Cleveland State came out like a men’s college basketball team that lost three starters off last season’s NCAA Tournament squad, a team without benefit of senior leadership, a team that will require time to establish an identity.
The Vikings trailed by as many as 21 to St. Bonaventure of the Atlantic 10 on Friday night during a first half in which they were devoid of offensive continuity and defensive tenacity. To the relief of coach Gary Waters, flashes of stability emerged in the second half. The glimpses weren’t ample enough to reverse the pending result, but they gave Waters positives to latch onto following a 72-62 loss to the Bonnies before 4,860 at the Reilly Center.
“I don’t think we played basketball well at all, but I thought we didn’t quit,” Waters said. “When you got a young team — only two guys had ever been out on the floor — you can’t complain about that. There were times we had an opportunity to get back in it, and then they turned up the energy level and made some plays, and we were back out of the game at that time.”
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