Feb. 4, 2006

Final Stats

CLEVELAND - Dominique Butler scored all of her career-high 20 points in the second half and Cleveland State shot nearly 70.0 percent in the final 20 minutes, but Butler was still able to hold on for a 71-68 victory on Saturday afternoon in the Wolstein Center.

The Bulldogs (11-10, 6-4 HL), who led 36-26 at the half, still held a 10-point advantage (50-40) with under 12 minutes left to play in the game. However, the Vikings (3-18, 1-9 HL) rattled off six straight points over the next two minutes to draw within four.

Butler, which never trailed in the game, was able to fight off the run thanks in part to a pair of Candace Bain jumpers, eventually extending its margin back to double-figures.

CSU found itself trailing 66-55 with 2:56 remaining, but a Natalie Miller jumper and four straight points from Butler trimmed the lead to just six at the 1:18 mark. However, the Bulldogs went 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute to narrowly offset seven points in the final 46 seconds by Omega Harrington.

"I'm proud of our effort today," CSU head coach Kate Peterson said. "We played hard and played well as a unit. The second half was our best 20 minutes of the season -- Dominique was almost unstoppable. Unfortunately, we just couldn't put the ball in the basket in the first half."

The Vikings shot above 50 percent for just the second time all year, going 27-for-51 from the floor (52.9 percent), including a 16-for-23 effort in the second stanza (69.6 percent). Butler was a solid 28-for-59 from the floor (47.5 percent) and held a 36-22 advantage on the boards.

After a 0-for-3 effort in the first half, Butler went 7-for-9 from the floor and 6-for-6 from the line in the final 20 minutes, adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Chenara Wilson knocked down all but one of her five attempts from the floor and all four at the charity stripe en route to finishing with 12 points and five rebounds.

Lade Akande led all players with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Jackie Closser added 17 points and five assists for the Bulldogs.

Cleveland State closes out its three-game homestand on Thursday (Feb. 9) when the Vikings host UIC at 7:00 p.m.