 12/29/22 85-71 L
Tickets: csuvikings.com
Radio: 1350 AM The Gambler
Play-By-Play: Al Pawlowski, Pat Vuyancih
TV: ESPN+
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team continues a key Horizon League weekend homestand as the Vikings play host to Youngstown State for a Sunday afternoon matchup at the Wolstein Center. The Vikings snapped a two game losing skid with a dramatic victory over Robert Morris on Friday night and are looking to make it two in a row today. The Vikings are 10-5 in the Horizon League and this marks the third straight year that CSU has won ten or more league games. Youngstown State is riding a five game winning streak coming into today's matchup. The Penguins are currently in first place at 12-3 in the league.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/YOUNGSTOWN STATE SERIES
Saturday's game is the 101st all-time meeting between Cleveland State and Youngstown State. The Vikings lead the all-time series 55-45 and have won four out of the last five meetings. This is the second time the two teams have met this season, with Youngstown State winning the previous matchup. The Penguins bested the Vikings 85-71 in Youngstown on December 29th. Tristan Enaruna and Deshon Parker led the way with 18 apiece for Cleveland State. The Penguins shot a sizzling 56-percent from the floor and finished 17-21 from the free throw line to secure the victory.
CLEVELAND STATE DOWNS WRIGHT STATE TO CAP 3-1 ROAD TRIP
The Vikings defeated Wright State on the road Saturday night, 85-77 to take three of four in a critical mid-season Horizon League road swing. Cleveland State got contributions from several players, as four of the five Viking starters finished in double figures. Tristan Enaruna led the way with 21 points. Cleveland State led the entire way, starting out hot shooting 70-percent from the floor in the first half and holding off a second half rally from Wright State for the victory.
CLEVELAND STATE DOWNS PURDUE FORT WAYNE FOR KEY HL VICTORY Cleveland State defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 79-74 on Friday night to improve to 8-3 in the Horizon League. The Vikings shot 58-percent from the floor and outrebounded the Mastodons 31-29. Cleveland State led the entire way, but had to hold off several comeback attempts from PFW to claim victory. Tristan Enaruna led a group of five Vikings in double figures with 19 points.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State is 20-6 and 12-3 in the Horizon League coming into today's contest. The Penguins currently sit in first place in the league standings and have won five in a row. Dwayne Cohill leads YSU in scoring, averaging just a shade under 20 points per game in league play. That average ranks fourth in the league. Cohill also averages 4.9 assists per game which ranks second in the league. Jerrod Calhoun is in his sixth season as the Head Coach. Calhoun played at Cleveland State in the early 2000s and has led the Penguins to three straight winning seasons for just the second time in program history.
VIKINGS WIN THRILLER OVER ROBERT MORRIS
Cleveland State defeated Robert Morris for the second time in 2022-23 in a thrilling finish that came down to the game's final possession. The Vikings jumped out to an early lead, scoring 17 of the game's first 20 points. Cleveland State led by double digits midway through the second half before RMU mounted a charge to tie the game and ultimately take the lead late. The Vikings responded to tie it up and then Deante Johnson won it with a tip in with just over two seconds remaining to give the Vikings a narrow 57-55 win. Johnson recorded his second double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.
VIKINGS DEFEAT IUPUI TO MOVE INTO FIRST PLACE TIE
Cleveland State defeated IUPUI on Sunday to move into a tie for first place atop the Horizon League standings. Four of the five Viking starters finished in double figures in the 78-72 win. Cleveland State led wire-to-wire in the game, and had a lead as large as 20 in the early going of the second half. IUPUI came back and briefly trimmed the lead to one posession, but the Vikings were able to hold off the Jags down the stretch. CSU finished with 21 assists in the contest, which is a season best.
GETTING IT DONE ON DEFENSE
Throughout the season, Cleveland State has found success defensively. The Vikings are holding opponents to an average of 67.6 points per game, which is third in the Horizon League. CSU ranks second in opponent field goal percentage, at .424, and ranks third in opponent three-point percentage, holding opposing teams to just 32-percent from long range.
VIKINGS DEFEAT CANISIUS, EARN FIRST WIN UNDER COACH ROBINSON Cleveland State picked up its first win of the 2022-23 season with a hard fought, 58-57 overtime win against Canisius last Wednesday. Cleveland State started fast, jumping out to a double digit lead in the first half, but had to withstand a surge by Canisius in the second half. The Golden Griffins battled back, and eventually tied the game at 53, sending it to overtime. Cleveland State scored first in the extra session and held on for the victory. Four of the five starters in the contest for the Vikings finished in double figures, led by Tristan Enaruna who finished with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. The win marked the first for Head Coach Daniyal Robinson in his career.
ENARUNA ON A HOT STREAK
Transfer forward Tristan Enaruna has been the spark plug for the Vikings offensively of late. The Junior from the Netherlands currently ranks 11th in the Horizon League in scoring at 14.7 ppg. Enaruna has scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games, and has registered three double-doubles thus far. Enaruna is averaging just under 17 points a game in conference play, which is tied for eighth in the league.
PARKER DROPPING DIMES
Deshon Parker has been a great facilitator for Cleveland State through the early going of the regular season. So far, Parker has totaled 100 assists. He had a ca- reer-high 11 in the opener against Notre Dame College. His average of 3.8 assists per game is fifth in the Horizon League, and his assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.0 also ranks fourth in the league.
WINNING THE MARGINS
Through 15 games, Cleveland State is second in the Horizon League with a +3.0 turnover margin. The Vikngs are also second in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.16
WILLIAMS RISES TO THE OCCASION
Tae Williams has been a key to the Vikings' success in the early going of the regular season. Williams registered a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Detroit Mercy. Williams is averaging 10 points per game and has scored in double figures 14 times so far this season, including three of the last six games. He registered his second double-double with 13 points and a season-high 13 rebounds against Milwaukee.
LOWDER LIGHTS IT UP
Drew Lowder has been an energizer for Cleveland State, and played his way into the starting lineup. Lowder had a stretch of three of five games where he scored in double figures, including a season-high 16 points in the win over Oakland. He has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games, including a season-high 21 against Green Bay.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State continues its closing homestand with a Friday evening matchup against Wright State on Feburary 17th. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. $5 tickets are available for all fans.
