Klein Passes 2,000 Points for Career in Vikings 74-56 Win at Milwaukee
    CSU Clinches No. 4 Seed in League Tournament & Home Quarterfinal Game
    Destinee Blue

    Destinee Blue

    March 5, 2010

    Final Stats

     

    Contact: Greg Murphy

    MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Kailey Klein scored 13 points, becoming just the third player in Horizon League history to reach 2,000 career points and the Vikings used a strong start to the second half to run past Milwaukee, 74-56 on Thursday night in the Klotsche Center.

    Klein, who made 5-of-12 from the field, 2-of-5 from three-point and her only free throw attempt, joins former Milwaukee great Traci Edwards (2005-09) former Butler standout Julie VonDielingen (1989-93) as the only players in league annals with 2,000 career points. Edwards is the all-time leader with 2,340 career points, while Von Dielingen scored 2,018.

    Klein now has 2,006 career points.

    "Hitting the 2,000 career point mark is a tremendous accomplishment for Kailey," head coach Kate Peterson Abiad said. "She has worked so hard during her four years here and knew coming into the season that this mark is something she could accomplish. The biggest thing about Kailey is how unselfish she is and the manner in which she accomplished this goal. It has been a joy to coach Kailey over the last four seasons."

    The win assures the Vikings of finishing in fourth place in the Horizon League, meaning CSU will play a home game next Wednesday (March 10) in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Championship. The likely opponent will be either Loyola or UIC and will be officially announced on Sunday after the regular season concludes on Saturday.

    "Getting a home game in the quarterfinals is something that we have had as a goal since day one," Peterson Abiad said. "It's a nice feeling to know that we will be able to be at home on Wednesday, especially coming off this tough road trip."

    Shawnita Garland, who was battling illness earlier in the day, finished with 13 points and four steals, increasing her Horizon League leading total to 82. It was her 22nd multiple steal game this season.

     

     

    Milwaukee natives Destinee Blue and Janelle Adams also played well in their return home. Adams scored eight points with five rebounds, while Blue added seven points and a pair of rebounds. Honesty King scored 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench, hitting a pair of three-pointers, while Shalonda Winton grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

    The win, CSU's fourth straight, improved the Vikings to 16-12 overall and clinched CSU's third straight winning season, a first in program history. It also moved the Vikings to 11-6 in the Horizon League, the second most league wins in school history.

    The first half was tight for most of the 20 minutes until a 10-0 run late in the half extended a two point lead to 12 points (30-18) with 2:10 left on a Janelle Adams three-pointer. UWM's Ashley Imperiale answered with a three-pointer on the other end, slicing the lead to 30-21 with 1:48 to play.

    Neither team would score again as the Vikings took the nine point lead into the locker room.

    CSU quickly extended the advantage in the second half, using a 14-1 run over the first five minutes to take a 44-22 lead with 14:53 left on a Jessica Roque three-pointer. CSU didn't allow a Panther field goal in the second half until Lindsay Laur's three-pointer with 14:29 showing on the clock.

    The Viking lead would swell to as many as 26 points as the Panthers would get no closer than 14 points the rest of the night, giving Peterson Abiad a chance to rest her starters for more than 15 minutes of the second half, while giving her underclassmen big minutes.

    The younger group responded, especially the Milwaukee duo of Adams and Blue, playing in front of numerous family and friends, as well as King. Blue displayed a wide variety of offensive moves down on the block, while King showcased her skills from three-point range.

    The Viking bench scored a season-high 28 points.

    "Our bench players have been practicing really hard over the last few weeks and know that they always need to be ready to be called upon," Peterson Abiad said. "They haven't had the chance to play a lot of minutes because of the experienced players ahead of them, but I think we caught a glimpse of what the future holds tonight."

    CSU shot 50-percent (27-54) from the field, the third time this season the Vikings were at 50-percent or better. CSU was blistering in the second half, hitting 15-of-24 (.625).

    The Vikings also hit a season-high tying nine three pointers in 22 attempts (.409) and held a 32-30 advantage on the glass.

    On the other end, CSU's defense limited Milwaukee to .340 (18-53) shooting from the field with eight of the makes coming from behind the three-point arc (8-29).

    Laur led the Panthers with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

    The Vikings conclude the regular season on Saturday (March 6) when CSU heads to first place Green Bay for a 3:00 p.m. EST contest.