GAME #2
Cleveland State vs. Hofstra
Saturday, November 12 | 12:30 p.m. | Wolstein Center
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will host its 2022-23 home opener on Saturday, welcoming Hofstra into the Wolstein Center for a 12:30 p.m. contest. Both teams currently stand at 0-1 on the young season and will be looking for their first win of the year.
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings their first win of the 2022-23 campaign…Keep Cleveland State perfect against Hofstra…Put the Vikings at 36-17 when playing at the Wolstein Center under head coach Chris Kielsmeier.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/HOFSTRA SERIES
Saturday's game will be just the second meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State earning a 61-51 victory in the first matchup during the 2019-20 campaign. The two teams were scheduled to play last year, but the game was cancelled due to COVID-19 implications.
SCOUTING THE PRIDE
Hofstra enters Saturday's game standing at 0-1 on the young season, dropping a 73-68 decision against Rutgers in its season opener on Monday…Brandy Thomas led the Pride against Rutgers, notching a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds…Earlier this year, Hofstra was selected 13th in the CAA Preseason Poll, while graduate student Rosi Nicholson was named Preseason Honorable Mention…Hofstra is under the direction of fourth-year head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson, and returns six letterwinners from last season.
PRE-GAME WBI BANNER UNVEILING
Prior to Saturday's home opener against Hofstra, Cleveland State will hold a pre-game WBI Finalist banner unveiling, honoring the 2021-22 team for advancing to the WBI Championship game in back-to-back years. The ceremony is slated to begin at 12:10 p.m.
THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State returns nine letterwinners from last season's #HLWBB Championship appearance squad, including All-Tournament Team honorees Destiny Leo and Gabriella Smith. In addition, the Vikings also return Barbara Zieniewska, Brittni Moore, Deja Williams, and Amele Ngwafang, who all appeared in the starting lineup throughout the year. This returning core will be joined by three transfers and one true freshman for the upcoming season, giving head coach Chris Kielsmeier a well-rounded roster for the 2022-23 campaign.
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of fifth-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier during the 2022-23 campaign, who owns a 66-50 record at Cleveland State and a 482-166 overall record in 23 seasons as a head coach. Kielsmeier, who joined the Vikings as the seventh head coach in program history prior to the 2018-19 season, is one of just two active #HLWBB coaches to reach the 450-win milestone.
HOME SWEET HOME
During the 2022-23 season the Vikings will play 14 of their 31 regular season games in the friendly confines of the Wolstein Center - with Saturday's contest marking the first of just four non-league games at home this year. Under Chris Kielsmeier, the Vikings have combined for a 35-17 record when playing inside the Wolstein Center, including a 12-3 mark against non-league opponents.
VIKING DEBUTS
Cleveland State had five players make their debuts at Iowa State last time out, as Carmen Villalobos, Sara Guerreiro, Faith Burch, Jordana Reisma, and Shadiya Thomas donned the Green & White for the first time. Villalobos earned a spot in the starting five in Monday's season opener, while the other four played considerable minutes off the bench.
…LY RETURNS TO THE FLOOR
After sitting out the 2021-22 campaign due to injury, redshirt junior Aminata Ly returned to action in the season opener at Iowa State. Ly finished with two points and one rebound in her first game back, playing 13 minutes off the bench.
SMITH SHINES AT IOWA STATE
Last time out, Gabriella Smith led the Viking offense with 16 points against the Cyclones, shooting 5-for-10 from the floor - including a trio of three-pointers. Smith, who played 32 minutes at Iowa State as part of the starting five, also grabbed five rebounds, one assist and one steal on the game.
CLEVELAND STATE TABBED THIRD IN PRESEASON POLL
Last month the Vikings were tabbed to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Poll – picking up 102 points and one first-place vote. Last season, the Vikings finished fourth in the league standings with a 14-6 #HLWBB record, and advanced to the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since 2010. Youngstown State was picked as the preseason favorite, while Green Bay was selected second.
LEO NAMED #HLWBB PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
As a two-time All-League honoree, junior Destiny Leo was named the #HLWBB Preseason Player of the Year last month, becoming the fourth Viking to be selected as the league's preseason player of the year and the first since Kailey Klein (2009-10). Leo returns as Cleveland State's leading scorer from a season ago, as she averaged 18.7 points per game to lead all league players and rank 38th nationally. In addition, Leo led the Vikings with 73 total three-pointers on a .390 three-point field goal percentage – both of which were tops in the league and top-50 among Division I players.
…LEO IN THE CSU RECORD BOOK
Last year, Destiny Leo set a program record with a .906 free throw percentage, converting 125 of her 138 attempts on the year. Leo is the only Viking to post a free throw percentage of .900 or higher in program history. In the CSU Career Record Book, Leo is currently sitting at the top of the three-point field goal percentage list, shooting at a .388 clip (125-322) through her first three seasons.
A LOOK BACK AT 2021-22
Cleveland State combined for a 23-9 record last season, marking the second 20-win campaign over the last three years. The Vikings advanced to the #HLWBB Semifinals for the third straight year, while their championship game appearance marked the first time that Cleveland State was playing for the tournament title since the 2009-10 season. The Vikings also made their second straight postseason appearance, earning a spot in the WBI Championship game for the second straight year – winning the title following the 2021-22 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will return to the road next week, traveling to DePaul on Tuesday, November 15 in the first of a two-game roadswing.
