Feb. 3, 2011
Final Stats
Contact: Greg Murphy
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Shalonda Winton scored 21 points and Cleveland State shot 52 percent from the field, but the Vikings dropped an 87-63 decision at Green Bay in the Kress Center on Thursday night in Horizon League action.
The Vikings fell to 12-9 overall and 5-5 in the Horizon League, while Green Bay improved to 21-1 overall and 10-0 in league play.
Winton made 9-of-15 from the field, adding seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. That came on the heels of her career high 31 point night at Youngstown State last Saturday.
Destinee Blue added 12 points, while Janelle Adams scored eight points with five rebounds and three assists.
The Vikings got several good looks at the basket en route to shooting better than 50 percent from the field for the third time this season and the second straight game, hitting on 24-of-46 (.522).
However, the Vikings could not overcome 24 turnovers which the Phoenix turned into 27 points. Green Bay also took 21 more shots than CSU, going 31-of-67 (.463) from the field, including 9-of-19 from three point.
"I thought we were able to get some good looks at the basket when we executed on offense," head coach Kate Peterson Abiad said. "But we made way to many mistakes and turned the ball over too much and you can't do that against a team like Green Bay because they will make you pay, especially on their home court. And we also gave up a lot of offensive rebounds that they took advantage of.
"This is a game that we will just have to put behind us and turn our focus to Milwaukee on Saturday."
The Phoenix raced out to a 13-4 lead six minutes into the contest before a Destinee Blue free throw and basket brought CSU back within six (13-7) with 13:17 left in the half. However, the Phoenix used a pair of three pointers sandwiched around a Winton layup to stretch the lead to 10 points (19-9) with 11:21 on the clock.
The Vikings responded with a 5-1 run to pull back within six (20-14) on a Keane layup, but two free throws by Kayla Tetschlag and a Lydia Bauer three pointer gave the Phoenix a 25-14 lead with 9:03 to play. After a Winton layup brought the Phoenix lead back to nine points (25-16), Adrian Ritchie answered with a three pointer on the other end to give her squad a 28-16 lead.
The Phoenix led at the half, 47-27, taking advantage of CSU foul trouble to build the lead. Garland played 12 minutes in the first half, picking up three fouls, while Adams, Takima Keane and Honesty King also battled foul trouble.
"We battled some foul trouble the entire first half and were forced to play with some combinations that we are not used to," Peterson Abiad said.
Green Bay opened the second half on an 11-4 run to take a 58-31 lead less than four minutes in before a quick CSU spurt brought the Vikings back within 58-40 with 14:48 left.
However, eight straight points by the Phoenix ended the Vikings run.
Tetschlag led all scorers with 25 points, adding nine rebounds, while Bauer scored 16 points, hitting 4-of-5 from three point.
The Phoenix held a 38-31 advantage on the glass, grabbing 15 offensive boards.
The Vikings conclude their two game swing through Wisconsin with an 11:00 a.m. CST (12:00 noon) contest at Milwaukee on Saturday (Feb. 5).
