YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Despite four players in double-figures, the Cleveland State women's basketball team fell at Youngstown State Saturday afternoon, 94-81. Saturday's contest was the final game of the regular season for the Vikings, as CSU finished the regular season with a 14-15 overall record and a 9-7 mark in Horizon League play.
Following Saturday's loss, Cleveland State will be the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament, traveling to UIC for a quarterfinal contest on Wednesday, March 12.
The Viking offense was led by Cori Coleman who notched 22 points – her seventh 20-point game of the season. Coleman knocked down four three-pointers against the Penguins, giving her 66 for the season, and is now just two three-pointers shy of a program record for single-season makes.
Kiersten Green added 19 points for the Vikings, while Haley Schmitt tallied 16 points and Olivia Voskuhl was just one point shy of her career-high with 11. Schmitt grabbed a team-high nine rebounds with Green adding eight boards, while Imani Gordon had a team-high six assists.
The Penguins came out firing during the first half, shooting 52-percent from the field and 55-percent from three-point, while CSU struggled offensively through the first 20 minutes, trailing 47-37 at the halftime break.
YSU was able to hold onto a double-digit lead through the first five minutes of the second half then, until Coleman converted back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Vikings within seven points at 56-49 with 13:44 remaining. CSU kept the scoring margin within single-digits over the next 3:17, until YSU was able to extend its lead back to 10 points following the Penguins' 13th three-pointer of the contest.
The two teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, until Cleveland State posted a 7-3 run - which included a 4-for-4 performance from the free throw line from Adesuwa Aidyeman – to come within six points of YSU at the 80-74 mark with 3:29 left to play.
With just 2:00 left on the clock, Coleman knocked down her fourth three-pointer of the contest to keep the Vikings within six points, but five straight YSU points gave them an 11-point lead at 88-77 with just over one minute remaining.
The Penguins then outscored CSU 6-4 over the final minute of the contest, with all 10 points during the final stretch coming from the free throw line, to earn the 13-point victory.
Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup at UIC will begin at 8:00 p.m. EST.
