GAME #22
Cleveland State at Oakland
Thursday, February 17 | 7:00 p.m. | Rochester, Mich.
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will hit the road for the final time during regular season play this weekend, beginning a three-game roadswing at Oakland on Thursday, February 17. Entering the game, Cleveland State currently stands at 15-6 overall this season and 10-5 against league opponents, while Oakland stands at 11-12 overall and 9-7 in league play.
A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings back in the win column…Give Cleveland State 16 wins on the season…Improve the Vikings to 6-3 when playing on the raod this season (including a forfeit win at Wright State).
THE CLEVELAND STATE/OAKLAND SERIES
Thursday's game will mark the 18th meeting between the two teams in program history, with Cleveland State owning a 12-5 advantage in the all-time series. The Vikings have won eight straight against the Grizzlies, including a pair of wins over Oakland last season.
…THE FIRST TIME AROUND
Thursday's game will mark the first meeting between Cleveland State and Oakland this season, as the first game of the series got canceled earlier this year due to COVID-19 implications.
SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
Oakland enters Thursday's game standing at 11-12 overall this season and 9-7 in Horizon League play…Most recently, the Grizzlies dropped a pair of games against Green Bay (57-61) and Milwaukee (57-41), with their last win coming in a 59-47 decision at UIC…Oakland currently sits seventh in the #HLWBB standings…The Grizzlies will be closing out a 14-game home slate this weekend…As a team, Oakland ranks second averaging 12.5 offensive boards per game, as three Grizzlies have grabbed 40+ offensive boards so far this season.
#HLWBB SCHEDULE UPDATE
Cleveland State will extend its initial two-game roadswing this weekend, as the Vikings have added a second game at Detroit Mercy on Monday, February 21. Monday's game against the Titans is a make-up game for the contest that was originally scheduled in early January between the two teams.
VIKINGS IN THE #HLWBB STANDINGS
Entering the final two weeks of Horizon League regular season play, the Vikings currently sit fifth in the #HLWBB standings, and are one of six teams to notch 10+ league wins so far this season. Over the final two weeks of league play, Green Bay is the only opponent that is ranked ahead of the Vikings as of Wednesday, February 16.
NGWAFANG ON THE BOARDS
Entering Thursday's contest at Oakland, Amele Ngwafang has been Cleveland State's top rebounder over the last few games, as she currently leads the team averaging 6.8 boards per game. Ngwafang has grabbed 10+ rebounds three times over the last four games, including a pair of 12-rebound performances against Wright State and Youngstown State. Among #HLWBB players, Ngwafang ranks seventh with her 6.8 rpg average.
…VIKINGS ON THE GLASS
Through the first 19 games played, Cleveland State is averaging a league-best 40.9 rebounds per game, and owns a 4.1 rebounding margin which ranks fourth among league teams. The Vikings have outrebounded their opponent in 13 games so far this year, including a season-high 63 boards against Wright State earlier this month. Entering this weekend, two Vikings rank in the top-10 among league players in the category (Ngwafang, 7th-6.8, Dumas, 10th-6.4), making Cleveland State one of just two schools to have two players ranked in the top-10 in the league statistics.
DUMAS NOTCHES CAREER-HIGH 21 POINTS AGAINST RMU
Last time out, Nadia Dumas posted a career-high 21 points against RMU, notching the first 20-point game of her collegiate career. Dumas went 6-for-12 from the field against the Colonials, while she was 9-for-12 from the free throw line, also marking a career-high in free throws made. Over the last 13 games, Dumas as tallied 10+ points 11 times, and is averaging 12.8 ppg during this stretch.
…DUMAS ON THE CSU BLOCKED SHOTS TOP-10 LIST
Entering Thursday's game at Oakland, Nadia Dumas ranks ninth in the CSU Career Record Book with 79 total blocked shots. For the season, Dumas has a team-best 27 blocks, ranking fourth among league players averaging 1.4 blocks per game. With just one more blocked shot, Dumas would become the ninth Viking all-time to reach 80 career blocks, while she needs two more blocks to move into eighth place on the top-10 list.
LEO LEADING THE VIKING OFFENSE
Throughout the first 18 games played of the 2021-22 campaign, sophomore Destiny Leo is averaging a league-best 18.2 points per game after notching 10+ points in 17 of the 18 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 .433 clip from the field, including a .386 clip from behind-the-arc so far this season.
CLEVELAND STATE AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST
Entering the weekend, Cleveland State is tied for the league lead in scoring (70.7 ppg), while the Vikings also lead the league in rebounding (40.9 rpg), offensive rebounds (13.1/game) and blocked shots (4.16 bpg).
…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 18.2 points per game, while ranking second with 2.2 three-pointers per game, and fifth with a.433 clip from the floor. Nadia Dumas (4th-1.4) and Amele Ngwafang (5th-1.3) rank in the top-five in blocked shots.
DUMAS & GRADWELL PLAY IN 100 CAREER GAMES
Earlier this season, Nadia Dumas and Isabelle Gradwell played in their 100th career game at Cleveland State. Gradwell notched her 100th appearance as a Viking at IUPUI, while Dumas recorded her 100th game in the Green & White against Wright State.
…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 97th career appearance last time out against RMU.
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 58-46 record at Cleveland State and a 474-162 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 travel to Detroit Mercy for a pair of games on Saturday, February 19 and Monday, February 21.
