Despite Slow Start, Vikings Blow Out John Carroll, 92-75, Drop Opener

The Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball team beat the John Carroll Blue Streaks 92-75 Monday night, but the biggest story of the night was TV personality Bruce Drennan brought his SportsTime Ohio show, 'All Bets Are Off' to the Wolstein Center to kick off the Vikings' 2009-2010 campaign. Drennan, who has been in the Cleveland Sports scene since the 1970s, had a barrage of Cleveland State University and CSU athletic guests on his three hour program. Guests included men's basketball radio play-by-play announcer Al Palowoski, current men's soccer coach, former John Carroll coach, and former Cleveland Crunch player Ali Kazemaini, current women's basketball coach Kate Peterson-Abiad, assistant head coach Jayson Gee, television play-by-play announcer of CSU basketball Mike Cairns, former CSU basketball player Pat Vuyancih, John Carroll men's basketball head coach Mike Moran, Cleveland State President Ronald Berkman, and former Cauldron Sports Editor and current Indians beat reporter for WTAM 1100, Nick Camino. As for the game, call it nerves, cobwebs, or what have you, but the two best collegiate basketball teams in the Greater Cleveland area looked like orchestrated madness as the Vikes and the Streaks came out to bad starts to open their 2009-2010 campaigns. The Viking were the first team to score, even though it came at 16:40, but let Carroll take an 8-2 lead 14:25 left in the half. Both teams continued their scrappy play, as Moran had his Blue Streaks looking like they were midseason form from the beginning, getting up and down the court and being able to capitalize on the Vikings often missed field goals. Carroll was able to carry their lead 11:20 into the first half, but continuous passing down the floor made it 12-11 after a CSU layup. Trevon Harmon, who finished with a team high 22 points, gave the Vikings their biggest lead up to that point with a big three from the right side, but John Carroll was able to run back down the floor, hit an easy basket to tie the game. A pass that went through the Vikings' Aaron Pogue's hands turned into another Streaks basket and were leading by two, with eight and a half to go. "There are some kids that really stepped up for well for them. One thing Cleveland State isn't known for is a good perimeter game, but if anything, they looked comfortable and hit open shots," Moran noted after the game. "Their best offense probably came from beyond the arch tonight." Carroll killed the Vikings in the paint on the first half, getting countless offensive rebounds, but were unable to put them away. In all, John Carroll outscored the Vikings in the paint, 46-34. If the Blue Streaks were able to put those second chances away, then the game would have been much different, but since they were unable too, each team stayed close to each other in the points department.

Sophomore Jeremy Montgomery was able to hit two free throws with six minutes to go for his first points of the game (ending with 11 points), then Carroll turned the ball on the ensuing trip down the floor, then Montgomery hit Norris Cole with a crisp pass that Cole was able to put away and the Vikings had stretched their lead, 24-17, eventually heading to the locker room at half time 38-29.

"They get up into you defensively and caused plenty of turnovers," Carroll head coach Mike Moran said of the Vikings defense." Montgomery showed the leadership that he is going to need this season, as he was the catalysts for the Vikings' points on the nights, including his own. Harmon hit a wide open Montgomery and drained the three from the top of the arch and netted his sixth points during Cleveland State's But the Streaks did not give up, as they were again able to pass the ball around, get the offensive boards and score the tough points, but the Vikings were just too much in the closing minutes of the first half that was emphasized with an Aaron Pogue slam dunk to put the Vikes up by 10. "That was an interesting game," Waters noted. "I call it a tale of two halves." To start the second half, Moran's words of encouragement seemed to help the Blue Streaks along, keeping pace with the Vikings for the most part. The undoing of the Streaks success came when the team could only play run and gun basketball against the Vikings. During that time, John Carroll could not retain possession and turned over the ball instead of keeping the game close. "Defense is our identity and with out that, we are nothing," Sophomore Trevon Harmon said on the Vikings' view on the game. The Vikings in all forced 29 John Carroll turnovers on the night and connected on 24 assists and shot 57.1% from the 3-point arch to run away with a commanding win against a tough Division III team. The Vikes did however start the season Friday night as they played a tough St. Bonaventure on the road. The Vikings dropped a 72-62 decision in New York to the Bonnies, despite losing by 18 at the half. Norris Cole led all Vikings with 13 points and Jarred Cunningham and Aaron Pogue each had 11 in the losing effort. After a Monday afternoon game at home, because the Browns play on Monday Night football, they are involved in the Cancun Challenge this weekend. Log into csucauldron.com for all your Vikings hoop news!