GAME #7 & #8
Cleveland State vs. Louisiana | Friday, November 29 | 12:00 pm {EST}
Cleveland State vs. Lamar | Saturday, November 30 | 2:15 pm {EST}
New Orleans, La. | Alario Center
Live Stats | Live Video | PDF Game Notes

SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will return to the road this week, taking part in the Big Easy Classic in New Orleans, La. The Vikings, who enter the week with a 3-2 record on the year, will face Louisiana on Friday, November 29 and Lamar on Saturday, November 30.
 
THE CLEVELAND STATE/LOUISIANA SERIES
Friday's game will be the second meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State earning a 54-45 victory during the 2017-18 season when the two teams faced off as part of the South Point Shootout in Las Vegas.
 
THE CLEVELAND STATE/LAMAR SERIES
Saturday's game will be the second meeting between the two teams, with Lamar picking up a 100-79 victory during the 1992-93 campaign.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
This week's Big Easy Classic will mark the fourth and fifth of 17 road games for the Vikings this season. Throughout the course of non-league play alone, the Vikings will play seven games away from home and are slated to travel 7,200+ miles. So far this season, the Vikings are 1-2 when playing on the road.
 
…VIKINGS IN LOUISIANA
This week's trip south marks the first time that the Vikings are playing in the state of Louisiana since the 2015-16 season, when Cleveland State participated in the Tulane Classic facing Saint Louis and UNCG.
 
REISMA NOTCHES CAREER-HIGH 24 POINTS AGAINST ODU
Last time out, Jordana Reisma recorded a career-high 24 points against Ohio Dominican, marking the first 20-point performance of her career. Reisma, who is averaging 14.8 points per game this season, has finished with 15+ points in each of the last three games - one of two Vikings to do so. 
 
…REISMA EFFICIENT FROM THE FIELD
Entering Friday's game against Louisiana, Jordana Reisma has been Cleveland State's most efficient offensive player, shooting 68-percent from the field going 31-for-45 through five games played. Among Division I players, Reisma ranks ninth with her .689 clip, while she ranks fourth among players with 30 or more field goals on the year. For her career, Reisma currently sits at the top of the CSU Career Record Book with a .567 field goal percentage (253-for-446).
 
PERDUE NOTCHES FOURTH 20-POINT GAME OF THE SEASON
Mickayla Perdue recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season against Ohio Dominican last time out, finishing with 23 points on the game. For the season, Perdue is averaging 24.8 points per game, a mark that ranks her third nationally and makes her one of just four Division I players to be averaging 24.0+ points per game on the year.
 
GUERREIRO OFF TO FAST START
Sara Guerreiro has had a fast start to the 2024-25 campaign, entering Friday's contest averaging 14.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game - leading Cleveland State in rebounds and assists. Guerreiro has recorded double-digit points in all five games this season, while she tallied her first double-double of the year at Chicago State (14 points, 13 rebounds). Through five games played, Guerreiro ranks in the top-10 among Horizon League players in scoring (8th), rebounding (3rd) and assists (2nd).
 
LEO SETS CSU CAREER THREE-POINT RECORD
Earlier this month, Destiny Leo became the Cleveland State Career Record Holder in three-pointers made, finishing the game at Akron with 234 total three-pointers on her career. With a pair of three-pointers against Ohio Dominican last time out, Leo added to her career total (236) and has recorded two or more three-pointers in all five games so far this season. In addition, Leo remains at the top of the CSU Career Three-Point Field Goal Percentage list, shooting 38.6-percent from behind-the-arc on her career.
 
…LEO MOVES UP CAREER SCORING LIST
The pair of three-pointers against Ohio Dominican also moved Destiny Leo into a tie for sxith place on the CSU Scoring List, as she enters this week's Big Easy Classic with 1,607 career points. Leo, who is one of just seven Vikings all-time with 1,600+ points on their career, is averaging 10.0 points per game this season, marking the fifth straight year that she has averaged double-digit points.
 
HIGH POWERED OFFENSE
Through the first three weeks of the 2024-25 campaign, Cleveland State is one of the highest scoring teams in the country, averaging 84.6 points per game to rank 24th nationally. The Vikings, who have tallied 75+ points three times this season, lead the Horizon League in scoring, while ranking second with a .478 field goal percentage on the year. Last time out, Cleveland State shot 54-percent from the field, marking the second time this season that the Vikings have shot 50-percent or better.
 
…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 FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Through five games played this season, the Vikings rank third nationaly averaging 21.0 free throws made per game. For the season, Cleveland State has converted 105 free throws, including a season-best 33-for-41 performance against Chicago State earlier this month. The Vikings are shooting at a .789 clip from the free throw line on the year, with the trio of Mickayla Perdue (34-39), Sara Guerreiro (22-26) and Jordana Reisma (12-15) all shooting 80-percent or better.
 
VIKINGS IN THE RANKINGS
Cleveland State entered the fourth week of the 2024-25 campaign ranked 17th 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 18th in this week's top-25, while Purdue Fort Wayne is receiving votes.
 
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 544-178. At Cleveland State, Kielsmeier owns a record of 128-62, 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.
 
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will kickoff the Horizon League slate at home next week, hosting Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, December 4 and IU Indy on Saturday, December 7.