VERMILLION, S.D. – Despite a strong second half performance, the Cleveland State women's basketball team came up short against South Dakota Saturday afternoon, falling to the Coyotes 74-70. The Vikings are now 5-8 on the season, while South Dakota improves to 9-6.
Kiersten Green was just shy of her career-high with 26 points against South Dakota to lead the Vikings, while Cori Coleman notched 17 points, marking her fifth straight double-digit game. The trio of Imani Gordon, Adesuwa Aideyman, and Khayla Livingston all added seven points each for the Vikings. Along with her seven points, Gordon also tallied a game-high 12 rebounds – her third double-digit rebounding game of the season.
After going into the halftime break trailing by six-points (34-28), the Vikings opened the second half on a 13-7 run, gaining their first lead since the opening minutes of the contest at the 41-40 mark. The lead wouldn't last long though, as South Dakota regained the advantage on the following possession and then went on a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 51-41 with 13:08 remaining.
Over the next 5:47 CSU was able to chip away at the lead, closing the gap to three-points (57-54) following back-to-back baskets from Green and Livingston with just over seven minutes left to play. The Coyotes responded with an 8-2 run of their own, regaining a nine-point lead at the 65-56 mark with 3:38 left to play.
The two teams traded baskets over the next two minutes then, until a pair of Gordon free throws brought the Vikings within four points (70-66) with just 32 seconds left in the contest.
Both teams were forced to foul throughout the closing seconds, with South Dakota going 4-for-8 from the free throw line, and the Vikings going 2-for-4, as the Coyotes closed out the four-point victory.
The Vikings, who arrived in Vermillion, S.D. just eight hours prior to the game because of weather conditions, shot 42-percent from the floor (25-for-59), and grabbed 33 rebounds – including 15 offensive boards.
Cleveland State will open up Horizon League play when the Vikings return to action, traveling to Detroit for a 7:00 p.m. contest on Thursday, January 9.
