Alright, we are looking ahead to a road matchup against an old foe. Here is the (take with a grain of salt) AI match up report and scouting report for Valpo @ Cleveland State. Let's go Beacons.
Cleveland State Scouting Report:
Team Overview
- Conference: Horizon League
- Head Coach: Rob Summers (1st season) – emphasizes fast-paced offense and player development [youtube.com]
- Current Record: 2–3 overall (early season) [espn.com]
- Style of Play:
- Offense: High-tempo, heavy emphasis on quick scoring and perimeter shooting. Summers has shifted from the previous defensive-first approach to a more aggressive offensive system. Expect lots of possessions and transition opportunities. [horizonero...dtable.com]
- Defense: Still developing under new leadership; currently allowing 91 PPG, which is among the highest in Division I. Defensive rating (DRtg) ranks near the bottom nationally. [sports-reference.com]
Team Stats (Through 5 Games)
- Points per game: 80.8
- Opponent points per game: 91.0
- FG%: 43.9%
- 3PT%: 37.6% (11.2 made threes per game – a strength)
- FT%: 70.3%
- Rebounds: 37.8 RPG (+1.2 margin)
- Turnovers: 15.6 per game (problem area)
- Assist/Turnover ratio: 1.1 [csuvikings.com]
Key Players
-
Dayan Nessah (F, 6’7”, SO)
- 18.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 53.7% FG
- Physical forward who can score inside and draw fouls. [csuvikings.com]
-
Tre Beard (G, 5’10”, SR)
- 14.2 PPG, 44.8% 3PT
- Quick guard, strong perimeter shooter, reliable free throw shooter (83%). [csuvikings.com]
-
Josiah Harris (F, 6’7”, SR)
- 12.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG
- Dominant rebounder, versatile defender, can stretch the floor with 40% 3PT shooting. [csuvikings.com]
-
Foster Wonders (G, 6’5”, SR)
- 7.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG
- Wing shooter, adds spacing and size on the perimeter. [csuvikings.com]
Strengths
- Perimeter Shooting: 37.6% from three; multiple players capable of hitting from deep.
- Rebounding: Slight edge on the glass; Harris and Nessah anchor the boards.
- Offensive Pace: Pushes tempo aggressively, creating high-possession games. [horizonero...dtable.com]
Weaknesses
- Defense: Allowing 91 PPG; struggles in transition defense and rim protection.
- Turnovers: 15.6 per game; ball security is a major concern.
- Depth: Heavy reliance on top three scorers; bench production inconsistent. [csuvikings.com]
Coach’s Philosophy
Rob Summers wants an up-tempo, high-scoring identity, moving away from the grind-it-out style of previous seasons. He emphasizes player development and community engagement, aiming to make CSU a destination for versatile scorers. [youtube.com]
Keys to Beating Cleveland State
- Control Tempo: Slow the game down; force them into half-court sets where their offense stagnates.
- Exploit Defense: Attack the paint and transition; CSU struggles to protect the rim and rotate defensively.
- Pressure Guards: Force turnovers and disrupt their rhythm; Beard and Emery handle most of the ball movement.
Valpo @ Cleveland State Match Up Report:
Game Details
- Date: November 19, 2025
- Venue: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, OH
- Teams: Cleveland State Vikings (Horizon League) vs Valparaiso Beacons (Missouri Valley Conference)
- Current Records:
- Cleveland State: 2–3 overall
- Valparaiso: 3–1 overall [covers.com]
Head-to-Head History
- All-time series: Valparaiso leads 13–10 since 2008.
- Last meeting: Nov 12, 2024 – Cleveland State won 75–67 at Valparaiso.
- Last 10 matchups: Valpo 7–3 advantage. [basketball...realgm.com], [valpoathletics.com]
Cleveland State Vikings
Playing Style & Strengths
- Tempo: Moderate pace, prefers structured half-court sets. (a bit of an AI contradiction here)
- Offense:
- FG%: 46.8% (solid efficiency)
- 3P%: 33.3% (average)
- Relies on inside scoring and mid-range looks.
