Game 28 - Cleveland State at Northern Kentucky
Cleveland State Game Notes
Truist Arena - Highland Heights, KY
7:00 p.m.
All-Time vs. Northern Kentucky: 9-10
Last Meeting: 1/7/24 88-85 W(OT)
Tickets: nkunorse.com
Radio: Real 106.1 FM
Play-By-Play: Al Pawlowski, Ed Daugherty(Host)
TV: ESPN+
Play-By-Play: Brady Laber, Matt Sexton
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State Men's Basketball team hits the road for the final time in the 2023-24 regular season as the Vikings head south to take on Northern Kentucky in the first of two road matchups this week. The Vikings and Norse have identical 9-7 records in conference play and are part of a three-way tie for fifth place in the league standings. Cleveland State has won three of its last five and will look to come away with a second consecutive road victory in a pivotal matchup in the league standings. NKU has won three of its last four but had its three-game win streak snapped last time out at Milwaukee.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/NORTHERN KENTUCKY SERIES
Thursday's matchup marks the 20th meeting between Cleveland State and Northern Kentucky. The Norse hold a 10-9 edge in the all-time series. NKU has won three of the last five meetings, however Cleveland State took the first matchup between the two teams this season. The Vikings held off the Norse 88-85 in Overtime on January 7. Five players scored in double figures for the Vikings in the victory, led by Tristan Enaruna who tallied 24 points. NKU defeated CSU in the Horizon League Tournament Championship game last season, 63-61.
CLEVELAND STATE PICKS UP COMEBACK WIN OVER YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Cleveland State defeated Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 81-73 thanks to a monster game from Tristan Enaruna and several key second half surges. The Vikings trailed by four at the break and by as many as eight early in the second half before a late surge propelled them to victory. Enaruna finished one shy of a career high with 31 points, and Tae Williams added 18 with 10 coming in the second half.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS ROAD VICTORY AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Cleveland State defeated Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday night 75-72 to earn its fourth road victory and second in three games. The Vikings came from 11 points down in the second half to earn a come-from-behind win. Tristan Enaruna struck for 24 points, his fifth consecutive game with 23 or more, to lead the way for the Vikings. Drew Lowder was critical to the second half comeback, scoring all 20 of his points after halftime including connecting on seven of nine field goal attempts in the second half.
SCOUTING THE NORSE
Northern Kentucky is 14-13 and 9-7 in the Horizon League coming into Thursday's game. The Norse have won three of their last four to move into a tie for fifth place in the Horizon League standings. Preaseason first-team all league player Marques Warrick leads a trio of NKU players averaging in double figures. Warrick averages 18.8 points per game, and 19.8 in conference games, which ranks fourth in the league. Darrin Horn is in his fourth season as the head coach, and has won 94 games in his time in charge of the program.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS COMEBACK WIN OVER ROBERT MORRIS
Cleveland State defeated Robert Morris on Sunday afternoon at the Wolstein Center to move to 6-5 in league play. The Vikings earned a comeback win after trailing for a majority of the second half before a late charge put Cleveland State ahead and allowed the Vikings to hold off RMU for a two-point win, 66-64. Tristan Enaruna recorded his second consecutive game of 28 points, finishing 11-19 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Jayson Woodrich came off the bench and provided a critical offensive spark, hitting two key three-pointers early in the second half en route to a 12-point performance.
CLEVELAND STATE EARNS ROAD VICTORY AT DETROIT MERCY
Cleveland State defeated Detroit Mercy on Thursday night for just the sixth time in series history at Calihan Hall, and the first time since 2020. The Vikings prevailed 77-65 and moved to 7-5 in Horizon League competition. Cleveland State got 27 points from Tristan Enaruna, who recorded his third-straight game with 27-or more points, and 10 points off the bench from Jayson Woodrich. The Vikings built a double-digit lead at halftime and held off the pesky Titans in the second half to come away with their third road victory of the 2023-24 season.
CLEVELAND STATE PICKS UP COMEBACK WIN OVER PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Cleveland State defeated Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday afternoon 75-68 to earn an 18th-straight home victory. The Vikings were down as many as 15 points in the second half before storming back to take the lead late. Cleveland State finished with 23 assists on 29 made field goals in the game, with Tristan Enaruna and Tae Williams setting career highs in assists in the win. Drew Lowder finished with 23 points to lead all scorers on 50 percent shooting from three-point range.
HOME SWEET HOME
Cleveland State has made a habit of protecting its home court throughout the last two seasons. The Vikings are 12-2 at home this season and have a 25-5 overall record in Cleveland in the Daniyal Robinson era. Cleveland State is outscoring opponents by over 10 points per game in home contests this season.
GOING TO THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Through the Horizon League season, the Vikings have been one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the conference. Cleveland State ranks fourth in the league in offensive rebounding, averaging 12.7 offensive rebounds per contest in league play.
DANIYAL ROBINSON ACHIEVES RECORD-SETTING FIRST SEASON
Cleveland State head coach Daniyal Robinson set a new school record in his first season in charge of the program. Robinson and the Vikings recorded 21 wins in 2022-23, which is the most wins of any first-year head coach in school history. Cleveland State finished as the runner-up in the Horizon League Tournament and made the program's third-straight postseason appearance, earning a trip to the CBI. Should the Vikings reach the postseason this year, it would be the first time in school history that CSU has reached the postseason four consecutive years.
VIKINGS PICKED FOURTH IN #HLMBB PRESEASON POLL
Cleveland State was picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League Men's Basketball Preseason Poll following a vote amongst league head coaches, media members and Sports Information Directors from the league's 11 participating schools. Cleveland State received one first-place vote and finished with 362 points. In addition, senior forward Tristan Enaruna was named to the all-league first team after averaging 15.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season.
ENARUNA LEADING THE WAY
Tristan Enaruna has been on a tear of late, registering seven straight games and 10 of his last 11 above 20 points in scoring. Enaruna currently ranks third in the Horizon League averaging 19.8 points per game in conference play. The fifth-year senior also ranks among the top-15 in the league in rebounds, assists and steals. Over the last five games, Enaruna is averaging 25 points and six rebounds per contest while shooting at a 51 percent clip from the field and an 82 percent mark from the free throw line.
DREW LOWDER NAMED #HLMBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Following a 26-point night against Bradley on Friday, senior guard Drew Lowder was named the Horizon League Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. Lowder finished one point shy of his career high, set in the season opener at Duquesne, and tied his career best with six three-pointers in nine attempts. He also registered a career-high four steals. Lowder helped ignite the Vikings down the stretch, as he scored five points as part of the closing 12-0 run that secured the victory. Lowder hit the game-tying three-pointer with 3:23 remaining and the Vikings led for good after that point. This is Lowder's first league player of the week award.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State continues its two-game road swing with a matchup at Robert Morris on Sunday afternoon. The game against RMU tips off at 2:00 p.m.
