GAME #20
Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State
Friday, February 11 | 7:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
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SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will continue its current four-game homestand this weekend, beginning with a 7:00 p.m. contest against Youngstown State on Friday, February 11. Entering the game, Cleveland State currently stands at 15-4 overall this season and 10-3 against league opponents, while Youngstown State stands at 19-4 overall and 13-3 in league play.

A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings three straight wins for the third time this season…keep the Vikings perfect during the month of February…Mark Cleveland State's third straight win at the Wolstein Center and improve the Vikings to 11-1 when playing at home this season.

THE CLEVELAND STATE/YOUNGSTOWN STATE SERIES
Friday's game will mark the 80th meeting between the two teams in program history, with Youngstown State owning a 45-34 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams have traded wins over the last seven meetings, with Cleveland State's last win coming in a 76-73 decision in the first game of a two-game series last year.

SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State enters Friday's game standing at 19-4 overall this season and 13-3 in Horizon League play…Last time out, the Penguins split their games against Green Bay and Milwaukee, topping the Panthers (60-56) and falling to the Phoenix (69-70)…YSU is currently tied for first place in the #HLWBB standings, while the 19 overall wins is a league-best so far this season…The Penguins lead the league averaging 8.6 three-pointers per game, while they also have a league-best 1.01 assist/turnover ratio. 

LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State picked up back-to-back wins against Northern Kentucky and Wright State, improving to 10-3 in Horizon League action. The Vikings opened the weekend with a 59-56 victory over the Norse, and followed that up with an 86-60 victory over the Raiders. With the wins, the Vikings picked up the season sweep over both Northern Kentucky and Wright State.

VIKINGS IN THE #HLWBB STANDINGS
With the two wins last time out, the Vikings became the fourth #HLWBB team to reach double-digit league wins, and enter the week currently sitting third in the #HLWBB standings. This marks the first time under head coach Chris Kielsmeier that the Vikings have reached 10+ league wins, while it's also the first time since the 2017-18 season for Cleveland State to reach the milestone.

HOME-SWEET-HOME
Cleveland State will close out the regular season spending most of its time in the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center, as Friday's game against Youngstown State is the third of six scheduled home games during the month of February for the Vikings. So far this year, the Vikings own a 10-1 record when playing at home, including a perfect 3-0 record so far this month.

NGWAFANG NOTCHES BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Last time out, Amele Ngwafang led the Vikings against Northern Kentucky and Wright State, posting back-to-back double-doubles to mark her first double-doubles at Cleveland State. Ngwafang opened the weekend with 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Norse, and followed that up 25 points and 12 rebounds against the Raiders. Her 25 points and 12 boards against Wright State marked season-highs, while the 25 points also marked her second 20-point game of the season.

DUMAS CRACKS BLOCKED SHOTS TOP-10 LIST
After combining for six blocked shots against NKU and WSU last time out, redshirt-senior Nadia Dumas earned a spot on the CSU Career Blocked Shots list, entering the weekend ranked ninth with 76 career blocks. Dumas, who is one of just nine Vikings all-time to reach 75 career blocked shots, currently ranks fourth among #HLWBB players averaging 1.4 blocks per game. Dumas needs five more blocked shots to move into a tie for eighth place on the top-10 list.

VIKINGS ON THE GLASS
Through the first 17 games played, Cleveland State is averaging a league-best 41.6 rebounds per game, and owns a 4.6 rebounding margin which ranks third among league teams. The Vikings have outrebounded their opponent in 12 games so far this year, including a season-high 63 boards against Wright State last time out. Entering this weekend, three Vikings are averaging 6.0 rpg or better (Ngwafang-6.6, Dumas-6.5, Zieniewska-6.2), making Cleveland State one of just two schools to have three players ranked in the top-15 in the league statistics.

LEO LEADING THE VIKING OFFENSE
Throughout the first 16 games played of the 2021-22 campaign, sophomore Destiny Leo is averaging a league-best 18.4 points per game after notching 10+ points in 15 of the 16 games. Leo has notched 20 or more points seven times so far this season, including a pair of 30-point performances. In addition, Leo is one of Cleveland State's most efficient shooters, as she owns a .438 clip from the field, including a .378 clip from behind-the-arc so far this season.

CLEVELAND STATE AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Entering the weekend, Cleveland State leads the league in scoring (71.8 ppg), rebounding (41.6 rpg), blocked shots (4.35 bpg), steals (9.82 spg), and turnover margin (2.59).

…INDIVIDUALS AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Individually, two Vikings rank in the top-five in statistical categories, led by Destiny Leo who is averaging a league-best 18.4 points per game, while ranking third with 2.1 three-pointers per game, and fourth with a.438 clip from the floor. Nadia Dumas (4th-1.4) and Amele Ngwafang (5th-1.4) rank in the top-five in blocked shots. 

DUMAS PLAYS IN 100th GAME AS A VIKING
Last time out, redshirt senior Nadia Dumas played in her 100th career game at Cleveland State, appearing in all but two games during her time as a Viking. Over her first 100 games, Dumas has played 1,673 minutes, and has appeared in the starting lineup 79 times.

…GERACI CLOSING IN ON 100 GAMES PLAYED AT CSU
Senior Isabella Geraci is closing in on joining Nadia Dumas and Isabelle Gradwell in the 100-games played club, as she picked up her 95th career appearance last time out against Wright State.

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.

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 58-44 record at Cleveland State and a 474-160 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 close out the weekend on Sunday, February 13, hosting Robert Morris at 2:00 p.m.