Cleveland State is no longer in first place. After controlling the division for most of the season, a 1-1 week saw Robert Morris leapfrog the Vikings. With only two games left, CSU will now need to win both and see RMU lose their last game to capture the number one seed in the conference tournament. If the Vikings win out, they would tie for the regular season title. How did they get here?
Away game at Detroit Mercy (8-20, 4-13 Horizon League):
The typical Viking starters (Tevin Smith, Tahj Staveskie, Ebrima Dibba, Dylan Arnett, and Reece Robinson) got off to a slow start against the Titans. Arnett started the scoring off for the Vikings but that would be the only scoring for the first few minutes.
The Titans took the lead 3-2 just under the 17:30 mark on a basket and foul shot. Staveskie was able to grab the lead back with a three but that was all the scoring both teams could muster in the first 4:46. At the first timeout, the Vikings led 5-3 after some sloppy play on both ends.
A putback by Detroit Mercy tied up the score but a free throw by Smith helped the Vikings go back on top. Chase Robinson added to the lead with a three of his own.
After seven minutes, the Vikings were leading 9-5 and their defense was not allowing any good looks for the Titans. The offense was not able to capitalize on a slew of fast breaks though, so the scores remained 9-5 at the second media timeout.
A Titan basket directly after the timeout cut the lead to two points but Staveskie hit another three to put the Vikings up five. Another good defensive stand and beautiful behind-the-back pass by Isaac Abidde added two more points. Abidde added a basket of his own with a nice step-back jumper and Reece Robinson added another three.
Some missed free throws by the Titans, a missed dunk by Abidde, and some fouls had the score fixed at 19-14 with 7:21 to go in the first half. Danny Young (playing for the first time in a while) entered and hit a three but the Vikings committed another foul and the score sat at 22-16.
A great defensive play created a turnover by the Titans on an inbounds play before Reece Robinson hit a shot as the shot clock expired. With just under six minutes left in the half, the Titans connected on their first three of the evening to cut the score to 25-19.
A Reece Robinson steal, Titan flagrant foul, and two made free throws by Robinson put the Vikings up eight. A nice post up by KJ Debrick and a few free throws was just about all the Vikings did in the last few minutes of the half. Luckily, the Titans didn’t score in the last 2 minutes. Smith hit a shot at the last second to help take a 33-25 lead into the intermission for the Vikings.
The first minute of the second half saw no scoring but Arnett put in a nice reverse layup and was fouled with 18:57 to go in the contest. He sank the free throw to put the Vikings up 11 points.
More great pressure by the Vikings was nullified by a goaltend but Dibba fed Reece Robinson to get the points right back. A 4-0 Titans run got them right back in the game but Dibba added his first points on a nice cut to the rim.
The Titans missed two free throws directly before a third Staveskie three as the Vikings took a 12-point lead. At the first media timeout of the half, the Vikings were leading 43-33. A great offensive rebound (on a Staveskie miss) by Arnett got Staveskie yet another made three.
A 7-0 run by the Titans closed the game to six points right at the 12:00 mark. A beautiful steal by Je’Shawn Stevenson and a layup by Chase Robinson stopped this run. An offensive foul on Detroit Mercy plus another basket and the lead was back to ten points.
Yet another turnover by the Titans created a long three for Stevenson and with just under ten minutes to play, the Vikings were back up 13 points.
In this second half full of small runs by both teams, the Titans next scored five in a row to cut the deficit to eight points. Staveskie stopped this run as well with a two-pointer, but the Titans immediately responded with two baskets of their own to cut the game to six points yet again.
The Titans cut it to three points with a free throw and another basket. With the game suddenly within one possession, CSU head coach Daniyal Robinson called timeout with just under four minutes to go.
Out of the timeout, Smith was fouled and sunk both shots. The Vikings defense dug deep to get the ball back before Smith hit a step-back to go back up seven points with just under three minutes to go.
The Titans turned the ball over again and Staveskie hit another three as the shot clock expired to put the nail in the coffin. With two minutes to go, the Vikings had a ten-point lead again.
Typical free throw mania occurred but the Titans actually closed the game to four points with just under a minute left. They needed to continue to foul the Vikings and Staveskie sunk both. After a bunch more free throws on both ends, the Vikings walked away with a 73-65 win.
Key takeaways:
- Staveskie finished with 22 points including five three-pointers. If the Vikings are going to go on a run in the conference tournament, they need that type of shooting. Add in his two steals and 5-6 from the line, and he had a super well-rounded game.
- 12 guys played for the Vikings including Chaz Watson and Danny Young. It was nice to see Coach Robinson go deep into his bench against one of the lower teams in the conference. With it being towards the end of the season, it was good to see some of the younger guys get some work in.
- Team rebounding was the name of the game. No one had more than five rebounds for the Vikings (Chase Robinson had the five) and the Titans actually out-rebounded them. The important thing was CSU got the timely rebounds and everyone contributed.
- 14 assists and 10 steals leads to a lot of points. The Vikings continue to be quick and smart with the ball. Their ten turnovers this game seems like a lot compared to most of their games but that shows how careful they are.
