By Jeysla Gonzalez
3/24/2025
Daytona Beach, FL-The Cleveland State men’s basketball team got off to a fast start and never looked back as the Vikings posted an 88-73 win over Queens in the quarterfinals of the Purple College Basketball Invitational.
The Vikings led wire to wire jumping out to a 13-2 start in the opening minutes. The Cleveland State lead ballooned as high as 23 in the closing minutes as the Vikings pulled away down the stretch.
Tahj Staveskie led the way for CSU with 29 points, one shy of a career high. Staveskie finished 10-for-14 from the floor and 4-of-7 from the three-point line. He was perfect on five attempts from the free throw line.
Dylan Arnett tied his career high with 20 points on 10-for-12 shooting from the field. Arnett led the way with six rebounds as the Vikings posted a 31-21 edge on the glass.
Tevin Smith was the third Viking in double figures finishing with 13 points. Smith was perfect from the field finishing 6-for-6 and adding two rebounds and an assist to his stat line.
Cleveland State finished at a sizzling 60 percent from the field and 40 percent (6-15) from three-point land. The Vikings were near perfect at the free throw line finishing 8-for-9 on the night. Cleveland State dominated in the paint scoring 52 points and won the turnover battle forcing 15 Queens miscues that led to 18 points.
Cleveland State pushed its lead to double digits in the game’s first five minutes and kept building throughout the first half. The lead grew as high as 18 on multiple occasions and CSU carried a 17-point advantage into the halftime locker room leading 40-23.
In the second half the lead never dipped below double figures and the Vikings opened it up late. An alley-oop dunk by Smith with 3:30 to play gave Cleveland State its largest lead of the night at 82-59.
With the win Cleveland State advances to tomorrow night’s semifinal round where the Vikings will take on Florida Gulf Coast. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. tip-off and will be broadcast on ESPNU. Radio coverage on Fox Sports 1350 AM will begin at 8:30 p.m.
COURTESY CLEVELAND STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
