Indianapolis, IN-It was a defensive battle in Indianapolis as Cleveland State and Youngstown State slugged it out for the right to advance to the Horizon League Championship Game. In the end Youngstown State prevailed 56-54 as the Vikings came up just short in the program's fifth consecutive trip to the league semifinals.
Both teams struggled to settle into a rhythm offensively throughout the night. The game featured seven lead changes and six ties. Despite trailing on the glass and in the turnover margin, Cleveland State hung tough and held the lead in the closing minutes before a late YSU rally pushed the Penguins over the top.
Tevin Smith, playing in his final tournament game, led the Vikings with 14 points. Smith made five field goals including 2-for-5 from three-point range and added four rebounds and two assists. He connected on both of his attempts from the free throw line.
Je'Shawn Stevenson finished with 11 points including eight in the first half. He connected on 3-of-4 from three-point range with all three makes coming at critical points in the game.
Tahj Staveskie tallied 10 points on 3-for-5 from the field. Staveskie was perfect on two three-point tries and added three boards and two assists.
The two teams were scoreless for the first two and a half minutes of action before a
Dylan Arnett layup gave Cleveland State its first points of the night and a 2-0 lead. YSU's Chris Carroll connected on a three-pointer and that was the only scoring into the game's first media timeout with the Penguins leading 3-2.
YSU eventually scored the next six points to widen its lead to 9-2 at the 11:42 mark of the first half. The Penguin lead grew as large as nine in the opening half before the Vikings slowly chipped away. A Stevenson three at the 8:03 mark trimmed the deficit back to six at 14-8 and as the first half clock wound down the Vikings worked the game back within one possession. Staveskie connected on a triple try on the final possession of the half to bring it back to a one-point game at 22-21 Youngstown State headed into halftime.
Cleveland State came out of the locker room and built on the late momentum. The Vikings scored the first eight points of the second half and expanded the run to 11-0 stretching back to Staveskie's three to end the first half to take their largest lead with 16:37 to play. An
Ebrima Dibba put-back layup made it 29-22 Cleveland State.
Youngstown State worked back to a one-possession game just over two minutes later and the game remained within one possession for the final 14 minutes of action. The lead flipped back and forth with neither team able to create separation headed into the closing minutes.
At the game's final media timeout the score was deadlocked at 50 apiece. A Dibba steal led to a
Dylan Arnett layup on the first possession out of the timeout to give the Vikings a 52-50 lead with 3:11 to play.
The two teams traded empty possessions until YSU eventually tied the score once again on a Gabe Dynes dunk with 1:22 to play. Cleveland State responded on the ensuing offensive possession as Smith drove to the basket and was fouled. He calmly sank two free throws to put Cleveland State back in front with 1:08 to play at 54-52.
Momentum shifted on Youngstown State's next offensive possession. Following a called timeout, Ty Harper hit a fadeaway three-pointer and was fouled in the act of shooting. Harper converted the ensuing free throw for a four-point play that put the Penguins back in front 56-54 with 43 seconds to play.
Smith could not connect on a three-point try of his own on the other end and Cleveland State fouled YSU's Nico Galette on the rebound. Galette missed both free throws and it remained a two-point game with under 30 seconds to play. Cleveland State had multiple looks on its final offensive possession but could not get a shot to fall to even the score.
Cleveland State shot 41 percent from the floor and 66 percent (8-12) from three-point range on the night. The Vikings held YSU to 36 percent from the field and just 32 percent from long range.
