SETTING THE SCENE
Cleveland State takes its three-game winning streak to Milwaukee on Sunday, concluding its three-game road swing. The Vikings enter the game at 8-14 overall and 4-7 in Horizon League play, while the Panthers are 9-14 overall and 5-7 in league games.
A WIN ON SUNDAY WOULD…
Extend the Vikings winning streak to four games, which would double its previous longest of the year…Sweep the Wisconsin trip for first-time since the 2021-22 season…First win in Milwaukee since the 2021-22 season…Split the season series for the first-time since 2021-22.
LAST GAME OUT
The Vikings tied the program record for three-pointers in a game with 16 as Cleveland State won its third straight game on Friday at Green Bay, 89-82. The Vikings shot 51 percent from the field for the game and were a blazing 65 percent in the second half. The team shot 16-of-29 from beyond the arc and was 6-of-8 in the final half of play.
Five players finished in double figures, led by
Dayan Nessah with 18 points as the sophomore finished a rebound shy of his second straight double-double. His nine boards were a game-high.
Jaidon Lipscomb poured in 17 points and tied for a game-best two steals.
Chevalier Emery and
Josiah Harris each finished with 15 points off the bench.
Tre Beard tallied 13 points to round out the double-digit scorers.
LAST MEETING
Cleveland State had three players reach double figures in the first meeting behind a team-best 22 points from
Chevalier Emery. The junior was 6-of-13 shooting including a 3-of-6 mark from beyond the arc.
Tre Beard was next with 14 points and
Holden Pierre-Louis added 12 points on five-of-six shooting.
The Vikings led for 19:47 of the contest with their largest run, 12, happening at the 9:30 mark of the first half. CSU jumped out to a 27-12 lead at the end of that run before the Panthers ended up tying the game at 29-29 with 2:40 left in the first half.
The game went back-and-forth until the half ended 37-35 Vikings. In the second half the game was tied 45-45 before Milwaukee was able to jump out to a 10-point lead at the 6:30 mark. Cleveland State was able to get the lead six at 77-71 with 57 seconds left but lost, 81-71.
#THROWBACK TO FIRST MEETING
Cleveland State had three players reach double figures in the first meeting behind a team-best 22 points from
Chevalier Emery. The junior was 6-of-13 shooting, including a 3-of-6 mark from beyond the arc.
Tre Beard was next with 14 points, and
Holden Pierre-Louis added 12 points on five-of-six shooting.
The Vikings led for 19:47 of the contest, with their largest run, 12, happening at the 9:30 mark of the first half. CSU jumped out to a 27-12 lead at the end of that run before the Panthers ended up tying the game at 29-29 with 2:40 left in the first half.
The game went back-and-forth until the half ended 37-35, Vikings. In the second half the game was tied 45-45 before Milwaukee was able to jump out to a 10-point lead at the 6:30 mark. Cleveland State was able to get the lead six at 77-71 with 57 seconds left but lost, 81-71.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS
The Panthers are 9-14 overall and 5-7 in the league, with six of those wins coming at home. Milwaukee is 3-8 since defeating CSU back in December. The Panthers are coming off a 76-69 setback to first-place Wright State on Friday night. Amar Augillard leads the scoring at 13.6 points per game, and Aaron Franklin is the top rebounder with 6.1 boards. Isaiah Dorceus has dished out 94 assists on the year.
OVER/UNDER FOR THE WIN
The Vikings are 6-0 this season when shooting better than 50 percent from the field, eclipsing in each of the three games during the winning streak.
LEADING THE WAY FOR THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State has four double-digit scorers, led by
Dayan Nessah with 15.5 points per game on 55.7 percent shooting.
Tre Beard is close behind with 13.8 points, followed by
Chevalier Emery at 12.34 points, and
Jaidon Lipscomb with 10.7 points per game.
Nessah has pulled down 133 total boards to top the squad, while
Preist Ryan has grabbed 40 offensive boards. Lipscomb is top in assists with 60.
DIGGING INTO THE LEAGUE
Jaidon Lipscomb and
Tre Beard are the top two players in three-point field goal percentage. Lipscomb is shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the arc while Beard is just behind him at 43.7 percent shooting from three-point range.
LETTING IT FLY FROM DEEP
Through 22 games this season, Cleveland State has made 233 three-pointers at a league-best percentage of 38 percent. Beard has made a team-best 58 which is third in the league. Lipscomb is next with 54 made three-pointers, ranking sixth.
NESSAH NAILING IT
Nessah is eighth in the league, averaging 15.5 points per game, and is fifth in the league with 6.3 rebounds per game. The sophomore has reached the 20-point plateau in five games and the 30-point mark in one game.
BEARD BIG IN AREAS
Beard averages 13.88 points per game which is 17th in the league and averages 3.2 assists per game which is 14th in the Horizon League. He is second in free throw percentage at 87 percent, and tops in three-point percentage at 45 percent.
PROTECTING THE PAINT
Pierre-Louis has 24 blocks this season, averaging 1.28 per game, which ranks fourth in the league.
RYAN GETS THE REBOUND
Ryan has 40 offensive boards which is tied for 12th in the league.
UPCOMING REGIONAL GAMES
Cleveland State has three more games remaining on Rock Entertainment Sports Network, a joint venture between Rock Entertainment Group and Gray Media.
2/4/26 | 7 p.m. | vs. Oakland
2/15/26 | 2 p.m. | vs. Wright State
2/25/26 | 7 p.m. | vs. Northern Kentucky
COACHES SHOW
You can listen to the weekly
Rob Summers radio show at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, on SportsRadio 99.1.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State returns home to face Oakland on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.
