CLEVELAND, Ohio – The first Horizon League game of the 2022-23 season for both programs, the Cleveland State Vikings defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 77-54, on Friday, December 2 at the Wolstein Center.

Friday was the fifth of seven consecutive games away from the O'rena for the Golden Grizzlies, who are now 3-4. Cleveland State improves to 6-1 and has not lost since their November 7 season-opener with the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames.

Preseason Horizon League Player of the Year Destiny Leo, a junior guard from in-state Willowick, tallied a game-high 19 points for the Vikings, with seniors Amele Ngwafang, Gabriella Smith and Brittni Moore also reaching the double-digit mark.

Ngwafang, a Radford Highlanders transfer, recorded the contest's lone double-double, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Making her second-straight start, junior guard Sug Williams led Oakland with 11 points. Classmate Linda van Schaik had nine points and six boards and sophomore Kennedie Montue hit two of the Golden Grizzlies' four 3-pointers to end up with eight.

Friday looked as if it would only be three-point game at the break, but Moore beat the halftime buzzer on her only 3-point attempt of the night, extending Cleveland State's lead to six, 33-27, and the Vikings rode this momentum boost through the first four minutes of the second half, beginning the third quarter on a 12-0 run.

Oakland shot 25.8 percent (17-66), including 16.7 percent (4-24) from distance and 55.2 percent (16-29) at the charity stripe. Cleveland State won the rebounding battle, 51-38, but the Golden Grizzlies actually recorded five more offensive boards, 18-13.

UP NEXT
Another Horizon League tilt before a three-game hiatus from conference action, Oakland will head to the Hoosier State to face the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (4-4, 1-0) on Sunday, December 4 at 2 p.m.

The host Mastodons topped the Detroit Mercy Titans, 58-49, in their league opener Friday.