Jan. 14, 2002
The Cleveland State Vikings dropped a close battle with rival Wright State tonight at Goodman Arena. The Vikings took a 59-56 lead with three minutes left in the game, but errors down the stretch gave the Raiders a 68-64 victory.
"It was a very, very good basketball game," said Head Coach Rollie Massimino. "We missed free throws and layups down the stretch."
"It was a great game, both teams fought their hearts out," said Raiders Head Coach Ed Schilling. "It was a game of runs, CSU made a ferocious run in the first half. Yet we hung on and came through in the end."
CSU got off to a slow start in the first half, going down by 13 points with 12:02 left. But the Vikings powered back with a 12-0 run and took a 33-30 lead into halftime.
Senior Theo Dixon (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) led CSU in the second frame, scoring 15 of his game-high 25 points. The swingman also tied a career high with four steals. CSU shot 12-22 (55%) in the second half, but Wright State countered by going 12-21 (57%).
The last five minutes of basketball proved to be exciting, as the teams exchanged leads five times. Jamaal Harris (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) hit a three-pointer with 2:59 remaining to take a 59-56 lead. However, over a minute later the Raiders' Vernard Hollins sank two free-throws after Dixon's fifth foul to go up, 60-59.
CSU's Jermaine Robinson (Philadelphia, Penn./Simon Gratz) hit a three-pointer with :22 left to pull to within two. However, that's as close as the Vikings got. Cain Doliboa sank four free throws with under :12 to seal the victory.
