GAME #5
Cleveland State vs. UIC
Saturday, November 20 | 5:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
CLEVELAND STATE ROSTER | UIC ROSTER
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will officially open up Horizon League play this weekend, hosting UIC on Saturday, November 20. After getting a forfeit win against IUPUI on Thursday, the Vikings enter the weekend standing at 4-0 overall this season and 1-0 in #HLWBB play.
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD…
Extend Cleveland State's season-opening win streak to four straight games…Put the Vikings at 2-0 to start #HLWBB play for the second time under head coach Chris Kielsmeier…Mark the 11th straight win for the Vikings over UIC…Extend Cleveland State's win streak inside the Wolstein Center to 11 straight games dating back to January 23 of last season.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/UIC SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the 80th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a 46-33 advantage in the all-time series. Last season, the only meeting between the two teams was in the #HLWBB Tournament, with the Vikings earning a 69-43 victory over the Flames in a first round contest.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
UIC enters Saturday's game standing at 0-2 overall this year and 0-1 in league play after dropping a 69-63 contest at Purdue Fort Wayne in its #HLWBB opener…After just two games this season, Jaida McCloud leads UIC averaging 14.5 points per game, while Keona Schenck is averaging 12.0 points per game…Earlier this year, UIC was selected to finish 10th in the Horizon League Preseason Poll…The Flames will be under the direction of fourth-year head coach Tasha Pointer.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State was slated to open #HLWBB play agaisnt IUPUI on Thursday, but due to COVID-19 issues within the Jags program, IUPUI was forced to forfeit the game. Based on Horizon League protocols, the Vikings earned the win for Thursday's forfeit, entering Saturday's game with a 1-0 #HLWBB record on the year.
…LAST TIME OUT BEFORE THAT
The Vikings picked up back-to-back wins against St. Bonaventure and Quincy, improving to 3-0 on the year. Against the Bonnies, the Vikings shot 36-percent from the floor, while they improved that to a .493 clip against Quincy. Cleveland State outrebounded both of its opponents last weekend, including a 49-37 edge against St. Bonaventure. Throughout the two games, Cleveland State combined for 19 steals, and 18 blocked shots.
VIKINGS SET TO BEGIN #HLWBB PLAY
Saturday's game against UIC will be the first time on the court for the Vikings in #HLWBB play this season, while it will be the second game of league play for the Flames. This week's games against IUPUI and UIC will mark the first time that Cleveland State will be playing league games during the month of November in program history.
CLEVELAND STATE TABBED SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Last month the Vikings were tabbed to finish sixth in the Horizon League Preseason Poll - picking up 78 points. Last season, the Vikings finished sixth in the league standings with an 8-8 #HLWBB record, and advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament for the second straight year. IUPUI was picked as the preseason favorite, while Milwaukee, Green Bay, Northern Kentucky, and Oakland rounded out the top five.
LEO NAMED #HLWBB PRESEASON SECOND TEAM
After being named the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year as a freshman last season, Destiny Leo earned a spot on the #HLWBB Preseason Second Team last month, becoming the fourth Viking to earn a spot on a preseason team during head coach Chris Kielsmeier's tenure. As a freshman, Leo averaged 11.4 points per game to rank 13th among league players, while she was tops in the #HLWBB standings with 51 total three-pointers on the season.
3-0 START TO THE 2021-22 CAMPAIGN
For just the fourth time in program history the Vikings went 3-0 to start the season (excluding the forfeit win over IUPUI), picking up wins against ETSU, St. Bonaventure and Quincy. The last time the Vikings were 3-0 to start the year was during the 2010-11 season when Cleveland State posted a 5-0 record through the first five games. Cleveland State is one of three #HLWBB teams to be undefeated this season.
LEO NOTCHES THREE-STRAIGHT 20-POINT GAMES
Over the first three games of the 2021-22 campaign, sophomore Destiny Leo is averaging 24.7 points per game after notching 20+ points on all three occasions. Leo opened the season with 24 points against ETSU, then followed that up with 20 points against St. Bonaventure, and finished the week with a career-high 30 points against Quincy. Leo has combined for 11 total three-pointers through the first week of play, including a career-high tying five against ETSU and Quincy. Entering the week, Leo leads the league with her 24.7 ppg and 11 three-pointers, while she ranks third with a .595 clip from the floor.
DUMAS TALLIES FIRST DOUBLE-DOUBLE OF THE SEASON
Last time out, Nadia Dumas notched the first double-double of the season for the Vikings, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Quincy. This marked Dumas' second double-double of her career and just the third double-double among #HLWBB players at the time. Through the first three games, Dumas is averaging 8.7 points and a team-best 8.0 boards per game, while her 8.0 rebounding average ranks fifth in the league.
CLEVELAND STATE AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Entering the first week of #HLWBB play, Cleveland State leads the league in rebounding and blocked shots, averaging 44.0 boards per game and 6.67 blocks per game. Individually, Nadia Dumas (8.0) and Amele Ngwafang (7.3) both rank in the top-six in rebounding, while Dumas also ranks second averaging 2.7 blocks per game.
HOME SWEET HOME
During the 2021-22 season the Vikings will play 17 of their 29 regular season games in the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center - including six of their seven non-league contests. Cleveland State will start the season with six straight home games, marking the first time in program history that the Vikings will spend the entire month of November at home.
…VIKINGS EXTEND WOLSTEIN CENTER WIN STREAK
With their back-to-back wins against St. Bonaventure and Quincy last weekend, the Vikings extended their current win streak inside the Wolstein Center to 10 straight games. This run dates back to January 23 of last season, and includes wins over eight different teams. Over the last three seasons Cleveland State has combined for a 20-6 record when playing at home, including a perfect 7-0 mark against non-league opponents.
THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State returns 10 letterwinners from last season's WBI Championship squad, including the senior quartet of Nadia Dumas, Isabella Geraci, Isabelle Gradwell, and Barbara Zieniewska. This returning core will be joined by four transfers and one true freshman for the upcoming season, giving head coach Chris Kielsmeier a well-rounded roster for the 2021-22 campaign.
…HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of fourth-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier during the 2021-22 campaign, who owns a 48-40 record at Cleveland State and a 462-156 overall record in 21 seasons as a head coach. Kielsmeier, who joined the Vikings as the seventh head coach in program history prior to the 2018-19 season, notched his 450th career win last year in a 60-48 victory over Green Bay, becoming just the second active #HLWBB coach to reach the milestone.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will return to non-league play next week, hosting LIU on Sunday, November 28.
