Contact: Renee Adam
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Behind a career-high 32 points from Shalonda Winton and double-digit efforts from Cori Coleman andHonesty King, the Cleveland State women's basketball team improved to 2-0 in league play Saturday afternoon, earning a 77-66 victory over Detroit. With the win the Vikings are now 10-5 on the year while the Titans fall to 7-7 (0-2).
Winton, who posted the fourth 30-point game of her career, also grabbed 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season. King notched 15 points, including a trio of three-pointers, while Coleman added 13 points - also with three three-pointers. Freshman Nafeshia Holifield led CSU off the bench, posting six points and six rebounds in a career-high 21 minutes played.
The Titans, who were picked to finish second in the Horizon League, went into the halftime break with a 36-34 lead and held the advantage for the first 1:24 of the second half, until Cleveland State regained control of the contest. The Vikings posted a 10-2 run over the opening minutes of the second frame, including eight straight points that ended with a pair of King three-pointers to gain a six-point lead (44-38) at the 17:38 mark.
Over the next 2:47 the Vikings were able to extend their lead to double-digits (50-39) with four points from Winton and two fromKiersten Green. CSU held at least a five-point lead over the Titans for the next eight minutes, until Detroit was able to go on a 5-0 run to come within three at the 58-55 mark with 6:33 left to play.
CSU responded with seven straight points of its own, including a three-pointer from Coleman to regain an eight-point lead (65-57) with just over four minutes left on the clock. In the final four minutes of action, the Vikings posted an 11-9 run, including a 10-for-12 performance from the free throw line - earning the 11-point victory.
The Vikings, who have won nine of their last 10 games, shot 42-percent from the floor (26-61), notching 15 assists on their 26 field goals. CSU forced Detroit into 19 turnovers, and held the Titans to 37-percent from the floor (20-53).
Cleveland State will continue its four-game homestand next week, hosting Green Bay on Thursday (Jan. 17) and Milwaukee on Saturday (Jan. 19).
