by CLEVELAND, Ohio– The Vikings certainly feel comfortable playing at home as of late.
Cleveland State (6-2, 2-0) paced by five players scoring in double figures, pushed its winning streak to six games, defeating Wright State (2-6, 1-1) 85-75.
A big spark for the Vikings was Jayson Woodrich coming off the bench. He finished with a team-high 17 points, including shooting 5-of-7 from 3-point range to propel the Vikings Saturday afternoon.
“I think the biggest thing for me is I trust what coach is doing,” Woodrich said. “I know my role and the biggest thing he always preaches to me is to stay ready…That’s just something that I know that I can do because I trust what he’s doing.”
During the win, five different players scored in double-figures for the Vikings. D’Moi Hodge finished with 14 points along with 13 points from Tre Gomillion, 11 from Broc Finstuen and 10 from Deshon Parker.
Senior leader Torrey Patton ended the game with just four points but added a game-high 10 assists and eight rebounds during the win. It’s a team that continues to grow and learn from its early-season losses, something head coach Dennis Gates sees on a daily basis.
“We know how to handle adverse situations but also it’s a sign of a team that’s maturing and growing,” Gates said. “I truly think the level of unselfishness is from their hearts and its real. It’s hard to understand it and you can’t fake it.”
Cleveland State was able to gain an early lead behind a stellar shooting performance from Woodrich. The sophomore helped spark a 17-4 run in a six-minute span in the first half.
With the team trailing 10-9 with just over 15 minutes left, Woodrich entered the game and wasted no time shooting the ball. He connected on three 3-pointers during the 17-4 scoring run, helping push the Vikings in front 26-14.
From there, Wright State was able to hang around. They cut the deficit to four points with five minutes remaining in the first half. But that’s as close as the Raiders got.
The Vikings ended the half on a 15-7 run, kickstarted by D’Moi Hodge and forcing turnovers, where they held a 12-7 edge at the break while leading 45-33.
Into the second half, the Vikings were able to control the rest of the game. A Tim Finke 3-pointer put the Raiders within five just four minutes into the second half. Woodrich and Broc Finstuen were able to help spark an offense that was able to hold its lead for most of the half.
Grant Basile and Trey Calvin did their best to keep the Raiders within striking distance. They got back within six points following a Basile layup with seven minutes left in the second half, but every time the Vikings lead felt like it was in jeopardy, there they were to take control of the game.
Wright State continued to inch its way back but two free throws from Tre Gomillion put the Viking lead back to double digits with under five minutes left in the game. That was all the damage the Raiders were able to do in the second half as they suffered their first Horizon League loss of the season.
“Whenever you have Cleveland Cavaliers players sitting first row, that means you’re doing something as a university correct,” Gates said about Darius Garland, Lamar Stevens and Denzel Valentine sitting courtside during the win. “Basketball is a fraternity and when you’re able to produce energy in the building, people want to come in and see what it’s about.”
For Wright State, Basile and Calvin paced the offense, scoring 23 and 28 points, respectively. As a team, they connected on seven 3-pointers but couldn’t push back behind a 55 percent shooting night from the Vikings.
Saturday afternoon’s game closed out the team’s seven-game homestand with their next five games all on the road. The Vikings will be back in action Dec. 13 as they face Oklahoma State.
