Posted: Jan 25, 2023
GAME #21
Cleveland State at Detroit Mercy
Thursday, January 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Detroit, Mich.
Live Stats | Live Video | CSU Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will open the second half of Horizon League play this week, beginning with a 7:00 p.m. contest at Detroit Mercy on Thursday, January 26. Entering Thursday's game, Cleveland State stands at 17-3 overall this season and 8-2 in #HLWBB play, while Detroit Mercy is currently 3-16 overall and 1-9 in Horizon League action.
A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD…
Put Cleveland State back in the win column…Give the Vikings the season sweep over Detroit Mercy…Give Cleveland State a win to begin the second half of #HLWBB play…Represent the 500th career victory for head coach Chris Kielsmeier.
THE CLEVELAND STATE/DETROIT MERCY SERIES
Thursday's game will mark the 68th meeting between the two teams in program history, with Detroit Mercy owning a 41-26 edge in the all-time series. Despite the Titans holding the lead in the all-time series, the Vikings have won eight of the last nine matchups, including a convincing 86-30 win in the first matchup of the season back in December.
SCOUTING THE TITANS
Detroit Mercy enters Thursday's game with a 3-16 overall record this season, while standing at 1-9 in Horizon League play…The Titan's lone #HLWBB victory came in a 64-58 decision against Robert Morris earlier this month…Thursday's game will be the first of a four-game homestand for Detroit Mercy…As a team, the Titans rank second among Horizon League teams averaging 39.1 rebounds per game, while Irene Murua ranks fourth individually with 8.1 boards per game…Emma Trawally Porta currently sits at the top of the league standings with 35 total blocked shots on the year.
LAST TIME OUT…
Cleveland State split its two games to begin a four-game roadswing, picking up a 103-72 victory at Wright State and dropping a 73-69 decision at Northern Kentucky. The Vikings stand at 4-2 during the month of January, and have won 17 of their last 19 contests.
…LAST TIME AGAINST DETROIT MERCY
In the first matchup between Cleveland State and Detroit Mercy the Vikings picked up a convincing 86-30 victory back in December. Cleveland State was paced offensively by 24 points from Destiny Leo, while Amele Ngwafang grabbed a team-best seven boards. As a team, the Vikings shot 60-percent from the floor, and recorded 23 assists on 35 field goals. The Cleveland State defense recorded 18 steals and forced the Titans into 28 turnovers.
VIKINGS TIED FOR FIRST PLACE IN #HLWBB STANDINGS
After finishing the first half of Horizon League play with an 8-2 record the Vikings are currently tied for first in the #HLWBB standings. Cleveland State's 8-2 record marks the best 10-game start in league play for the Vikings, as they are tied with Green Bay and Youngstown State at the top of the standings.
ROAD WARRIORS
Thursday's game at Detroit Mercy will be the third of four straight road games for the Vikings, as they will close out the month of January away from home. So far this season, Cleveland State owns an 8-2 record when playing on the road. Entering Thursday's game, the Vikings have won eight of their last nine road contests, and own the best record among #HLWBB teams when playing away from home.
VIKINGS IN THE MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
Entering the week, Cleveland State is ranked 17th in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Vikings are one of three Horizon League teams to be ranked in the top-25, as Green Bay (15) and Youngstown State (16) are also ranked this week.
REISMA ON THE BLOCK
Last time out Jordana Reisma recorded a season-high six blocked shots at Northern Kentucky, marking a single-game high for Horizon League players so far this season. Reisma, who has a team-best 26 total blocks on the year, ranks second among league players averaging 1.3 blocks per game. So far this season, Reisma has recorded at least one block in 13 games, including six games with multiple blocked shots.
MOORE NOTCHES 20-POINT GAME AT NKU
Brittni Moore led the Viking offense at Northern Kentucky last time out, finishing with 20 points against the Norse for her second 20-point game of the season. Moore, who ranks second on the team averaging 12.2 points per game, ranks ninth among league players in scoring. In addition, Moore recorded two steals at NKU - her 11th double-digit steal game of the year - and is one of three league players to rank in the top-10 in both scoring and steals (7th in steals - 1.6).
CLEVELAND STATE ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Twenty games into the 2022-23 campaign Cleveland State leads the Horizon League in rebounding (41.3), blocked shots (4.40) and steals (9.65), serving as one of the best defensive teams in the league. Through the first 11 weeks, the Vikings have recorded double-digit steals eight times and have notched 4+ blocked shots during 10 games. Individually, Amele Ngwafang ranks seventh among #HLWBB players averaging 6.7 rebounds per game, while Jordana Reisma is second with 1.3 blocks per game, and Deja Williams is tied for fifth averaging a team-best 1.6 steals per game.
WILLIAMS & LEO FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Entering Thursday's game at Detroit Mercy, Destiny Leo and Deja Williams continue to be the top two free throw shooters in the Horizon League, Leo with a .927 clip (76-for-82) and Williams with a .912 clip (52-for-57). Nationally, Leo ranks fourth in the category while Williams ranks 12th among Division I players. Over the last nine games, this duo has combined for a 69-for-74 effort from the free throw line, including a perfect 7-for-7 clip at Wright State last week.
CLEVELAND STATE ECLIPSES THE CENTURY MARK
The Vikings recorded the 14th 100-point game in program history last week, finishing with 103 points at Wright State (Jan. 20). This marked the second straight season that the Vikings have recorded a 100-point game, while it puts Cleveland State at 12-2 all-time when scoring 100+ points.
#HLWBB WEEKLY ACCOLADES
So far this season Cleveland State has earned four #HLWBB Player of the Week and three #HLWBB Freshman of the Week honors - both of which lead all league teams. Destiny Leo (11/28, 12/5), Brittni Moore (12/12) and Amele Ngwafang (1/9) have combined for the four Player of the Week honors, while Jordana Reisma has picked up all three Freshman of the Week awards (11/21, 12/5, 1/2).
VIKINGS SET PROGRAM RECORD WITH 16-GAME WIN STREAK
Earlier this season, Cleveland State set a program record with a 16-game win streak, dating from November 12, 2022 through January 12, 2023. The Vikings, who set the previous record with 11 straight wins during the 2019-20 campaign, were one of just four Division I teams with a win streak of 16+ games at the time (South Carolina, Ohio State, LSU).
…CLEVELAND STATE NOTCHES PERFECT DECEMBER
Included in Cleveland State's record setting 16-game win streak was a perfect 8-0 record during the month of December, marking the second straight season that Cleveland State has gone undefeated during a calendar month (went 5-0 during November last season). This also marked the first time since the 2012-13 campaign that the Vikings posted a perfect record during the month of December specifically, as they went 6-0 during December of 2012.
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 an 83-52 record at Cleveland State and a 499-168 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 the month of January on Saturday (January 28), traveling to Oakland for a 2:00 p.m. contest.
