Preview: Cleveland State Vikings at IU Indy Jaguars

INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — Two Horizon League men’s basketball teams on divergent recent paths will meet Saturday when the Cleveland State Vikings visit the IU Indy Jaguars at Fairgrounds Coliseum.

Cleveland State (10-14) arrives with momentum, riding a four-game winning streak that includes a 91-78 victory over Oakland on Wednesday. The Vikings’ surge has been fueled by guard Tre Beard, who is averaging 19.2 points and 5.4 assists over the last five contests. He scored 24 points with nine assists in the win over Oakland.

Conversely, IU Indy (6-18) has lost three straight and seven of its last eight games. The Jaguars fell 85-76 at Youngstown State in their most recent outing on Jan. 30. Guard Finley Woodward, who leads the team in assists, will be key to any turnaround. He posted a 22-point, 9-assist performance in a win at Oakland on Jan. 21 but was held to eight points in the loss to Youngstown State.

The Vikings won the season’s first meeting decisively, 99-86, in Cleveland on Dec. 29. In that game, Cleveland State shot 54% from the field and outrebounded the Jaguars 41-28.

Saturday’s matchup features the league’s third-highest scoring offense in Cleveland State (78.5 points per game) against a struggling IU Indy defense that allows a league-worst 82.7 points per contest.

For Cleveland State, maintaining its offensive rhythm will be critical as it seeks to climb the conference standings. For IU Indy, stopping the slide at home and avenging December’s loss are the immediate priorities.

Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis.