MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Cleveland State women's basketball team opened the 2024 calendar year Monday, picking up a 64-59 victory at Milwaukee. With the win, the Vikings are now 12-3 overall this year and 3-1 in #HLWBB play.

Game Stats
-Mickayla Perdue led the Viking offense with 24 points, while Jordana Reisma added 15 points.
-Carmen Villalobos grabbed a team-best seven rebounds, while Faith Burch recorded six boards.
-As a team, the Vikings recorded 16 assists against Milwaukee, including six from Colbi Maples.
-The Viking defense combined for nine steals, forcing Milwaukee into 15 turnovers.

Game Notes
-Mickayla Perdue recorded her fifth 20-point game of the season after notching 24 at Milwaukee.
-The 16 assists marked the eighth straight game that Cleveland State has recorded 10+ assists.
-Monday's game marked the final contest of a five-game roadswing for the Vikings.

The Game
After taking a 33-26 lead into the halftime break, the Vikings were able to hold off a Panther run over the opening minutes of the third quarter, before a 7-0 run from Cleveland State in response gave the Vikings a nine-point lead at 42-33 on a pair of Mickayla Perdue free throws.

The two teams then traded baskets over the next few possessions, until a Sara Guerreirro jumper at the 1:58 mark put the Vikings up by double-digits at 48-37, while a Colbi Maples free throw 30-seconds later gave Cleveland State a sizable 49-37 advantage to close out the third quarter.

The Vikings were once again able to hold off a Milwaukee run to open the fourth quarter, before regaining a double-digit lead at 59-49 following a Jordana Reisma layup midway through the frame.

The Panthers were then able to work their way back into the contest over the final minutes of the quarter, as a 10-2 run from Milwaukee closed the gap to just two points at 61-59 with 36 seconds left on the clock.

Cleveland State would put an end to this Milwaukee scoring run on its ensuing possession though, as a Carmen Villalobos three-pointer put the Vikings up 64-59 to close out the victory to open the New Year.

Up Next
The Vikings will return home for three straight games, beginning with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against Youngstown State on Saturday, January 6.