Posted: Dec 28, 2022
GAME #13
Cleveland State at Youngstown State
Thursday, December 29 | 5:15 p.m. | Youngstown, Ohio
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will return to Horizon League play this week, beginning with a 5:15 p.m. contest at Youngstown State on Thursday, December 29. Entering the week, Cleveland State stands at 11-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Youngstown State is currently 8-3 on the year and owns a matching 2-0 record in #HLWBB play.
A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD…
Extend Cleveland State's current win streak to 12 straight games…Keep the Vikings perfect in #HLWBB play…Put Cleveland State at 7-0 during the month of December.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/YOUNGSTOWN STATE SERIES
Thursday's game will mark the 81st meeting between the two teams in program history, with Youngstown State owning a 46-34 advantage in the all-time series. Cleveland State's last victory against the Penguins came during the 2020-21 campaign, when the Vikings posted a 76-73 victory in the first game of the two-game series.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State enters Thursday's game with an 8-3 overall record this season, including a 2-0 mark against Horizon League opponents…The Penguins are currently on a seven-game win streak, and own a perfect 6-0 mark when playing at home this season…YSU's two #HLWBB victories came against Northern Kentucky and Wright State…Earlier this year, the Penguins were selected as the Horizon League Preseason favorites, picking up eight of 11 first-place votes, while Lilly Ritz was named to the #HLWBB Preseason First Team…YSU leads the league with a .442 field goal percentage, while also sitting at the top of the standings averaging 16.6 assists per game.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State went 2-0 at the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic, picking up a 72-45 victory over Lindenwood and an 80-55 win against Campbell. Both games marked the first matchups in program history, while the wins improved the Vikings to 3-1 when playing in Las Vegas in program history.
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 two teams to be undefeated in league play (Youngstown State is also 2-0), while a win on Thursday would put the Vikings at 3-0 in league play for the second straight season.
#HLWBB PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Earlier this season, junior Destiny Leo was selected as the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year, becoming the fourth Viking to earn the accolade and the first since Kailey Klein (2009-10). In addition, Cleveland State was selected to finish third in the #HLWBB Preseason Poll, picking up 102 points and one first-place vote to finish behind Youngstown State and Green Bay.
VIKINGS TIE PROGRAM RECORD WITH 11-GAME WIN STREAK
After picking up a pair of wins against Lindenwood and Campbell at the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic last time out, Cleveland State extended its win streak to 11 straight games, tying the program record for consecutive wins. The Vikings, who set the program record with 11 straight wins during the 2019-20 campaign, are one of just seven Division I teams with a current win streak of 11+ games.
LEO RECORDS 1,000 CAREER POINTS
With a 12-point effort against Campbell last time out, Destiny Leo eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career, entering Thursday's game with 1,007 total points. Leo, who became the 32nd Viking all-time to reach the 1,000-point milestone, is just the eighth Viking to do so in three seasons. Through 12 games played this year, Leo ranks third among #HLWBB players averaging 16.8 points per game, and has tallied 20+ points during four games.
…LEO IN THE CSU RECORD BOOK
Entering the week, Destiny Leo currently ranks in the top-10 in three CSU Career Record Book categories; Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (.390), Free Throw Percentage (.898) and Three-Point Field Goals Made (159). Leo is currently first in three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage, while she is just a trio of three-pointers shy of moving into a tie for eighth place on the three-point field goal list.
VIKINGS FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Entering the week, Cleveland State leads the Horizon League with a 17.9 ppg scoring margin and has outscored its opponents by 20+ points six of the last seven games. During this stretch the Vikings have shot 44-percent from the field, including a .603 clip against Detroit Mercy (35-for-58) which marked the highest single-game total among #HLWBB teams this season. Cleveland State has also combined for 98 assists over the last seven games, including 17 from Brittni Moore.
CLEVELAND STATE ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Twelve games into the 2022-23 campaign Cleveland State leads the Horizon League in rebounding (42.1), steals (10.5) and blocked shots (5.0), serving as one of the best defensive teams in the league. Through the first seven weeks, the Vikings have recorded double-digit steals six times and have notched 4+ blocked shots during seven games. Individually, Brittni Moore ranks seventh among #HLWBB players averaging a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game, while Jordana Reisma is tied for second with 1.4 blocks per game and Destiny Leo is tied for third averaging a team-best 1.6 steals per game.
ROAD WARRIORS
Thursday's game at Youngstown State will be the fifth of six straight road games for the Vikings, as they will close out the calendar year away from home. So far this season, Cleveland State owns a 5-1 record when playing on the road, including its two neutral site victories over Lindenwood and Campbell last time out at the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic.
VIKINGS IN THE MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
Once again, Cleveland State remained in the top-10 in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll, currently sitting ninth after extending its win streak to 11 straight games with a pair of wins last time out. The Vikings are one of three Horizon League teams to be ranked in the top-25, as Green Bay (14) and Youngstown State (18) are also ranked this week.
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 77-50 record at Cleveland State and a 493-166 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.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will close out their current roadswing on Saturday, December 31, traveling to Robert Morris for a 12:00 p.m. contest.
