CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State Vikings remained undefeated in Horizon League play after taking down the Northern Kentucky Norse, 58-44, Friday night inside the Wolstein Center. 

The Vikings, now a perfect 7-0 in league play, tied the 2007-08 team for the best league start since the 1992-93 team began its league campaign with 14 consecutive wins. CSU’s current seven-game winning streak ties the 2013-14 team, and the 2011-12 team, for the longest winning streak since the 2010-11 season (12 straight games). 

Cleveland State jumped out to an early 12-2 lead, a run capped off by a Tre Gomillion bucket. Jayson Woodrich buried a three-pointer, assisted by Algevon Eichelberger, with 10:22 left to play in the opening half, giving Cleveland State a 17-point advantage (21-4). 

The Vikings maintained their pace throughout the rest of the opening half, holding a 12-point, 34-22, lead heading into intermission. Eight of 10 Vikings who saw the court in the first 20 minutes of action scored at least two points. 

Northern Kentucky cut into its deficit early in the second half, as David Bohm buried a three-pointer three minutes in, bringing the Norse within eight points of the Vikes. Eichelberger recorded a bucket for Cleveland State with 15:46 left to play in regulation, extending Cleveland State’s lead back to double-digits (37-27), where it would remain for the remainder of the contest.  

The Vikings pushed their lead to as many as 18 points on two occasions within the final eight minutes as the outcome was not in question down the stretch. 

Cleveland State held Northern Kentucky to 27.9% shooting from the floor and just 14.3% from downtown. The Vikings also used notable advantages in points in the paint (28-18) and bench points (20-6) to cruise to the win. 

Torrey Patton had a team-high 14 points for CSU while adding eight rebounds. 

QUICK HITS:

• The Vikings, now a perfect 7-0 in league play, are tied for the best start to a Horizon League campaign in program history (2007-08, 7-0).
• Cleveland State’s current seven-game winning streak ties the 2013-14, and 2011-12 team, for the longest winning streak since the 2010-11 season (12 straight games).
• With Friday night’s league win, Cleveland State is tied with the 2007-08 team for the best start to any conference season since the 1992-93 season (14-0, Mid-Continent Conference).
• Cleveland State allowed a season-low 44 points Friday night, forcing Northern Kentucky to a 17-61 (.279) clip from the field, including a 4-28 (.143) mark from three-point territory.
• The Vikings bench poured in 20 points, compared to the Norse’s six.
• Cleveland State held a 10-point (28-18) advantage in points in the paint, while holding the edge in assists (13-6) and points off turnovers (11-5).
• Torrey Patton poured in a team-high 14 points, to go along with eight rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes.
• Patton has scored 10-or-more points in each game of the Vikes’ seven-game winning streak, averaging 14.6 points over that span.
• Tre Gomillion grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds (four offensive), to go along with five points, two assists and a season-high tying two steals in 35 minutes of play.
• Friday night’s contest marked only the second time in Gomillion’s career where the junior pulled down 10-or-more rebounds.
• Jayson Woodrich led all bench scoring in Cleveland State’s win, tallying nine points on three triples, in addition to four rebounds in 18 minutes.
• Woodrich’s three made three-pointers ties his career-high for triples in a single game (three at Toledo, Dec. 1).
• Deante Johnson chipped in eight points on 4-6 (.667) shooting from the floor, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 22 minutes.
• Johnson has rejected at least one block in eight games this season, including four straight contests.
• Over the last four games, the junior forward has swatted at least two shots in three matches.

GAME RECAP COURTESY OF CLEVELAND STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS