SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will return home for a single contest this weekend, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday, January 12 at 2:00 p.m. Entering Sunday's contest, the Vikings are 13-3 on the year and 5-1 in Horizon League play, while the Mastodons stand at 12-5 overall and 7-0 in league action.
 
A WIN ON SUNDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings back-to-back wins…Extend Cleveland State's home win streak to 30 straight games…Improve the Vikings to 7-0 at home this season…Give Cleveland State 12 straight wins against Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
THE CLEVELAND STATE/PURDUE FORT WAYNE SERIES
Sunday's game will mark the 17th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a 15-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Vikings have won 11 straight games against the Mastodons, including a season sweep over Purdue Fort Wayne last year.
 
VIKINGS IN #HLWBB PLAY
Cleveland State enters Sunday's contest with a 5-1 record in Horizon League play this season, currently sitting in second place in the #HLWBB standings. The Vikings are one of just three league teams with one loss or less on the year, and will be trying to improve their #HLWBB record at home to 4-0 this season.
 
HOME-SWEET-HOME
Sunday's game will mark the seventh of 14 home games for the Vikings during the 2024-25 season, and the first home game of the New Year. Last time the Vikings were at home, they picked up a 73-68 overtime win against Milwaukee, extending their current home win streak to 29 straight games. This stretch ranks second among Division I teams (South Carolina-65), and dates back to February 2, 2023.
 
PERDUE TALLIES 10TH 20-POINT PERFORMANCE
Last time out, Mickayla Perdue recorded her 10th 20-point game of the season, finishing with a game-high 26 points. Perdue, who continues to lead the league averaging 20.4 points per game on the season, has now recorded 20+ points in four of the first six #HLWBB games. Through 16 games played, Perdue has combined for 327 total points, which ranks her 13th nationally.
 
LEO LOOKING TO MOVE UP ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
Entering Sunday's game against Purdue Fort Wayne, Destiny Leo is looking to become one of the top five scorers in program history, as she currently ranks sixth with 1,732 total points on her career. With 16 more points, Leo would move into a tie for fifth on the all-time scoring list, while 18 more points would make her one of five Vikings all-time with 1,750 career points. So far this season, Leo is averaging 10.9 points per game and has recorded double-digit points in two of the last three games.
 
REISMA EFFICIENT FROM THE FIELD
Jordana Reisma continues to be one of the most efficient shooters among Division I players, entering Sunday's contest against Purdue Fort Wayne with a .701 field goal percentage on the year. Reisma, who ranks second among Division I players in field goal percentage, is shooting 96-for-137 on the year, while she currently sits at the top of the CSU Career Record Book with a .591 clip (318-538) for her career.
 
…VIKINGS FROM THE FIELD
As a team, Cleveland State has also had one of the more efficient offenses this season, leading the Horizon League and ranking 13th among Division I teams with a .484 clip from the field on the year. The Vikings have shot 50-percent or better during seven games so far this season, including a .500 clip at Detroit Mercy last time out. In addition to Jordana Reisma (.701), five other Vikings are shooting 45-percent or better from the field on the year, including Sara Guerreiro who has tallied a .493 clip (66-134).
 
CLEVELAND STATE ON THE BOARDS
The Vikings enter the weekend as the top rebounding team in the league, averaging 39.3 boards per game through the first 16 games played. Cleveland State also holds a league-best +8.1 rebounding margin, and has outrebounded its opponent 13 times so far this year. The Vikings have combined for 629 rebounds on the season, including 470 defensive boards which is tops in the league.
 
…GUERREIRO ON THE BOARDS
Entering Sunday's game, Sara Guerreiro continues to lead all league players averaging 7.8 rebounds per game on the season. Through 16 games, Guerreiro has grabbed 125 total rebounds, including a league-best 101 defensive boards. Guerreiro has tallied double-digit rebounds three times this season, including a career-high 16 boards against Northern Kentucky in the #HLWBB opener. In addition to Guerreiro, two other Vikings rank in the top-10 in rebounding, with Jordana Reisma sitting fifth (6.9) and Destiny Leo tied for ninth (5.5).
 
CLEVELAND STATE FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Through 16 games played this season, the Vikings rank 13th nationally averaging 16.44 free throws made per game. For the season, Cleveland State has converted a league-best 263 free throws, including 20+ free throws during four games this year. As a team, the Vikings are shooting at a .754 clip from the free throw line on the year, with the quartet of Mickayla Perdue (74-90), Sara Guerreiro (44-50), Destiny Leo (33-41), and Macey Fegan (14-17) all shooting 80-percent or better.
 
VIKINGS IN THE RANKINGS
Cleveland State currently sits 15th 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 top-25, as Green Bay currently ranks 23rd. In addition, Purdue Fort Wayne is receiving votes.
 
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 554-178. At Cleveland State, Kielsmeier owns a record of 138-62, 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.
 
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 airs on Monday nights beginning at 6:00 p.m. on 1350 AM and features a variety of coaches, student-athletes and members of the CSU community.
 
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will return to the road next week, traveling to Robert Morris on Wednesday, January 15 and IU Indy on Saturday, January 18.