GAME #7
Cleveland State at Northern Kentucky
Friday, December 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Highland Heights, Ky.
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will hit the road for the first time this season on Friday, December 3, traveling to Northern Kentucky to continue Horizon League play. The Vikings enter Friday's contest standing at 6-0 on the season and 2-0 in #HLWBB play, while Northern Kentucky is currently 4-2 overall and 1-1 in league play.
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD…
Extend Cleveland State's season-opening win streak to six straight games (excluding the forfeit win against IUPUI)…Keep the Vikings perfect in #HLWBB play…Give the Vikings three straight wins against the Norse…Put Cleveland State at 1-0 in road games this season.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/NORTHERN KENTUCKY SERIES
Friday's game will mark the 13th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning an 8-4 advantage in the all-time series. After not facing each other last season, the last time these two teams met was during the 2019-20 campaign, when the Vikings picked up wins in both meetings.
SCOUTING THE NORSE
Northern Kentucky enters Friday's game standing at 4-2 overall this season and 1-1 in #HLWBB play…To begin league play, the Norse picked up a 61-52 victory at Green Bay, before falling to Milwaukee…The Norse are currently on a two-game win streak, picking up wins against Miami (Oh) and Central Arkansas last week…Earlier this season, NKU was selected to finish fourth in the #HLWBB Preseason Poll, while Lindsey Duvall was named Preseason First Team and Ivy Turner was named Preseason Second Team.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State picked up an 87-65 victory over LIU, going undefeated during the month of November. The Vikings had four players finish with double-figure points, led by Amele Ngwafang with 20 and Destiny Leo with 18. Cleveland State recorded 16 assists on 24 made field goals, shooting 40-percent from the floor. In addition, the Vikings notched 16 steals, forcing LIU into 23 turnovers.
VIKINGS RETURN TO #HLWBB PLAY
Cleveland State will return to Horizon League play this weekend, looking to stay perfect in #HLWBB play and improve to 3-0. Entering the second week of league play, Cleveland State is one of four teams to be undefeated in league play, while a win on Friday would put the Vikings at 3-0 in league play for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
…AND BENEFIT FROM THE FORFEIT
Over the first two weeks of the league slate the Vikings have benefitted from a pair of forfeit wins, as the #HLWBB opener against IUPUI was declared a forfeit and Sunday's contest at Wright State has also been declared a forfeit. Both games were canceled due to COVID-19 implications for Cleveland State's opponents.
CLEVELAND STATE TABBED SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Earlier this season, 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.
5-0 START TO THE 2021-22 CAMPAIGN
For just the second time in program history the Vikings are 5-0 to start the season (excluding the forfeit win over IUPUI), picking up wins against ETSU, St. Bonaventure, Quincy, UIC, and LIU. The last time the Vikings were 5-0 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 two #HLWBB teams to be undefeated this season.
…LONGEST ACTIVE WIN STREAK IN DI
With the 5-0 start to the season, Cleveland State is currently tied for the longest active win streak among Division I teams, winning eight straight games dating back to last season's WBI. The Vikings, who finished the 2020-21 season with three straight wins, have not dropped a contest since March 8, 2021. As of Wednesday, December 1, the Vikings are now one of four Division I teams with an eight-game win streak.
ON THE ROAD…FOR THE FIRST TIME
Friday's game at Northern Kentucky will mark the first time playing away from home for the Vikings this season after Cleveland State opened the 2021-22 campaign with six straight home games. Friday's game will mark the first of three road games during the month of December for the Vikings (excluding Sunday's canceled game at Wright State), and the first of just 11 scheduled road games for the year.
NGWAFANG NOTCHES 20-POINT GAME AGAINST LIU
Last time out, Amele Ngwafang continued the trend of a Cleveland State player scoring 20+ points in every game so far this season, finishing with 20 points against LIU. Ngwafang, who was 7-for-8 from the field on the game, notched a season-high with her 20-point effort and posted double-digit points for the second time this year.
…LEO LEADING THE VIKING OFFENSE
Over the first five games of the 2021-22 campaign, sophomore Destiny Leo is averaging 22.8 points per game after notching 20+ points in four of the five games. Leo opened the season with four straight 20-point performances, and then tallied 18 points against LIU last time out. In addition, Leo is also one of Cleveland State's most efficient shooters, as she owns a .492 clip from the field, including a .515 clip from behind-the-arc so far this season.
ZIENIEWSKA ON THE BOARDS
Senior Barbara Zieniewska recorded the second double-digit rebound game of the season last time out, grabbing a CSU career-high 12 boards against LIU. On the season, Zieniewska is averaging 7.2 rebounds per game, one of three Vikings to average 7.0+ rebounds per contest.
CLEVELAND STATE FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Through the first three weeks of the 2021-22 season the Vikings have converted 123 total free throws, including 32 against LIU last time out. Cleveland State leads all league teams with the 123 made free throws, while ranking fourth with a .715 free throw percentage. Individually, Destiny Leo has gone 33-for-36 from the free throw line this season, while Amele Ngwafang was converted 22 free throws and Nadia Dumas has made 14 entering Friday's game.
CLEVELAND STATE AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Entering the weekend, Cleveland State leads the league in scoring (78.6 ppg), rebounding (44.0 rpg) and blocked shots (5.00 bpg), while ranking second in turnover margin (3.40) and third in steals (10.0 spg).
…INDIVIDUALS AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Individually, three Vikings rank in the top-five in statistical categories, led by Destiny Leo who is averaging a league-best 22.8 points per game and 3.4 three-pointers per game. Amele Ngwafang ranks fifth in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and blocked shots (1.2 bpg), while Nadia Dumas ranks third averaging 1.6 blocks per game.
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 50-40 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
After having Sunday's game canceled due to COVID implications for Wright State, the Vikings will be in action next on Sunday, December 12 traveling to Akron for a 5:00 p.m. contest.
