The margin may not have been large to CSU fans, but it wasn't a concern for CSU coach Gary Waters.
View full sizeCleveland State point guard Norris Cole (30) pulls away from Robert Morris' Elton Roy (left) and Anthony Myers during Monday's 58-53 Vikings victory at the Wolstein Center.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State has the clear look of a veteran team quickly getting into top form.
Monday, the Vikings defeated Robert Morris with their proven formula. A lot of team defense and Norris Cole was just too much for the Colonials to handle in a 58-53 Vikings win before 1,841 fans in the Wolstein Center.
The margin may not have been large to those in attendance, but it wasn't a concern for CSU coach Gary Waters.
"I wasn't overly concerned they could beat us," he said. "If we don't turn the ball over it's not even close."
Cole led CSU (8-0) with 29 points, followed by 13 from Tre Harmon and 10 from Aaron Pogue. But Cole also had six of CSU's 12 turnovers, eight in the second half. The starters showed the fatigue of playing between 30 and 39 minutes while the bench managed just one point in 23 minutes on the floor.
"I think they were exhausted," Waters said of his starters. "We can't do anything with the bench like that. The bench has got to help us out."
CSU built a 33-17 cushion at the break and pushed the lead up to 48-26 early in the second half. The Vikings then sweated it out to the finish as Robert Morris closed to 55-53 with 1:13 to play. But the visitors could not get the hoop to tie.
Colonials coach Andrew Toole said the game was lost in the opening half.
"This is a man's game, and the first 20 minutes we played like boys."
Still, forward Russell Johnson's 22 points, including 17 in the second half, nearly pulled it out for Robert Morris.
The CSU defense choked the Colonials (2-3) around the rim to the tune of 26.3 percent shooting in the first half and 39.6 percent for the game. But the night exposed some issues for CSU beyond just the bench.
The Vikings were out-rebounded, 36-24, and 18-11 on the offensive boards. It was the second straight game and third of the season in which CSU lost on the boards. On the season, the Vikings are shooting at a 39.9 percent clip, which puts a lot of pressure on the defense.
When teams make a run, the bench is scoreless, and fatigue is setting in, the starters have got to make sure the job is done early rather than late.
"We learned we've got to finish teams out," Cole said. "We'll make sure that won't happen again."
This one looked to be over by the 11:59 mark of the first half as CSU was running a layup line while building an 18-5 lead. Key to the surge was Cole, who had eight points in the first eight minutes and 17 by halftime.
An eighth straight victory for the surging Vikings appeared well in hand. It wasn't. But it was a victory just the same.