Cleveland State Vikings Beat Butler and Win Horizon League to Qualify for NCAA Berth
Cleveland State’s basketball team went to the NCAA tournament 23 years ago. They beat Bobby Knight’s Indiana team while there, and almost beat David Robinson’s Navy team. They bowed out in the Sweet 16, completing a banner year for the program. Star point guard Mouse McFadden and company had put the Vikings on the map. They were here to stay.
That stay would be short lived however.
In the off season, the coach and architect of the ‘Run and Stun’ Vikings of ‘86 was found one night in a crack house, strung out on crack cocaine. The run was over. The coach, Kevin Mackey, would be soon relieved of his duties, and the Cleveland State Vikings would sink to an all-time low that they would not emerge from for 20 years.
Until now.
Cleveland State beat Butler on Tuesday 57-54 and got their Dance Card punched — again — for the first time in 23 years. The job done by this coach, Gary Waters, and his kids is nothing short of incredible. In 3 seasons as coach, Waters has taken possibly the worst Men’s Basketball Program – on a consistent basis – for the last two decades – in America – and turned them into an NCAA tournament team. His Vikings won 21 games last season, and won 25
this year, including wins over #12 Syracuse on the road, and #17 Butler last night for the Horizon League title and automatic bid.
They are not done yet either. Cedric Jackson is a point guard that can play. The St. John’s transfer, and Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, can match up with any PG in the nation. Anybody. And J’Nathan Bullock, the undersized, Tight End-looking, post player that roams the key for the Vikings is a tough cover inside as well.
They’ve come a long way this group…and Cleveland can’t help but be proud of them. If you don’t know about CSU, I’ll tell you this: you better be careful when you fill out your bracket, that’s all I am going to say.
Coach Waters’ group is just getting started.
Cleveland State photo credit: AP Photo/Darron Cummings
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JD Shaver is a featured columnist at Midwest Sports Fans who also runs Shaver Sports, where they discuss everything you ever wanted to know about Cleveland sports.
JD Shaver’s contributions to Midwest Sports Fans are sponsored by BigTimeGameBoards.com, the company that helps you tailgate like a champion with our high quality cornhole boards, sets and accessories. And if you don’t know what cornhole is, you aren’t a Midwesterner.
Tags: Butler Bulldogs, Cleveland State, Horizon League, march madness, ncaa tournament
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