SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will return to the road to continue the 2024-25 campaign this weekend, making the short trip south to Akron for a 12:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, November 16. Entering the game, Cleveland State stands at 2-1 on the year, while Akron is currently 1-2 this season.
 
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD…
Give Cleveland State three straight wins for the first time during 2024-25…Extend the Vikings' win streak against Akron to four straight…Put Cleveland State at 2-1 when playing on the road this season.
 
THE CLEVELAND STATE/AKRON SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the 46th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a 28-17 advantage in the overall series. The Vikings enter Saturday having won the last three matchups, including a 71-62 victory last year.
 
LEO CLOSING IN ON CSU CAREER THREE-POINT RECORD
After going 3-for-5 from behind-the-arc against Bowling Green last time out, Destiny Leo is closing in on the Cleveland State career three-point record, entering Saturday's game with 232 career three-pointers. With just one more shot from behind-the-arc Leo would tie the current record of 233 held by Khayla Livingston (2013-18), while two more three-pointers would put her in sole possession of the record. In addition, Leo remains at the top of the CSU Career Three-Point Field Goal Percentage list, shooting 38.7-percent from behind-the-arc on her career.
 
…LEO MOVING UP ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
With double-digit points in back-to-back games, Destiny Leo moved into seventh place on the CSU All-Time Scoring List, entering Saturday's game with 1,593 career points. Leo, who is averaging 12.0 points per game so far this season, is just seven points shy of becoming the seventh Viking all-time with 1,600 points on their career.
 
GUERREIRO OFF TO FAST START
Sara Guerreiro has had a fast start to the 2024-25 campaign, entering Saturday's contest averaging 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game - leading Cleveland State in rebounds and assists. Guerreiro tallied her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds at Chicago State last week, while she was just shy of a double-double with 19 points and nine boards against Bowling Green last time out. After three games played, Guerreiro is one of two Horizon League players to rank in the top-10 in scoring (8th), rebounding (3rd) and assists (4th).
 
REISMA MOVES UP CAREER BLOCKS LIST
After posting two blocked shots against Bowling Green last time out, Jordana Reisma moved into a tie for eighth place in the CSU Career Record Book with 83 career blocks. Reisma, who has tallied at least one block in all three games so far this season, is one of just 10 Vikings all-time with 80+ blocks on their career.
 
BACK ON THE ROAD
Saturday's game at Akron will be the third of 18 road games for the Vikings this season. Throughout the course of non-league play alone, the Vikings will play eight games away from home and are slated to travel 7,200+ miles. So far this season, the Vikings are 1-1 when playing on the road.
 
…BUT HOME-SWEET-HOME
Tuesday's game against Bowling Green extended Cleveland State's home win streak to 24 straight games, a mark that ranks third among active win streaks for Division I teams (South Carolina - 60, FGCU - 32). This stretch dates back to February 2, 2023, and includes a perfect 17-0 record at home last season.
 
CLEVELAND STATE FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Through three games played this season, the Vikings are leading the nation averaging 23.6 free throws made per game. For the season, Cleveland State has converted 71 free throws, including a season-best 33-for-41 performance against Chicago State last week. The Vikings are shooting a league-best 78-percent from the free throw line, with Mickayla Perdue (18-20) and Sara Guerreiro (18-20) both averaging 90-percent individually from the line.
 
PERDUE LEADING VIKING OFFENSE
Mickayla Perdue enters Saturday's game averaging a team-best 25.3 points per game, and has tallied 15+ points in all three games this year. Perdue leads the Horizon League in scoring, while she ranks third nationally, and is one of just four Division I players to be averaging 25.0+ points per game so far this season. 
 
VIKINGS IN THE RANKINGS
Cleveland State entered the second week of the 2024-25 campaign ranked 12th in the latest edition of the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Vikings are one of two Horizon League teams to be in the current rankings, as Green Bay sits 17th in this week's top-25.
 
VIKINGS ECLIPSE 100-POINT MARK
The Vikings recorded the 16th 100-point game in program history earlier this month, finishing with 111 points in the win at Chicago State. This marked the first 100-point game since the 2022-23 season, while it put Cleveland State at 14-2 all-time when scoring 100+ points.
 
CLEVELAND STATE SELECTED AS #HLWBB PRESEASON FAVORITES
Last month, the Vikings were selected as the preseason favorite to win the Horizon League, picking up 117 points and seven first place votes. This marked the first time in program history that Cleveland State was selected as the preseason favorite, while it marked the fourth time that they were ranked in the top-two heading into a season.
 
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of seventh-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who currently owns a career head coaching record of 543-177. At Cleveland State, Kielsmeier owns a record of 127-61, with his 100th victory as a Viking coming in a 95-41 decision over Chicago State last season. Under his guidance, Cleveland State has posted four 20-win seasons, including a program-record 30 wins during the 2023-24 campaign.
 
...KIELSMEIER NAMED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Chris Kielsmeier was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List last month – one of 20 coaches to earn the recognition, and the only coach from the Horizon League. Under Kielsmeier, the Vikings have advanced to the Horizon League Championship game three straight years, and have made four consecutive postseason appearances.
 
NEW! CLEVELAND STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RADIO SHOW
Fans can stay up-to-date with all things Viking Basketball throughout the 2024-25 season by tuning in to the Cleveland State Women's Basketball Radio Show. The weekly show will air on Monday nights beginning at 6:00 p.m. on 1350 AM and will feature a variety of coaches, student-athletes and members of the CSU community.
 
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will be back on the road next Wednesday, November 20, traveling to Niagara for a 6:00 p.m. contest.