The Cleveland State Vikings and Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix tipoff in a Horizon League matchup Friday night in Cleveland. (Glenn Moore / The Dugout Sports Show)

Norris Cole and Trevor Harmon hit two 3-pointers apiece as the Cleveland State Vikings got a big conference win over Wisconsin-Green Bay Friday night, 64-50. Cole scored 22 points and handed out eight assists while Harmon and D’Aundray Brown hit key 3-pointers in the game’s final three minutes to keep the pesky Phoenix at bay.

With soon-to-be Cleveland Cavalier and former Viking Cedric Jackson in attendance, CSU always had a answer for a Phoenix run, even though they were struggling offensively to start the second half.

The Vikings (8-12, 4-4) running their four guard offense were clicking on all cylinders to start the game, as they jumped out to a 13-2 lead and never looked back.

Aaron Pogue added 11 points and Jeremy Montgomery chipped in with 10 for the Vikings, who snapped a two-game skid and have won four of their last six.

“That’s the kind of defense we’re capable of playing,” CSU coach Gary Waters said after the game. “Their big three all average in double figures, and we held them all to single digits.”

Defensively, the Vikings were holding the Phoenix to 1-of-8 on 3-pointers and 42.2 percent overall.
“We got three, four, five stops in a row,” Cole said of CSU’s defense.

A potential Phoenix layup to cut the lead to eight midway through the second half was blocked and then at the other end of the court, Cole drove down the lane for a left-handed spark that not only sparked the crowd, but seemed to give the Vikings a second wind.

Rian Pearson led the Phoenix (14-7, 6-3) with 14 points. Randy Berry tallied a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the Phoenix.

Cleveland State plays Milwaukee at home on Sunday with a 2:00pm tipoff.