Milwaukee, WI-The Cleveland State men’s basketball team overcame a slow start and foul trouble in its Horizon League opener at Milwaukee Thursday night. The Panthers defeated the Vikings by a final score of 79-67 but the game was much closer than the score indicated. Cleveland State trailed by two with under three minutes to go and the Panthers closed the game on a 10-0 run to push the lead to double digits in the game’s final seconds. Cleveland State is 4-6 and 0-1 in league play while Milwaukee improves to 6-4 and 1-0.
 
Tevin Smith led a quartet of Vikings in double figures with 17 points. Smith shot 8-of-12 from the field for a 75 percent total and added three steals, three rebounds and one assist to his stat total. He played just over 26 minutes of game action but exited early after picking up his fifth foul at the 5:47 mark of the second half.
 
Je’Shawn Stevenson poured in 16 points with Isaac Abidde and Tahj Staveskie each adding 11. Stevenson’s total was two shy of his career high and featured four rebounds, two steals and one assist. Abidde recorded a season high with his 11 points, which were also two shy of his career best. He also fouled out of the game in the second half. Staveskie finished in double figures for the third time in four games.
 
Milwaukee jumped out to a seven-point advantage in the early going leading 15-8 at the 12-minute mark of the first half. Cleveland State responded with a quick 9-2 spurt over the next two minutes to pull back to even at 17-17. Stevenson capped the run with a finish at the rim off a Milwaukee turnover to even the score.
 
The Panthers slowly went back in front stretching their lead to seven with under four minutes to play in the first half. Cleveland State closed the half with a surge hitting their final three field goal attempts to draw back within one at halftime. Stevenson nailed a jumper with seven seconds remaining that gave the Vikings momentum headed into the locker room trailing 36-35.
 
Cleveland State continued the surge coming out of the halftime break as the Vikings scored the first six points of the second half to open up their largest lead of the night. Abidde recorded the first two buckets and Smith threw down a two-hand dunk to put CSU up 41-36 just under two minutes into the second half.
 
Milwaukee responded with a 9-0 run to re-take the lead. The Panthers led 45-41 at the 14:45 mark. Cleveland State kept the lead in single digits and drew within one possession multiple times throughout the remainder of the game, but each time the Vikings narrowed the gap, the Panthers had the answer. A Staveskie three with 2:38 remaining trimmed the margin to two at 69-67, but those points would be the final ones Cleveland State would score on the night as the Panthers finished the game on a 10-0 run.
 
Milwaukee used a decisive edge at the free throw line as well as in the rebounding category to earn the victory. The Vikings were whistled for 26 fouls which led to 37 Milwaukee free throw attempts. The Panthers converted on 28 of those tries for a 75 percent clip, while the Vikings finished 8-for-12 at the charity stripe. Milwaukee finished with a 41-24 edge on the glass.
 
Cleveland State continues its road swing through Wisconsin with a matchup against Green Bay scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The Vikings and Phoenix will tip off at 3:00 p.m. EST from Green Bay’s Resch Center.