GAME #25
Cleveland State vs. Milwaukee
Friday, February 15 | 7:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | Live Video
PDF CLEVELAND STATE GAME NOTES
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will return home for a pair of Horizon League games this weekend, beginning with a 7:00 p.m. contest against Milwaukee on Friday, February 15. Entering the weekend, Cleveland State stands at 10-14 overall this season and 7-6 in #HLWBB play, while Milwaukee owns an 11-12 overall record and a 6-6 mark in league play.
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings their fourth win over the last five games…Put Cleveland State on a three-game winstreak in the Wolstein Center…Mark a season split for the Vikings against Milwaukee…Put the Vikings at 8-6 in #HLWBB play.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/MILWAUKEE SERIES
Friday's game will be the 56th meeting between the two teams, with Milwaukee owning a 32-23 advantage in the overall series. The Panthers have won eight straight against the Vikings, with Cleveland State's last win coming during the 2014-15 season. When playing in the Wolstein Center, Cleveland State owns a 14-11 edge.
…THE FIRST TIME AROUND
During the first meeting between the two teams, the Panthers picked up a 59-53 victory playing on their home court. After Jade Ely went down with an injury during the first quarter, Mariah Miller led the Viking offense with 13 points, while Rachel Slaney posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Vikings outrebounded Milwaukee 45-33.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Milwaukee enters Friday's game with an 11-12 overall record this season, and stands at 6-6 in Horizon League play…The Panthers currently rank sixth in the #HLWBB standings, and have won just one game out of their last three…As a team, the Panthers lead the league in three-point field goal percentage (.335) and blocked shots (4.7), while they rank second averaging 7.7 three-pointers per game…Individually, Ryaen Johnson ranks second among league players averaging 2.3 blocks per game, while Megan Walstad ranks 13th averaging 10.9 points per game.
LAST TIME OUT…
The Vikings dropped a 64-36 contest at IUPUI, snapping a three-game winstreak, which marked the longest of the season for CSU. Mariah Miller posted a team-high 12 points, while Savanna Crockett grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Shyla Latone added eight points and four rebounds for the Vikings, while Mariana Bautista picked up her second collegiate start.
VIKINGS IN #HLWBB PLAY
Following a 1-1 weekend at UIC and IUPUI last time out, Cleveland State now stands at 7-6 in Horizon League play with three more weeks left of the regular season. The Vikings remain in sole possession of fifth place in the #HLWBB standings, and are one of five teams to post seven or more wins in league play so far this season.
MILLER NAMED #HLWBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Earlier this week, junior Mariah Miller was named the Horizon League Player of the Week following her career-high weekend at UIC & IUPUI. Miller averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the two games last weekend, including her sixth double-double of the year against the Flames. In the win over UIC, Miller posted a career-high 25 points, marking her fourth 20-point game of the year.
…MILLER ON THE OFFENSIVE END
So far this season, Mariah Miller has been Cleveland State's top offensive threat, ranking second among Horizon League players averaging 16.0 points per game as one of only two players averaging 16.0+ ppg. Following her 12-point effort at IUPUI, Miller has now recorded double-digit points in 20 straight games.
CLEVELAND STATE STARTING FIVE
Last weekend, the Vikings showcased their sixth starting lineup of the season at UIC and IUPUI, as Savanna Crockett, Rachel Slaney, Mariana Bautista, JaMiya Braxton, and Mariah Miller were on the court for tipoff. Due to injuries, the Vikings have had to mix up their starting five throughout the season, while Bautista earned a spot in the starting lineup for the first time in her collegiate career.
CROCKETT ON THE BLOCK
Entering the final stretch of regular season play, Savanna Crockett has a team-best 35 blocked shots on the year, ranking third among league players averaging 1.5 blocks per game. With at least five games left this season, Crockett is just eight blocks shy of tying a CSU freshman class record and earning a spot in the top-10 in the CSU single-season record book.
…BRAXTON TRACKING THREE-POINT MARK
JaMiya Braxton also enters the final five games of regular season play tracking down a freshman class record, as she is just 15 three-pointers shy of tying the previous mark. Braxton, who has a team-best 40 three-pointers so far this season, has converted three or more shots from behind-the-arc during six games this year, including a career-high five against Detroit Mercy and Oakland in back-to-back games.
KLEIN PART OF 2019 HALL OF FAME CLASS
On Saturday, February 16 former Cleveland State women's basketball standout Kailey Klein will be inducted into the Cleveland State Athletic Hall of Fame, becoming the 11th women's basketball player to earn the distinction. Klein (2006-10) guided Cleveland State to its first Horizon League Championship in program history during the 2008-09 season, and then helped the Vikings capture a second title during the 2009-10 campaign. Klein graduated as the all-time leading scorer in program history with 2,140 points, and was a three-time All-Horizon League First Team honoree.
VIKINGS ON THE DEAN'S LIST
With the 2018 Fall Semester in the books, five Vikings earned a spot on the Cleveland State University Dean's List - Dana DeGraffenreid, Isabella Geraci, Isabelle Gradwell, Rachel Slaney, and Mariah White. This marks the first Dean's List honors for DeGraffenreid, Geraci, Gradwell, and Slaney, while White has earned a spot on the Dean's List every semester of her collegiate career (3).
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of first-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier during the 2018-19 campaign, as he was named the seventh head coach in program history on April 17, 2018. Kielsmeier joined the Vikings following stints at Wayne State (NE) and Howard Payne, where he became the all-time winningest coach with both programs. Kielsmeier owns a career coaching record of 426-130, which includes a Division III National Title during the 2007-08 season at Howard Payne.
2019 HORIZON LEAGUE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
New for the 2018-19 season, the Horizon League Tournament will feature only the top eight teams, with all eight teams beginning play with a quarterfinal matchup on March 5 or March 6. The quarterfinal winners will advance to the Motor City Madness semifinals, which will be held at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. on Monday, March 11. The championship game will also be held in Detroit, Mich., and will take place on Tuesday, March 12. Both the men's and women's semifinals and championship games will be held at Little Caesars Arena, and will run concurrently. All games will be carried on the ESPN network.
UP NEXT
The Vikings close out the weekend on Sunday, February 17, hosting Green Bay in a 1:00 p.m. contest.
