Posted: Mar 05, 2019
GAME #30
No. 7 Cleveland State at No. 2 Green Bay
Wednesday, March 6 | 8:00 p.m. EST | Green Bay, Wis.
Live Stats | Live Video
PDF CLEVELAND STATE GAME NOTES
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will begin postseason play this week, traveling to Green Bay for a Motor City Madness Quarterfinal contest on Wednesday, March 6. Entering Wednesday's game, CSU stands at 10-19 overall this season and finished the regular season with a 7-11 record in Horizon League play, while Green Bay is currently 20-8 on the year and notched a 15-3 record against league opponents during the regular season.
A WIN ON WEDNESDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings into the Motor City Madness Semifinals…Snap a six-game losing streak for Cleveland State…Mark just the seventh victory for the Vikings over Green Bay in program history.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/GREEN BAY SERIES
Wednesday's game will be the 71st meeting between the two teams, with Green Bay holding a 64-6 advantage in the all-time series. Green Bay won both regular season matchups between the two teams this year, and has won 17 of 18 meetings over the last nine seasons. Two of Cleveland State's six wins against the Phoenix have come during Horizon League Tournament play, as the Vikings upset Green Bay in the semifinals of the 2008 and 2010 tournaments.
…AGAINST GREEN BAY THIS SEASON
In the first meeting, Green Bay picked up a 62-53 victory on its home court, with Mariah Miller (15 pts) and Jade Ely (12 pts) leading the Viking offense. In the second meeting, the Phoenix picked up a 76-63 victory in the Wolstein Center despite a double-double from Savanna Crockett (13 pts & 10 rbs) and a team-high 17-point performance from Rachel Slaney.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay enters Wednesday's game with a 20-8 overall record, and finished the regular season with a 15-3 mark in Horizon League action, earning the No. 2 seed in the #HLWBB Tournament…The Phoenix are currently on a five-game winstreak, most recently picking up wins at IUPUI and UIC to close out regular season play…As a team, Green Bay has been allowing the fewest points among league teams (52.1), while GB also leads the league with 9.5 steals per game…Individually, Jen Wellnitz is averaging a league-best 2.8 steals per game, while Hailey Oskey sits at the top of the league standings with a .400 three-point field goal percentage.
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.
…VIKINGS IN #HLWBB PLAY
Cleveland State enters the #HLWBB Horizon League Tournament as the No. 7 seed after finishing the regular season with a 7-11 mark against league opponents. CSU's league wins came as season sweeps against Detroit Mercy, Oakland and UIC, while they also split the season series against Northern Kentucky.
…VIKINGS IN THE #HLWBB TOURNAMENT
Over the last 17 seasons, Cleveland State owns a 12-14 record in the Horizon League Tournament, advancing to the semifinals six times and earning an appearance in the championship game twice. The Vikings won the Horizon League Tournament title in both of their championship appearances, capturing the crown during the 2007-08 and 2009-10 seasons.
CROCKETT NAMED #HLWBB FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Savanna Crockett was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game during the regular season. Crockett, who is the only freshman in the Horizon League to appear in the starting lineup during every contest, is averaging 31.9 minutes through 29 games this year. Entering tournament play, Crockett ranks in the top-10 among league players in scoring (10th), rebounding (third) and blocks (third), while she is the top freshman in all three categories.
…CROCKETT ON THE BLOCK
Entering Wednesday's quarterfinal contest, Savanna Crockett has a team-best 43 blocked shots on the year, ranking third among league players averaging 1.5 blocks per game. After posting two blocks against Youngstown State in the regular season finale, Crockett tied the CSU Freshman Class Record for blocks, and now ranks 10th in the CSU Single-Season Record Book.
MILLER NAMED TO #HLWBB FIRST TEAM
Mariah Miller earned a spot on the All-Horizon League First Team after leading the Cleveland State offense averaging 15.7 points per game to rank second among league players. Miller has recorded 10+ points in all but one game she has played in this season, and is also averaging 8.0 rebounds per game to rank fifth among league players. She is one of just two league players to rank in the top-five in both scoring and rebounding.
WHITE NAMED TO #HLWBB ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Mariah White was named to the Horizon League All-Defensive Team after leading the Vikings with 62 total steals this year. Among league players, White ranks second averaging 2.3 steals per game, and is one of just three league players with 2.0+ steals per game. White has recorded multiple steals in 19 games so far this year, including a career-high five against UIC and Detroit Mercy.
…VIKINGS WITH THE TAKEAWAY
As a team, Cleveland State has been one of the top teams in the Horizon League in steals throughout the season, entering tournament play with a league-best 273 total steals this season. The Vikings recorded double-digit steals in 11 of 18 regular season Horizon League contests, and notched a season-high 16 steals against Illinois State during non-league play.
BRAXTON TRACKING THREE-POINT MARK
Entering Wednesday's game at Green Bay, JaMiya Braxton is just six three-pointers shy of tying a CSU Freshman Class Record, as she enters #HLWBB Tournament play with 49 three-pointers this season. Braxton has converted three or more shots from behind-the-arc during eight games this year, including a career-high five against Detroit Mercy and Oakland in back-to-back games earlier this year.
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 426-135, which includes a Division III National Title during the 2007-08 season at Howard Payne.
