Youngstown, OH-In a battle of the top two teams in the Horizon League standings, Cleveland State emerged with a key road victory as the Vikings defeated Youngstown State 80-72 on Saturday afternoon at YSU's Beeghly Center. The Vikings have now won eight consecutive games and sit atop the Horizon League standings at 6-1, while improving to 12-6 overall. Youngstown State is 11-7 and 6-2.
 
Cleveland State shot a blistering 49 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. The Vikings also won the battle on the boards by a 32-28 margin. The Vikings held a lead as large as 16 points midway through the second half before Youngstown stormed back to within a point with under four minutes to play. Cleveland State kept its composure down the stretch and made the critical plays necessary in the final minutes to secure a key road victory.
 
In what has become a recurring theme throughout the eight-game win streak, the Vikings featured a balanced offensive attack with five players finishing in double figures. Tahj Staveskie led the way finishing with 21 points on 7-of-17 from the floor. Staveskie, who leads the league in three-point percentage, finished at a 40 percent clip from three-point range. He barely sat the entire game, playing over 38 minutes.
 
Dylan Arnett finished with his third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Arnett has scored in double figures in five straight games and finished 6-for-8 from the field. He added an assist and a steal in just 28 minutes of action after sitting in the first half due to foul trouble.
 
Tevin Smith and Je'Shawn Stevenson finished with 14 points each. Smith finished three assists shy of a double-double, as he posted seven dimes as well as three rebounds. Smith was a sizzling 3-for-5 from three-point range. Stevenson finished 6-for-10 from the field and added three rebounds and two steals.
 
Chase Robinson rounded out the quintet in double figures finishing with 12 points. Robinson shot 50 percent from the field and was perfect on two attempts from the free throw line. He finished the afternoon with three rebounds and two assists.
 
The host Penguins got off to a fast start scoring 11 of the game's first 13 points. Following an Arnett bucket on Cleveland State's first offensive possession, YSU reeled off 11 in a row to take an 11-2 lead into the first media timeout.
 
Arnett and Staveskie responded with baskets on the next two possessions to pull CSU back within four. Arnett converted a layup and Staveskie followed with a second-chance three-pointer which kick started the Vikings offensively. Eventually Cleveland State worked back to a one-point deficit before the Vikings took the lead for the first time halfway through the opening half. Arnett threw down a two-handed dunk with 9:59 to go which made it 17-16 CSU.
 
The game remained tight as the first half wound down. Cleveland State mounted a late charge in the final two minutes to seize momentum headed into the locker room. The Vikings used an 8-1 run over the final 1:29 to take a six-point lead at halftime. KJ Debrick started the rally with a mid-range jumper and then assisted on a Smith three-pointer on the next CSU possession.
 
Cleveland State then drew the final possession of the half. The Vikings led by three in the closing seconds and YSU, with fouls to give, elected to foul multiple times in an effort to not allow CSU to get a final shot off. However Smith found an opening and drained a three-pointer at the first half buzzer to give Cleveland State a 37-31 lead going into the break.
 
Cleveland State continued its surge in the second half. Back-to-back threes from Chase Robinson and Staveskie doubled the lead to 12 points just over six minutes in. Robinson followed with another big three-point shot a few minutes later that pushed the CSU lead to its largest margin of 16 points with 10:12 remaining.
 
The Vikings appeared to be well in control with ten minutes to play, but Youngstown State had other ideas. The Penguins mounted a lightning quick 13-0 run over 2:16 which cut the Viking lead to a single point with 3:39 remaining.
 
30 seconds later, Staveskie responded with the biggest shot of the afternoon, a three-pointer from the right wing that pushed the lead back to four points. Cleveland State held the lead the rest of the way. The Vikings sank several key free throws in the final minute to hold off the Penguin rally and secure the victory.
 
Cleveland State returns to the Wolstein Center in search of its ninth consecutive victory on Wednesday against Northern Kentucky. Fans can use promo code "NINE" at checkout for nine dollars off tickets to Wednesday's game. Click HERE to purchase. The Vikings and Norse will tip at 7:00 p.m.