Dec. 5, 2009
Contact: Brian McCann
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DETROIT, Mich. - Xavier Keeling and Thomas Kennedy combined to score 42 points and Cleveland State's frantic rally from a 2-point second half lead ran out of time as the Vikings dropped a 69-62 decision at Detroit on Saturday afternoon at Detroit's Calihan Hall.
The loss, CSU's fifth straight, dropped the Vikings to 3-6 on the year and 0-2 in Horizon League play while Detroit, which won just eight times in 2008-09, improved to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in league action.
Keeling led the Titans with 24 points while Kennedy added 15 and Woody Payne 10 points. Trevon Harmon led CSU with 15 points, all coming in the second half, while Nigel Ajere added a career-high 12 points and nine rebounds, and Norris Cole and Jeremy Montgomery scored 11 points each.
"We dug ourselves a big hole at the beginning and no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't dig our way out," CSU head coach Gary Waters said. "When you fall behind early like that, a lot of crazy things can happen and it did today. We fought for all 40 minutes, but could never get enough momentum to push our way back into it because we turned the ball over too much. It seemed like every time we had a chance to cut the deficit, we would turn the ball over or miss a good shot."
The Vikings opened the game by missing its first eight shots from the field, finally getting on the board when Cole scored on a driving layup at the 15:46 mark. Unfortunately for CSU, the Titans had scored 12 points by then, connecting on six of its first seven shots.
The deficit would continue to grow as Detroit would connect on 11 of its first 16 shots (.687) while the Vikings were just three-for-16 (.188) as the Titans opened up a 25-6 advantage with 11:08 left.
The Vikings then threw out the pressure man offense that has been used over the last three years, opting for a 2-3 zone that limited Detroit's good looks at the basket.
The tide began to turn as Detroit, which was puzzled by the zone, only scored one point in the final 11 minutes (on a free throw by Chase Simon with 2:28 left), missing its last 14 shots of the half.
"We've been working on the zone a little bit in practice and we've used it at times in games, but it was real effective for us today. We may have found a defense that will allow us to take advantage of the pressure that our guards can put on opponents," Waters said.
The Vikings didn't fully take advantage of the opportunity however, committing 13 first half turnovers and missed all five of its three-point attempts to. Still, CSU closed to within 11, 26-15 at the half.
The zone also permitted the Viking big men to stay closer to the basket. After being out-rebounded, 12-5 early, CSU bounced back to take a 20-19 rebounding edge at the half and with Aaron Pogue pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds, the Vikings ended the night with a 38-36 rebounding edge.
Detroit ran off the first five points of the second half to push its lead to 16 (31-15, 18:55) and led by no less than 11 at any point in the first 15 minutes. The Titans led by as many as 20, 58-38 with 5:18 left before the Vikings rallied.
A three-pointer and two free throws from Harmon cut the deficit to 15 (58-43, 4:39). An 8-1 CSU run - on baskets by Ajere, Cole and Anthony Wells and a pair of free throws by Jared Cunningham - pulled the Vikings to within 64-55 with 1:18 left.
Time proved to be CSU's enemy as Detroit held onto the ball down the stretch and ran the clock.
A basket by Ajere cut the lead to 66-59 (9.2 seconds left) and after Kelling onnected on one of two free throws, Montgomery knocked down a long three-pointer with 2.3 seconds left that cut the margin to 67-62 but the Titans finished the game with a dunk with 0.4 seconds left to end the come back.
One bright spot for CSU in the contest was the play of freshman Anthony Wells. Seeing time in just his second game of the season, Wells made all three of his field goal attempts for six points in seven minutes.
"We've been worried about who is going to play point guard with Norris this year and I think we have found that answer in Anthony Wells," Waters said. "He was poised today and looked nothing like a freshman. He has really progressed well since the start of the year and I look forward to watching him continue to grow into the position."
The Vikings return home to start a three-game home stand when CSU hosts Wilberforce on Saturday, Dec. 12 beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Woodling Gym. It will be only the second game in Woodling since the Wolstein Center opened in 1991-92. Members of the 1979-80 CSU squad will be honored during this special Turn Back The Clock Day.
