WHO: Cleveland State Vikings (9-1)
WHEN: 6:00 PM CT (Saturday, December 16)
WHERE: Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa)
TV: Big Ten Network
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network
ONLINE: https://www.foxsports.com/live
MOBILE: foxsports.com/mobile
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN
Cleveland State had a great season last year. The Vikings went 30-5 overall, finished 2nd in the Horizon League regular season standings, and won the Horizon League Tournament. They made the NCAA Tournament as a 13-seed before losing toto 4-seed Villanova, 76-59.
On paper, Cleveland State has also had a great start to this season. The Vikings are 9-1, including two wins on the road and three in a holiday tournament.
But those nine wins haven't come against the best competition. The Vikings have not faced a Power 5 conference opponent, and their loss came to a Bowling Green team that Iowa beat 99-65.
Even worse, the Vikings are now facing some serious adversity:
Top Players
Losing Destiny Leo could be devastating for Cleveland State. Leo's 20.7 points per game would've placed her in the Top 25 scorers in women's basketball if she had enough games to qualify. She was shooting 52.1% from the field, which was is a very solid rate for a guard. Leo also averaged 17.9 and 18.3 points per game in her previous two seasons.
5'8" guard Colbi Maples will likely pick up some of the scoring load in Leo's absence. Maples is averaging 16.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, and 1.8 spg this season. She is shooting 50.0% on 2-point attempts and 47.4% on 3-point tries, though she averages fewer than two three-point attempts per game.
5'6" guard Mickayla Perdue is Cleveland State's only other double-digit scorer. She averages 12.1 ppg and 1.4 spg on 55.1% shooting on 2-point attempts and 30.4% on 3-point shots.
Play Style
Cleveland State has tended to play at a faster pace so far this season. The Vikings are averaging 73.1 possessions per 40 minutes, which ranks in the 68th percentile nationally. They have averaged between 71.5 and 73.5 possessions per 40 minutes in each of the past six seasons.
Offensively, Cleveland State is averaging 79.7 points per game, which ranks 29th nationally. The Vikings shoot well from both two (52.2%) and three (34.9%) and don't average a ton of turnovers (14.0 per game). Their 68.3% free throw rate ranks just 221st, however.
Defensively, Cleveland State surrenders 60.2 points per game, which ranks 89th. The Vikings generate 9.9 steals per game and rebound well on the defensive end. Cleveland State forward Jordana Reisma averages 1.5 blocks per game, but the Vikings don't have any other big rim protectors.
X-Factor
Adjust to the new arena. This game will take place in the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The joint doubleheader featuring games with both the Iowa women's basketball team and the Iowa men's basketball team sold out in 90 minutes. While the event should be a great homecoming for Caitlin Clark, it also means another game for Iowa in a new arena.
In the last few seasons, Iowa has sometimes had trouble shooting in a new arena. The Hawks were 6-of-26 from three-point range against Virginia Tech in Charlotte's Spectrum Arena earlier this season. They were just 3-of-14 from three-point range in the first half against Wisconsin before improving in the second half.
Without Leo, this is a game that Iowa should win comfortably. If the Hawks struggle to shoot from three, though, the game could be closer than it should be for a half like the Wisconsin game.
