Cleveland State Women's Basketball Set To Open #HLWBB Tournament Play With Quarterfinal Matchup Against Northern Kentucky Athletics

Posted: Mar 06, 2024

SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will begin postseason play this week, hosting Northern Kentucky on Thursday, March 7 in a Quarterfinal game in the 2024 Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championship. Entering Thursday's game, CSU stands at 27-4 overall this year and finished the regular season with an 18-2 record in #HLWBB play, while Northern Kentucky is currently 11-19 on the year and notched an 8-12 record against league opponents during the regular season.

GAMEDAY INFO
Tickets for Thursday's Quarterfinal matchup are $10 in advance or $15 on the day of the game, and include an All-You-Can-Eat and Drink Package featuring hot dogs, popcorn and soda. To purchase tickets, fans can call the CSU Ticket Office at (216) 687-4848 or CLICK HERE. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive official Cleveland State Women's Basketball Trading Cards courtesy of Greenie Sports Cards.

A WIN ON THURSDAY WOULD…
Put the Vikings into the semifinals of the 2024 Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championships…Make the Vikings 10-4 in #HLWBB Tournament play under head coach Chris Kielsmeier…Give Cleveland State its fifth straight postseason victory when playing at home over the last five seasons…Keep the Vikings perfect at home this year, and extend their home win streak to 23 consecutive games.

THE CLEVELAND STATE/NORTHERN KENTUCKY SERIES
Thursday's game will be the 21st meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State holding a 15-5 edge in the all-time series, including a 9-1 record for the Vikings over the last 10 matchups. In Horizon League Tournament play, Cleveland State owns a 2-1 record against NKU, including a 63-60 overtime victory in last year's #HLWBB Semifinals.

SCOUTING THE NORSE
Northern Kentucky enters Thursday's quarterfinal game with an 11-19 overall record this season and finished regular season play with an 8-12 mark in league action…The Norse earned the No. 9 seed in the #HLWBB Tournament, and picked up a 70-62 victory at No. 8 Oakland in the First Round on Tuesday…Earlier this week Carter McCray was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-League Second Team and All-Freshman Team, while Khamari Mitchell-Steen was named All-League Third Team…McCray leads the league averaging 11.1 rebounds per game while ranking fifth with 15.3 points per game and Mitchell-Steen ranks eighth averaging 13.9 points per game.

AGAINST THE NORSE THIS SEASON…
Cleveland State picked up wins in both meetings during the regular season, earning a 72-60 victory at NKU during the first week of #HLWBB play and an 81-69 win at home in last weekend's regular season finale. This marked one of eight series sweeps for the Vikings in league play this year.

2024 BARBASOL HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
This year's #HLWBB Tournament began with three First Round games on Tuesday, March 5 with the winners advancing to Thursday's Quarterfinal games. After earning byes into the Quarterfinals, the league's top-five teams will begin tournament play on Thursday. The Semifinals are slated for Monday, March 11 and the Championship will be held on Tuesday, March 12 - with both the semifinals and championship game begin held at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Ind. All games will be carried on the ESPN Network.

…VIKINGS IN #HLWBB PLAY
Cleveland State enters the #HLWBB Tournament as the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season with an 18-2 mark against league opponents. The Vikings finished the regular season slate winning nine straight games and 16 of their last 17 contests.

…VIKINGS IN THE #HLWBB TOURNAMENT
Under head coach Chris Kielsmeier the Vikings own a 9-4 record in the Horizon League Tournament, including a perfect 3-0 record last year when the Vikings captured the 2023 #HLWBB Tournament Championship. Cleveland State has earned a spot in the semifinals 10 times in program history, while the Vikings have made four appearances in the championship game, capturing the #HLWBB Tournament title during the 2007-08, 2009-10 and 2023-24 seasons.

…VIKINGS AS THE No. 1 SEED
This marks the first time in program history that the Vikings will be playing as the No. 1 seed in the Horizon League Tournament. Cleveland State will be playing as a top-two seed for the second straight season, while the Vikings have now been a top-four seed 11 times. With Cleveland State earning this year's top seed, a different team has now been the No. 1 team entering #HLWBB Tournament play in each of the last four seasons.

HOME-SWEET-HOME
Thursday's game against Northern Kentucky will mark the 17th home game for the Vikings this season, marking the most home games played during head coach Chris Kielsmeier's tenure. So far this year, the Vikings own a perfect 16-0 record when playing at home, and have now won 22 consecutive home games dating back to February 2 of last year.

VIKINGS IN THE MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
Entering Horizon League Tournament play, Cleveland State is ranked eighth in the latest College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Vikings are one of two Horizon League teams to be ranked in the top-25, as Green Bay enters the week ranked 17th.

CLEVELAND STATE CAPTURES #HLWBB REGULAR SEASON TITLE
After finishing regular season play with an 18-2 record against league opponents, Cleveland State captured the 2023-24 Horizon League Regular Season Championship - the first in program history. The Vikings capped off their 18-2 campaign with an 81-69 victory over Northern Kentucky in the regular season finale, finishing at the top of the league standings for the first time in program history. In addition, the 18 #HLWBB wins marked a program best for the Vikings.

