Nov. 13, 2009
Final Stats
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Contact: Greg Murphy
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Freshman Shalonda Winton scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in her first collegiate game and the Vikings used a strong defensive effort to defeat Ohio, 56-34, in the season opener for both teams on Friday night in the Wolstein Center.
The 34 points allowed represent the fewest that a CSU team has given up since Feb. 8, 1983, in a 62-24 win over Ashland.
"This was a game that we had to have if we want to be the team that we are capable of being," head coach Kate Peterson Abiad said. "I thought this was a great way for us to start the season and I am very happy with the way we did it.
"Our defense was as good as I have ever seen it since I have been here and the players executed the game plan on both ends of the court. We didn't shoot the ball the we we are capable of shooting so be able to win a game and only score 56 points is a tribute to our defensive effort.
"I thought we did a great job of crashing the offensive boards and pushing it in transition and were able to score some easy baskets. We were relentless on both ends of the court tonight and really valued the basketball. We didn't make many mistakes and really executed and I will take that kind of focus every game."
Kailey Klein finished with 12 points, while Angel Roque scored six as part of a balanced scoring attack.
CSU raced out to a 9-2 lead six minutes in as Winton scored five quick points and Klein added four. However, the Bobcats would storm back and cut the lead to one (11-10) with 9:31 to play, but would get no closer the rest of the way as the Vikings did not trail all night.
After Ohio cut the lead to one point, CSU went on a 13-0 run to extend its advantage to 24-10 on a Stephaine Crosley layup with 3:47 left in the half.
Ohio scored the final four points of the first stanza, cutting its deficit to nine, 24-15.
The Vikings would not let them get any closer, using a 13-5 burst out of the locker room to take a 37-20 lead on Klein's layup with 15:42 to play. The lead would swell to as many as 26 points late in the game as the CSU defense kept the Bobcats at bay all night.
CSU held Ohio to a paltry .295 (13-44) effort from the field, including just 2-of-12 (.167) from three-point. In Ohio's win at Athens last season, the Bobcats torched CSU for eight three's.
The Vikings claimed a 44-34 advantage on the boards, grabbing 21 offensive rebounds that were translated into 17 second chance points. CSU also had 14 fast break points, holding Ohio without any.
Jennifer Bushby led the Bobcats with eight points and nine rebounds.
The Vikings will be back in action on Sunday (Nov. 15) when CSU travels to Toledo for a 2:00 p.m. contest.
