CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland State overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Oakland, 91-78, at Henry J. Goodman Arena, powered by a dominant second-half shooting performance and a decisive late-game run.
Trailing 42-32 at the break, Cleveland State erupted for 59 second-half points while connecting on 17 3-pointers for the game. The team shot 42.5% from beyond the arc overall and an exceptional 60% from 3-point range in the second half, making 12 of 20 attempts.
Tre Beard led Cleveland State with 24 points and nine assists, hitting six 3-pointers. Jaidon Lipscomb added 18 points on 5-of-12 shooting from deep, while Dayan Nessah recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The game turned on a 12-0 run by Cleveland State late in the second half. After Oakland took a 68-67 lead with 6:55 remaining, Cleveland State seized control. Josiah Harris ignited the surge with a 3-pointer to reclaim the lead, followed by a jumper from Nessah. Lipscomb and Beard then connected on back-to-back 3-pointers, extending the advantage to 79-67 with under four minutes left.
The Vikings improved to 10-14 overall and 6-7 in the Horizon League. Oakland falls to 14-11, 10-4.
Cleveland State’s bench outscored Oakland’s reserves 34-8. Harris and Foster Wonders each contributed 12 points in relief roles.
The team displayed strong ball movement with 22 assists and recorded nine steals while forcing key turnovers during the late-game run.