- Finally scoring above 70 again was nice to see but the Vikings are still looking for some answers on offense. Luckily there are plenty of scoring options, but recently it hasn’t looked like there is a consistent plan on the offensive side of the ball.
Away game vs. Oakland (12-16, 9-8 HL):
If you add Jayson Woodrich‘s points to the Vikings’ total, they would’ve had 106. Unfortunately, he now plays for Oakland which contributed to them scoring 91 points in an overtime thriller (or breakdown if you’re CSU).
The regular starters for the Vikings were quickly down 2-0 but a great defensive effort by Arnett prevented them from being down more. Arnett next found Reece Robinson on the block for the first CSU points of the day. Robinson added another basket before a Dibba bank shot after an Oakland turnover made it a 6-2 lead.
Arnett was whistled for a touch foul but Oakland couldn’t convert and Arnett responded with a basket on the other end. At the first media timeout, the Vikings had a 8-2 edge.
The Golden Grizzlies got back on the board with a DQ Cole three but Chase Robinson got the Vikings another two on a great cut on an inbounds play. The teams traded baskets for a few minutes and the Vikings were unable to pull away as the foul discrepancy started to grow.
Stevenson hit a three to go up seven and a Viking steal and layup grew the lead to nine at the under-12 minute timeout. Chase Robinson added a three shortly after the timeout but Cole responded with one of his own.
Another CSU steal and Chase Robinson layup put the Vikings up 29-17. More Oakland free throws briefly cut the lead but Staveskie connected on a three to put the Vikings back up 11 points with just under eight minutes to go in the half. Two Arnett free throws put the Vikings up 13.
Abidde found Chase Robinson for three again but Woodrich connected to nullify the points. Abidde also found Cole Franklin for a layup to help stop an Oakland run and stay up 41-32.
Oakland ended the half on a bit of a run though, as they finished the first half on a 10-5 run from that point. This run was aided by some free throws by Oakland while they were only called for four fouls all half. At halftime, the Vikings led 46-42.
The second half was essentially the same as the first. The Vikings got on the board with an Arnett dunk and Smith added a three as the shot clock expired. The Vikings were back up by nine points a minute into the half.
Woodrich cut into the lead with a beautiful spin and bank shot but Reece Robinson was knocked down hard on the play. He continued in the game but then came out at the next stoppage after looking to be in pain due to his left leg. He would not return to the game.
Another mini-run by Oakland cut the lead to three with about 16 minutes left in the contest. The CSU offense went cold at the same time as Oakland cut further into the lead to see the score at 53-52 at the under-16 minute timeout.
About a minute later, the Golden Grizzlies took back the lead for the first time since the first basket of the game. The teams went back-and-forth for the lead for a few more minutes but Oakland was able to grab a slight edge (four points) with a Woodrich three.
Smith cut this deficit to two out of the under-8 minute timeout but Oakland again got to the line and then got another basket on their next possession.
CSU was looking at a seven-point deficit before a Chase Robinson three gave the Vikings some hope. Staveskie hit a three of his own the next time down and all of a sudden, it was a one-point game.
Arnett tied the score at 72 with about four minutes to go and Stevenson took back the lead with a tough layup. Neither team was able to score again until Woodrich hit a corner three to give Oakland a one-point lead with 1:02 to go.
A great steal by Chase Robinson after a missed shot gave the ball back to CSU, and Stevenson drove and was fouled while making the shot. He sank the free throw but Oakland quickly tied the score at 77. Stevenson hit the rim for the last shot and the Vikings and Golden Grizzlies went to overtime.
Oakland started the overtime scoring with one free throw but Stevenson made two of his own to take the lead with 3:30 to go. A minute later the game was tied at 81 but from that point on it was all Oakland. A slew of missed shots (including some Hack-A-Dibba by Oakland) by CSU and made free throws by Oakland ended in a 91-86 loss for the Vikings.
Key takeaways:
- Four Vikings finished in double figures including Chase Robinson with 18 off the bench. Stevenson ended with 16 off the bench as well and Staveskie hit five threes for 15. Arnett rounded it out with 10 points. The widespread scoring usually works for the Vikings; it just didn’t this game.
- Dibba led the team with eight rebounds and six assists. With Reece Robinson taken to the trainer’s table, both Dibba and Debrick (four boards) stepped up on the glass. Arnett only had three rebounds. Oakland out-rebounded CSU 47-32.
- 25 to 13. That’s the foul discrepancy. Oakland shot almost three times as many free throws as CSU (13 to 38). All there is to say is…interesting.
- Woodrich helped beat his old team with 20 points including six threes. In a year marred with injury, it was an impressive performance on Oakland’s Senior Day.
- This game was the closest game this year for the Vikings outside of the tournament in Woodling Gym (wins or losses). They were up by as many as 13 points but could never get away from Oakland. This loss puts a lot of pressure on the Vikings to now win their final two games.
Up next for the Vikings:
CSU (19-10, 13-5 HL) travels to Wright State (13-16, 7-11 HL) Thursday at 9 PM EDT before finishing out the regular season at home against Purdue-Fort Wayne (19-10, 12-6 HL) on Saturday at 4 PM EDT. Both game are nationally televised.
