In a game with major implications for the regular season Horizon League championship and seeding for the Horizon League Tournament, the Cleveland State Vikings dominated the Milwaukee Panthers by a score of 83-57 in a game in which the Panthers never led.
The Vikings and Panthers began the day in a tie for second place with conference records of 6-2. The winner of today’s matchup would be in a tie for first place with the Valparaiso Crusaders, who began Sunday with a 7-2 conference record after a win on Saturday against the UIC Flames.
These teams’ last matchup was a memorable one. Last season, the Panthers defeated the Vikings in the Wolstein Center in a late-season Horizon League matchup that ultimately denied the Vikings the chance to host the Horizon League Tournament and obtain an automatic spot in the semifinals. The Vikings were thus forced to play two games before facing the Butler Bulldogs in the semifinals, and the Vikings’ fatigue may have ultimately been the difference in their loss to the Bulldogs.
The bitter memory of these teams’ last meeting at the Wolstein Center may have been on the Vikings’ minds at the start of the game as the Vikings burst out to a 19-9 lead. Jeremy Montgomery’s seven points led the Vikings’ balanced attack.
After the Vikings extended their lead to 13 on a dunk by freshman Anton Grady with slightly less than five minutes remaining in the first half, the Panthers used a 9-4 run to narrow the Vikings’ lead to eight by the end of the half. Paced by their blistering 57.7% shooting performance in the first half, the Vikings headed into the locker room with a 36-28 lead.
In the second half, the Vikings once again came out looking for revenge against their conference rivals. Paced by six quick points from senior D’Aundray Brown, the Vikings quickly stretched their lead to 45-30. The Vikings extended their lead to 51-30 following an Anton Grady block and a fast break layup by Trevon Harmon.
Although the Panthers rallied at various points in the second half, the Vikings never allowed the Panthers to narrow their lead to less than 16 points. The Panthers’ dismal 26.9% shooting performance in the second half kept them from substantially cutting into the Vikings’ lead.
Vikings coach Gary Waters emptied his bench with approximately three minutes left in the game, allowing Ike Nwamu, Devon Long, and Marlin Mason to receive playing time.
The Panthers’ James Haarsma and Harmon led all scorers with 15 points. Haarsma was the only Panther in double figures. All five Viking starters scored in double figures.
The Vikings’ win ensures that they will continue to have a solid chance of hosting the Horizon League Tournament in March, as well as obtaining the two-game bye that will allow the Vikings to rest and recover before the tournament semifinals. The Vikings will have the week off before traveling to Youngstown State on Saturday for a rematch against the Penguins, who defeated the Vikings at the Wolstein Center on New Year’s Eve. The Panthers will return to Milwaukee for an important matchup against the Butler Bulldogs on Thursday.
As the Horizon League begins the second half of conference play with several teams having a realistic chance of finishing at the top of the league, each game will be pivotal and Horizon League fans should look forward to a month of competitive basketball.
