Cleveland State Secures Fifth Consecutive Victory, Triumphs Over Wright State!

Cleveland, OH-The Cleveland State men’s basketball squad maintained its winning streak at home with a 78-64 triumph over Wright State on Sunday afternoon. The Vikings advanced to 9-6 overall and 3-1 in the Horizon League. Meanwhile, Wright State dropped to 7-8 and 1-3.
 
Cleveland State has secured victories in the first four games of a five-game homestand and has now won five consecutive matches overall. CSU’s home record this season improved to 7-2. The Vikings displayed impressive shooting with an overall field goal percentage of 49% and 50% (9-18) from three-point range.

The team showcased selfless play on offense, finishing with 17 assists and only eight turnovers. This marks the fourth consecutive game the Vikings have maintained single-digit turnovers.

 

Four players scored in double figures, led by Chase Robinson, who amassed 16 points. Robinson has reached double figures in three of the last five contests and set a new season high with his performance. He finished 6-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.

 

Dylan Arnett contributed with 14 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 6-for-9 from the field and going perfect on two free throw attempts.

 

Tevin Smith and Je’Shawn Stevenson both finished with 12 points. Smith extended his streak of eight straight games in double figures, adding six rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Stevenson has also scored in double digits in five of the last six games, finishing 4-of-5 from the field.

 

The competition was competitive early, with Cleveland State holding a 10-6 advantage at the initial media timeout.

 

With seven minutes left in the first half, the game remained close, but Cleveland State went on a quick 7-2 run over the next three minutes, establishing a 28-19 lead. Smith banked in a close-range jumper, followed by Stevenson hitting two free throws. Reece Robinson concluded the spurt with a layup on a fast break that became a three-point play after he was fouled and converted the free throw.

 

Cleveland State increased its lead to double digits late in the first half, with Arnett converting a two-handed dunk with 39 seconds left, putting the Vikings ahead 37-25 heading into halftime.

 

The Vikings maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half until Wright State made a late push to close the gap. The second half was closely contested up to the 6:45 mark, when Arnett executed a dunk during a fast break, extending Cleveland State’s lead to 64-52.

 

Wright State answered with its most significant run of the evening, a 7-0 spurt over two minutes and 21 seconds, narrowing the gap to five points at 64-59 with 4:21 remaining.

 

However, Cleveland State quickly retaliated with a 14-0 run, the largest of the night, effectively securing the victory. An additional dunk by Arnett with 1:38 left pushed the score to 78-59, extinguishing any chances for a Wright State comeback.

 

Cleveland State will conclude its five-game homestand with a clash against IU Indianapolis on Saturday, January 4. The Vikings and Jaguars will welcome the New Year with a matchup scheduled to tip off at 3:00 p.m.