VALPARISO, Ind. – Despite a career-high performance from junior Brooke Smith, the Cleveland State women's basketball team fell at Valparaiso Thursday evening, 66-59. The Vikings now stand at 4-12 overall this season and 1-5 in Horizon League play.
Game Stats
· Brooke Smith led three Viking in double-figures, posting 18 points on a 4-for-9 effort from the field and a 10-for-11 performance from the free throw line.
· Ashanti Abshaw posted 15 points, while Khayla Livingston added 11 points.
· Nicolete Newman notched eight points along with four rebounds.
· Olivia Voskuhl recorded seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.
· As a team Cleveland State posted 14 steals, with five coming from Brooke Smith and three from Olivia Voskuhl and Shadae Bosley.
· The Vikings forced Valparaiso into 19 turnovers, turning them into 19 points.
Game Notes
· Brooke Smith recorded a career-high with her 18-point performance, while her 10-for-11 effort from the free throw line was also a career-best.
· This marked the 12th time that the Vikings have tallied double-digit steals this season.
The Game
Both teams were evenly matched throughout the first two quarters of the contest, as there were seven lead changes throughout the first 20 minutes of action. After falling behind 26-22 midway through the second frame, Cleveland State went on a 10-2 run over the final minutes of the first half to go into the halftime break with a 32-28 advantage. This run was sparked by five straight points from Nicolete Newman, while Brooke Smith also contributed five points to the run.
Valparaiso came out of halftime holding Cleveland State scoreless over the first 2:26 of the third period, as the Crusaders went on a 5-0 run to gain a 33-32 lead with 7:50 left in the frame. Cleveland State responded with a 10-0 run of its own to regain a 42-33 lead, but a pair of Valparaiso three-pointers and a few empty Cleveland State possessions knotted the score at 42-42 with 3:34 left on the clock. The two teams then traded baskets over the final minutes of the third quarter, going into the fourth and final frame with the score at 46-46.
Valparaiso was able to break the game open over the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, as the Crusader defense held Cleveland State to just two points over the first 4:09, with Valparaiso holding a 54-48 advantage with 6:23 left to play. Over the next few minutes, the Vikings were able to close the gap to two points following an Ashanti Abshaw layup at the 2:35 mark, but that would be as close as Cleveland State would get, as Valparaiso came away with the 66-59 victory.
Up Next
· Cleveland State @ UIC – Saturday, January 23 – 6:00 p.m. EST – Chicago, Ill.
