CLEVELAND — Amele Ngwafang dominated with 25 points as Cleveland State took care of Wright State 87-49 Saturday, setting up a spectacular showdown this week in Wisconsin.
Now winners of nine straight, the Vikings will head to Green Bay on Thursday to play the Phoenix for at least a share of the Horizon League regular season championship as well as the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. CSU already has a program-record 26 victories on this season, and will now seek its first-ever conference title.
Ngwafang, one of seven players honored on Senior Day at the Wolstein Center, tied her career-high point total and added six rebounds while fellow senior Brittni Moore also scored 15. The Vikes (26-3, 16-2 Horizon League) shot 53.3% from the field and dominated the glass 42-27.
The Raiders (5-23, 4-14) trailed by just three late in the first half before a 26-8 CSU run put the game out of reach. Emily Chapman led WSU with 10 points and five assists.
All eyes now turn to the decisive matchup Thursday at 6:30 p.m., where Cleveland State will also be looking to avenge an earlier 82-65 loss to Green Bay back on Jan. 14. Although there could still technically be a tie for the conference title after this game, the No. 1 seed in the Horizon League Tourney will be up for grabs due to tiebreaker rules:
- If Cleveland State wins: 1-1 head-to-head vs. Green Bay, 4-0 combined vs. No. 3 Youngstown State and No. 4 IUPUI (Green Bay is 3-1)
- If Green Bay wins: 2-0 head-to-head vs. Cleveland State
The Horizon League Tournament begins Feb. 28, with the top seed earning at least a bid to the WNIT, somewhere CSU has never been. However, only the conference tourney winner will clinch a berth in next month's NCAA Tournament, which Cleveland State last did in 2010.
