CLEVELAND, Ohio – Despite a pair of 20-point performances from the senior duo of Mariah Miller and Jade Ely, the Cleveland State women's basketball team came up just short against Wright State on Saturday, dropping a 75-73 contest against the Raiders. The Vikings now stand at 17-7 overall this season and 7-6 in Horizon League play.
Game Stats
· Mariah Miller led the Viking offense with 26 points, while Jade Ely added 20 and Mariah White chipped in 12 points.
· Mariah Miller grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds, while Jade Ely added nine boards.
· The Vikings combined for 11 assists on the game, including five from Taylah Levy and four from Jade Ely.
· As a team, Cleveland State shot 46-percent from the floor (27-for-58), including a .588 clip during the fourth quarter.
· The Vikings forced Wright State into 15 turnovers, turning these miscues into 18 points.
Game Notes
· Mariah Miller posted her fifth double-double of the season against WSU, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds, with the 26 points marking her ninth 20-point game of the year.
· With her 10 rebounds against the Raiders, Mariah Miller eclipsed the 600 mark for her career, ending the game with 604 career boards.
· Jade Ely recorded her first 20-point game of the season on Saturday, finishing right on the number against the Raiders.
PDF BOX SCORE: Wright State 75, Cleveland State 73
The Game
After Cleveland State was able to take a six-point lead into the halftime break at 33-27, the two teams played a back-and-forth third quarter that ended with a Jade Ely three-pointer as time was expiring to knot the score at 51-51 heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation.
The two teams traded leads throughout the opening minutes of the fourth quarter then, until a 6-0 run from the Vikings gave CSU a slim 59-56 advantage at the 5:49 mark. During this stretch, the Vikings had four points from Mariah White, who had to sit a majority of the contest after getting in early foul trouble.
Wright State responded with six straight points of their own to regain control of the game, but back-to-back baskets from Ely and White put the Vikings back ahead once again at 63-62 with just over three minutes left on the clock.
Over the next 2:33 the Raiders were able to regain the lead and extend their advantage to six points at 74-68, but after a CSU timeout an Ely layup halted the WSU run and brought the Vikings back within four points with just 34 seconds remaining.
After a Wright State free throw put the Raiders up by five on the next possession, the Vikings were able to close the gap to just two points on their next trip down the floor, as an Ely three-pointer put the score at 75-73 with just 16 seconds left on the clock.
The CSU defense then forced a turnover on the ensuing Wright State possession, giving the Vikings a look at the tying basket as time expired, but a Raider blocked shot clinched the game for WSU, as they came away with the slim two-point victory.
Up Next
The Vikings will hit the road for a single game next weekend, traveling to Youngstown State for a 1:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, February 15.
