Norris Cole leads the pack for conference player of the year averaging 21 points, 5 boards and 5 dimes while shooting 85% from the line. Kid is a semi-finalist for the Bob Cousy award as the nation's best point guard.
Former Kent State head man Gary Waters led CSU to 21 wins in his 2nd season, the second round of the NCAA tourney in his 3rd and now, in his 5th year, is steering perhaps the grandest Viking ship ever.
Cleveland State could get even better towards the end of the month when 6'4" senior D'Aundray Brown returns form a hand injury. It is still unclear whether Brown will take a medical redshirt, but he is on track to graduate at the end of the semester and his combination of production (8.6pts, 5.6rbs, 52%fg) and athleticism could push the Vikings over the top.
Waters gives much respect to his team's defense and the numbers back it up - opponents ppg 59.9 (29th of 366 teams), opponent fg% 39.0 (34th) and steals per game 8.9 (42nd). Butler is suffering from inconsistency in the wake of losing Gordon Heyward to the NBA and CSU is primed for the deathblow.
To see if the Vikings can climb to the top of Horizon mountain, tune in to ESPNU or click here.
