GAME #13
Cleveland State at Milwaukee
Sunday, January 16 | 3:00 p.m. EST | Milwaukee, Wis.
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes

SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will return to action on Sunday, January 16, traveling to Milwaukee for a 3:00 p.m. EST contest. Sunday's game will be the first contest for the Vikings in 15 days, as they were last in action at Youngstown State on January 1. Cleveland State enters Sunday's game standing at 9-3 overall this seaosn and 4-2 against league opponents, while Milwaukee is currently 7-9 overall and 6-3 in Horizon League play.

A WIN ON SUNDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings back in the win column…Give the Vikings their first win of the New Year…Mark the 10th win of the season for Cleveland State.

THE CLEVELAND STATE/MILWAUKEE SERIES
Sunday's game will mark the 61st meeting between the two teams, with Milwaukee owning a a 36-24 edge in the all-time series. The Panthers have been victorious in 12 of the last 13 matchups, with Cleveland State's last victory coming in a 58-49 decision during the 2019-20 season.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Milwaukee enters Sunday's game standing at 7-9 overall this season and 6-3 against Horizon League opponents…The Panthers have picked up wins in three of their last four games, including a 68-56 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne last time out…When playing at the Klotsche Center, the Panthers own a 5-3 record this season…As a team, Milwaukee leads the league with an .815 free throw percentage…Megan Walstad ranks in the top-10 in scoring (8th - 13.5 ppg) and rebounding (3rd - 8.9 rpg), while she also ranks fourth in field goal percentage (.441) and fifth in blocked shots (1.5).

VIKINGS BACK IN ACTION
Sunday's game will mark the first contest for the Vikings in 15 days, as they were last in action on January 1. Earlier this month, the Vikings had their second pause of the season, while they missed Friday's game at Green Bay due to COVID-19 implications within the Phoenix program.

VIKINGS IN #HLWBB PLAY
Sunday's game at Milwaukee will be just the fifth #HLWBB game for the Vikings this season, despite owning a 4-2 record in league play (Cleveland State picked up two forfeit wins against IUPUI and Wright State). Through the first part of the league slate, the Vikings have had to cancel three #HLWBB games in addition to the forfeit wins. 

VIKINGS ON THE ROAD
Sunday's game at Milwaukee will mark the final of what was supposed to be four straight road games for the Vikings (including Friday's cancelation at Green Bay), as Cleveland State enters the weekend with a 2-2 record when playing away from home this season. The Vikings, who opened the year playing six straight games at home, will now spend the majority of their time away from the Wolstein Center during the month of January with four of their remaining five scheduled games coming on the road.

LEO LEADING THE VIKING OFFENSE
Over the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, sophomore Destiny Leo is averaging a league-best 22.1 points per game after notching 20+ points in six of the nine games played. Included in her six 20-point games is a pair of 30-point performances; 30 vs. Quincy and a career-high 31 at Northern Kentucky. In addition, Leo is one of Cleveland State's most efficient shooters, as she owns a .504 clip from the field, including a .453 clip from behind-the-arc so far this season.

DUMAS PICKING UP ON THE OFFENSIVE END
Redshirt senior Nadia Dumas enters Sunday's game having posted double-digit points in four straight outings, and is one of two Vikings to be averaging 10+ points per game on the season (11.0 ppg). Over the first part of the 2021-22 campaign Dumas averaged 8.6 points per game, but has increased her scoring over the last four outings, averaging 14.5 ppg during this stretch. On the season, Dumas is shooting 56-percent from the floor (45-for-80).

VIKINGS ON THE GLASS
Through the first 10 games played, Cleveland State is averaging a league-best 42.7 rebounds per game, and owns a 5.1 rebounding margin which is also a league-high. The Vikings have outrebounded their opponent in seven games so far this year, and grabbed a season-high 55 boards against Ohio Christian. Entering Sunday's game at Milwaukee, three Vikings are averaging 6.5 rpg or better (Zieniewska; 7.0, Dumas; 6.7, Ngwafang; 6.6), making Cleveland State the only school to have three players ranked in the top-10 in the league statistics.

CLEVELAND STATE STARTING FIVE
After using the same starting lineup through the first six games, the Vikings have used four different starting fives the last four times out. Nadia Dumas and Barbara Zieniewska have appeared in the starting lineup during all 10 games, while Destiny Leo has earned a spot in the starting lineup during all nine games she has played in this year.

CLEVELAND STATE AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Entering the week, Cleveland State leads the league in scoring (72.6 ppg), rebounding (42.7 rpg), blocked shots (4.60 bpg), and turnover margin (2.20), while ranking second 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 22.1 points per game and 2.7 three-pointers per game, while shooting 50-percent from the floor to rank third. Amele Ngwafang ranks second in blocked shots averaging 1.7, while Brittni Moore ranks fifth averaging 2.0 steals per game.

GRADWELL & DUMAS CLOSING IN ON 100 GAMES PLAYED AT CSU
Redshirt-senior Nadia Dumas and senior Isabelle Gradwell are closing in on becoming the first active Vikings to play in 100 career games at Cleveland State, as Dumas notched her 93rd appearance and Gradwell tallied her 95th appearance last time out. Gradwell has played in every game during her collegiate career, while Dumas has taken the court in all but two games as a Viking.

VIKINGS POST 7-0 START TO THE 2021-22 CAMPAIGN
For just the second time in program history the Vikings went 7-0 to start the season (excluding the forfeit wins over IUPUI & Wright State), picking up wins against ETSU, St. Bonaventure, Quincy, UIC, LIU, Northern Kentucky, and Ohio Christian. Cleveland State's 7-0 start tied the program record for the best start to a season, which was first set during the 1974-75 campaign.

VIKINGS ECLIPSE THE CENTURY MARK
Cleveland State recorded the 13th 100-point game in program history earlier this season, finishing with 104 points against Ohio Christian. This marked the first time since the 2019-20 campaign that the Vikings have eclipsed the 100-point mark, while it put the Vikings at 11-2 all-time when scoring 100+ points after finishing with a 104-51 victory against the Trailblazers.

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 52-43 record at Cleveland State and a 477-159 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 split its time at home and on the road next week, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, January 20, before traveling to Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday, January 22 to face the Mastodons again.