INDIANAPOLIS — One. More. Game.
That's all that separates Cleveland State women's basketball from its first NCAA Tournament in 13 years. The Vikings earned the right to play for that spot Monday afternoon in Indianapolis, outlasting Northern Kentucky 63-60 in overtime of the Horizon League semifinals.
Trailing by five at the break, second-seeded CSU (29-4) was once again led by conference player of the year Destiny Leo, who scored 15 of her 25 points in the second half and overtime. The junior from Willowick appeared to put the Vikes ahead for good with 1:16 left in regulation, when her step-back 3 put her team up 54-51.
Kennedy Igo missed the Norse's next attempt, but moments later Leo coughed the ball up to Ivy Turner. Following a timeout, Lindsey Duvall nailed a long 3 of her own with eight seconds left, and after Cleveland State couldn't get a shot off, we headed to an extra five minutes tied at 54.
However, the Vikings never trailed in OT, as Leo hit back-to-back jumpers to put her team up five. Fifth-seeded NKU (17-14) would trim it back to three, but Kailee Davis' 3-point attempt in the final seconds was off the mark.
Besides Leo, Gabriell Smith had 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting for CSU, while Brittni Moore scored 12 along with a game-high 10 rebounds. Duvall led Northern Kentucky with 21 points.
With the victory, Cleveland State heads to its first Horizon League final since 2010, when it beat Butler to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. This time, they'll have to get past the No. 1 seed Green Bay Phoenix, who beat the Vikings in both their meetings this year including a recent battle to decide the regular season conference championship.
Tipoff in the title game is set for Tuesday at noon from Indiana Farmers Coliseum.