Purdue Fort Wayne
13-5,8-0Horizon
Cleveland State
13-4,5-2Horizon
Mastodon WBB Stays Undefeated in League Play, Knocks off Cleveland State 78-75
1/12/2025 5:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CLEVELAND - Behind a 3-pointer from Lauren Ross with 2.5 seconds to go, the Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball team knocked off Cleveland State 78-75 on Sunday (Jan. 12).
Purdue Fort Wayne improves 13-5 and owns an unblemished 8-0 mark in Horizon League play, their best start to a league season in program history.
Purdue Fort Wayne is the first team to beat Cleveland State in its home gym since January 2023, spanning 29 games. It is also Purdue Fort Wayne's first win over Cleveland State since 2004.
The Mastodons extend their winning streak to 10 games after beating the Vikings. This continues to be the best win streak of the Division I era and matches the third-best streak of all-time.
Sunday's game was as entertaining a Horizon League contest as there's been all season. There were 10 lead changes and seven ties. Purdue Fort Wayne led for 21:48 and Cleveland State led for 14:42.
The post players for the 'Dons were in foul trouble from the get-go, but Jazzlyn Linbo, Jordan Reid and Renna Schwieterman combined to play well in the frontcourt. In just 17 minutes, Linbo was 7-for-8 from the floor. Reid played 21 minutes off the bench, her most in a month, but she came up huge for the 'Dons with eight points and eight rebounds, including three o-boards.
While the 'Dons were depleted up front, the guards torched Cleveland State from the 3-point line. Purdue Fort Wayne was 11-for-27 from beyond the arc for 45.8 percent.
Trailing 30-27, Purdue Fort Wayne went on a 14-0 run over the final 3:17 of the first half and into the first 31 seconds of the second. Amellia Bromenschenkel drilled a 3-pointer, Reid hit two mid-range jumpers, then Ross hit a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer in the final three seconds of the half. After the break, Linbo went to work after being sidelined with foul trouble to score two more. This run put the 'Dons up 41-30.
The Vikings fought back quickly, using a 9-0 run shortly after to get within one at 45-44, but Sydney Freeman hit a 3-pointer and Linbo worked in a layup to extend it back out to six.
Cleveland State took the lead in the fourth quarter after a 7-0 run, but Reid got a layup, assisted on a 3-pointer from Freeman, then converted on two free throws to put the 'Dons up five.
2023 Horizon League Player of the Year Destiny Leo drilled a 3-pointer to tie up the game at 75-all with 22 seconds left with a foul to give. With seven seconds left, Freeman found Ross on the logo beyond the top of the key and she rattled it home. It was Ross' fifth and most important 3-pointer of the day.
Ross finished with a team-high 19 points. Bromenschenkel added 15 points on 4-for-9 shooting. Linbo finished with 14 points and Freeman scored 11.
Jordana Reisma was great for CSU, scoring 25 points. Leo and Mickayla Perdue finished with 18.
Cleveland State falls to 13-4 and 5-2 in the league. Purdue Fort Wayne will welcome Northern Kentucky to Fort Wayne on Saturday (Jan. 18).
~ Feel the Rumble ~