- Defense:
- Aggressive on-ball defense, but struggles in transition.
- Allows high scoring (91 PPG so far), indicating defensive lapses.
- Key Stats:
- Points per game: ~74 last season; currently trending lower. (AI gets this wrong, not trending lower at this time)
- Rebounding: 33.8 RPG; strong on defensive boards.
- Turnovers: 10.8 per game (needs improvement). [covers.com]
Key Players
- Dayan Nessah (F): 18.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 47.8% FG – versatile forward, strong inside presence.
- Josiah Harris (F): 12.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG – dominant rebounder, physical defender.
- Jaidon Lipscomb (G): 7.0 PPG, 4.0 APG – primary facilitator. [espn.com]
Valparaiso Beacons
Playing Style & Strengths
- Tempo: Fast-paced, aggressive, Gonzaga-like transition game.
- Offense:
- Pushes in transition, high shot volume (especially from 3).
- Offensive rebounding rate near 35% in early games.
- Defense:
- Pressure defense, forces turnovers (ranked top 15 nationally in defensive turnover %).
- Excellent at taking away 3-point shots.
- Key Stats:
- Points per game: ~64.3 early season (lower than last year’s 74.7).
- FG%: 34.3%, 3P%: 27.2% – shooting inconsistency is a concern. [espn.com], [si.com]
Key Players
- Rakim Chaney (G): 17.0 PPG, 2.7 APG, 2.3 SPG – dynamic scorer and defensive catalyst.
- Shon Tupuola (C): 6.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG – rim protector and rebounder.
- Owen Dease (F): 7.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG – stretch forward with size. [espn.com]
Matchup Analysis
- Valpo’s Edge:
- Transition offense and turnover creation could exploit Cleveland State’s slower pace and occasional ball-handling issues.
- Aggressive rebounding may neutralize CSU’s size advantage. (I’m not sure CSU has the size advantage to begin with)
- Cleveland State’s Edge:
- More efficient shooting and stronger half-court execution.
- Frontcourt duo (Nessah & Harris) can dominate inside if Valpo’s bigs get in foul trouble.
- X-Factor:
- Valpo’s ability to hit perimeter shots consistently.
- CSU’s ability to limit turnovers and control tempo.
Keys to Victory
- Cleveland State:
- Control pace, limit turnovers, exploit size in the paint.
- Keep Valpo off the offensive glass.
- Valparaiso:
- Push tempo, force turnovers, and convert in transition.
- Improve shooting efficiency, especially from deep.
This might be the shortest team we will play all season. Of the six guys who have started a game for them, no one is taller than6'7" . They only have one true freshman who is 6'10" but has only played 4 minutes all season. The entire roster, other than the one freshman, are transfers. Should be an interesting match-up.
They are 2-3. Barely beat DIII Capital University in an exhibition 71-70. Lost to Northwestern by almost 50 (63-110). My gut on this game’s difference makers: Shon and Carter inside - DRBs, ORBs, blocks and putbacks. But please, please, all you guys, make your friggin FTs!
Just find a way to win.
Some of AI information at the bottom of Bryan’s post was a reflection of last years team and contradicted the information from the beginning of the summary. All in all, I like our chances. But, the team from the 2nd half of Sunday’s game needs to show up. BE US!
@iyellatgames Visible if logged in. Rakim/Valpo in some very good company. Hope he can maintain momentum. And, of course, if he does, teams will begin gaming him. So….. JT will need to up his game 😃.
Looking forward to this game. Payback time for last year’s loss in the ARC. Tip-off is 6pm Central
Prince Rakim shows why he has the crown
Watching LiveStats Shon is dominating and Carter leads in total RBs. Yay Justice!
Note: CSU has 27 points at the half. They’ve averaged over 80 per game before this game. Somebody is playing defense.
@vulb62 sure seems like it. Impressive showing against a decent mid major team.
Chaney is shooting EIGHT ZERO FREAKIN PERCENT.
Prince Rakim conquers the Vikings
Such a enjoyable experience to be leading for so long. Barnes found a notable spark.
