Feb. 19, 2005
Mount Pleasant, Mich. - Cleveland State used a huge scoring run in the first half to take a 14-point advantage over Central Michigan but could not hold on as the Chippewas came storming back in the final minutes to shock the Vikings with a 79-70 win at Rose Arena. CMU used a 16-4 run midway through the second to top the Vikings in a Bracket Buster contest on Saturday (Feb. 19) afternoon.
After trailing 15-7 at 15:17 of the first, the Vikings used a 24-2 run late in the period to take a 31-17 lead at the 4:46 mark. Senior forward Omari Westley began the streak with a spectacular dunk, while freshman guard Steve Gansey knotted the score at 15 with jumper inside the line.
After Sefton Barrett hit one of two from the free throw line to put CMU back in front, Gansey nailed three straight triples to open up the lead and hit a fourth three pointer, followed by a dunk from Westley, to give CSU its largest advantage of the night.
Central Michigan chipped away at the lead, but the Vikings carried a comfortable 10 point advantage into the locker room at 38-28.
With Cleveland State on top 46-37 with 15:55, the Chippewas used a 16-4 run to close the gap before Kevin Nelson hit a three at 9:56 to put CMU out in front for good.
The Vikings couldn't get any closer than three points during the final four minutes, with Central Michigan answering every CSU shot.
Cleveland State out-shot Central Michigan 44 percent (20-for-46) to 43 percent (24-for-56), but the Vikings' 33 percent shooting in the second half (7-for-21), including 1-of-10 from three, spelled the difference in the final score, as CMU hit 54 percent (15-28) in the second to out-score the Vikings 51-32. Central Michigan also benefited down the stretch from 22-of-29 shooting from the free-throw line.
Westley led the Vikings with 21 points and eight boards, while Gansey notched all 14 of his points in the first half. Freshman Mike Redell tied a career-high with 16 points, including a 7-of-10 mark from the line, and sophomore Patrick Tatham chipped in nine points of his own.
Barrett and Nelson led all scorers with 24 a piece, while Tony Bowne pulled in seven rebounds.
CSU returns home to face Loyola on Wednesday (Feb. 23) beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Wolstein Center.
