MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Cleveland State women's basketball team wrapped up the 2019-20 regular season Saturday, dropping a 61-57 contest at Milwaukee. The Vikings now enter the Horizon League Tournament with a 19-10 overall record.
Game Stats
· Three Vikings finished with double-figure points, led by Mariah White who posted 25 points on the game. Mariah Miller added 15 and Jade Ely chipped in 10 points.
· Jade Ely grabbed a team-best seven rebounds, while Mariah White and Isabelle Gradwell both recorded five boards.
· As a team, the Vikings notched eight steals on the game, including two from Mariah White, Jade Ely and Isabelle Gradwell.
· The Vikings committed just 11 turnovers on the game, and forced Milwaukee into 15 miscues.
Game Notes
· Mariah White recorded her fifth 20-point game of the season, finishing with 25 against Milwaukee.
· After grabbing two steals against Milwaukee, Mariah White has now recorded at least one steal in all but two games this year, and is just two steals shy of earning a spot on the top-10 list in the CSU Single-Season Record Book.
· Saturday's game marked the regular season finale for the Vikings, as they finished with a 9-9 record in Horizon League play, and now enter the upcoming #HLWBB Tournament with a 19-10 overall mark this season.
PDF BOX SCORE: Milwaukee 61, Cleveland State 57
The Game
After trailing by double-digits heading into the halftime break, the Vikings worked their way back into the contest throughout the third quarter, and entered the final 10 minutes of action trailing by just seven points at 47-40.
To begin the third quarter the Vikings went on a 6-2 run to close the game to 38-31 on a pair of Mariah Miller free throws, and then Cleveland State was then able to cut the lead to five points at 43-38 with 1:41 on the clock. A Miller jumper and a Jade Ely steal and layup brought the Vikings within six points, and then an Ely free throw on the ensuing and-one put the score at 43-38 Milwaukee.
The two teams then traded baskets over the final part of the frame, with the Panthers holding a 47-40 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Cleveland State was able to post the first three points of the fourth quarter then, as a Mariah White layup and Ely free throw put the score at 47-43 Milwaukee with just 38 seconds off the clock.
The two teams traded baskets over the next four minutes then, until the Vikings rattled off eight straight points to tie the contest at 55-55 with just 1:12 left to play. During this stretch the Vikings had six points from White and two from Miller, as the Vikings were able to tie the contest for the first time since early in the first quarter.
After the Viking defense was able to hold Milwaukee scoreless for over four minutes, the Panthers converted a three-pointer on their next trip down the floor, regaining a three-point lead at 58-55.
Although the Vikings had a couple looks at a tying basket over the next few possessions, Milwaukee was able to extend its lead to 60-55 on a pair of free throws with just six seconds left on the clock.
A White layup out of a Cleveland State timeout brought the Vikings back within three-points at 60-57, but the Vikings were forced to foul on the next Milwaukee possession, and the Panthers were able to split their free throws gaining the 61-57 victory.
Up Next
Cleveland State will begin play in the 2020 Horizon League Tournament on Tuesday, March 3, hosting a First Round game against Youngstown State at 7:00 p.m. in the Wolstein Center.