CLEVELAND STATE ENTERS #HLWBB TOURNAMENT PLAY WITH 27 WINS
After securing their third straight 20-win season with an 86-63 victory over Green Bay earlier this year, Cleveland State enters #HLWBB Tournament play with 27 wins - the second most wins in a single-season in program history. The 27 wins marks the fourth 20-win campaign for Cleveland State over the last five years, while it also makes the Vikings one of six Division I teams with 27+ wins on the year.

MAPLES NAMED #HLWBB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Earlier this week junior Colbi Maples was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, becoming just the fourth Viking in program history to earn Payer of the Year honors. Maples, who was also named to the All-League First Team and All-Defensive Team, is averaging 16.2 points, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game, ranking in the top-five among league players in all three categories. Maples has recorded nine 20-point performances this season, and is one of three league players with 500+ points on the year (503).

PERDUE NAMED #HLWBB NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
In the first year of the award, senior Mickayla Perdue was named the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year after joining the Vikings prior to the 2023-24 campaign. Perdue, who was also named to the All-League First Team, is averaging a team-best 17.0 points per game, and has recorded 13 20-point performances. On the year, Perdue ranks second among league players with 527 total points, while she also ranks in the top-five with a .475 field goal percentage and leads the league with 70 total three-pointers.

…CLEVELAND STATE ON THE OFFENSIVE END
Maples and Perdue are part of a Viking offense that leads the Horizon League averaging 74.9 points per game on a .465 field goal percentage. This season, Cleveland State has recorded 70+ points 24 times, combining for over 2,300 points through 31 games. From three-point, the Vikings have a league-best .365 field goal percentage, while they also hold a +14.3 scoring margin on the season.

VILLALOBOS NAMED #HLWBB DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cleveland State also picked up Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year honors, as Carmen Villalobos became the fifth Viking to be named the Defensive Player of the Year. Villalobos, who also earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team, finished regular season play with a league-best 66 total steals, averaging 2.1 steals per game. In addition, Villalobos leads the Vikings averaging 6.7 rebounds per game, including 154 defensive boards to rank fourth among league players.

…CLEVELAND STATE ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Villalobos has been part of a Cleveland State defense that has held its opponents to a league-best .380 field goal percentage, while the Vikings also rank second in steals (9.45) and rebounding (37.5). In addition, Cleveland State has forced its opponents into 541 turnovers on the season, holding a 0.93 assist/turnover ratio.

KIELSMEIER NAMED #HLWBB COACH OF THE YEAR
For the first time in program history Cleveland State picked up Horizon League Coach of the Year honors, as Chris Kielsmeier earned the accolade after helping the Vikings to their first-ever Regular Season Championship. Kielsmeier has led the Vikings to a 27-4 record on the season, including a program-best 18-2 mark in #HLWBB play, with the 27 wins marking the fourth 20-win campaign during his tenure.

…HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings are under the direction of sixth-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who owns a career head coaching record of 539-174. Through six seasons at Cleveland State, Kielsmeier has led the Vikings to a 123-58 overall record, including four 20-win seasons. Last year, Kielsmeier guided the Vikings to their third #HLWBB Tournament Championship, while he led the Vikings to their first-ever postseason title in 2021 when Cleveland State captured the WBI championship.

REISMA ON THE BLOCK
Entering Horizon League Tournament play, sophomore Jordana Reisma continues to rank 10th in the CSU Career Record Book with 74 blocked shots on her career. Reisma, who has 31 blocks on the year, also notched 43 blocked shots as a freshman last season. So far this year, Reisma has tallied at least one block in 20 games, ranking sixth among league players averaging 1.0 blocks per game.

GUERREIRO NAMED TO #HLWBB ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Earlier this season senior Sara Guerreiro was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team, becoming just the third Viking all-time to earn the accolade. Guerreiro, who was one of seven #HLWBB players to be named to the All-Academic Team, currently holds a 3.88 grade point average studying mechanical engineering and has been named to the CSU Dean's List every semester that she has been at Cleveland State. Guerreiro is part of a Cleveland State women's basketball team that holds a 3.48 cumulative GPA and one of eight Vikings to be named to the Dean's List last semester.

…GUERREIRO OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Over the last five games, Sara Guerreiro has been one of Cleveland State's top players, averaging 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game during this stretch. Guerreiro, who tallied double-digit points in four of the last five games, is shooting 56-percent from the field during this span (21-for-37). Two of Guerreiro's three double-doubles on the year have also come during this stretch, as she recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds against Milwaukee and 18 points and 10 rebounds against Northern Kentucky. For the season, Guerreiro is averaging 8.3 points and 5.6 boards per game.

#HLWBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Throughout the 2023-24 season, Cleveland State was recognized five times with weekly honors from the Horizon League - marking a season-high among league teams. Colbi Maples (Dec. 4, Jan. 22) and Mickayla Perdue (Jan. 15, Feb. 5) each picked up the honor twice, while Jordana Reisma (Dec. 26) earned #HLWBB honors once.

LEO HONORED AT GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS AWARDS
Earlier this year Destiny Leo was honored at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, being named the 2023 Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year. Leo, who was one of three finalists from the Greater Cleveland area, won the award after helping Cleveland State to its best season in program history during 2022-23 as the #HLWBB Player of the Year, helping the team to a 30-5 overall record, Horizon League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.