Cleveland State is headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 with an 80-69 victory over Oakland in the Horizon League championship game.
Torrey Patton led the Vikings with 23 points and 10 rebounds while Tre Gomillion tallied 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jalen Moore led the Golden Grizzlies with 22 points and seven assists while Rashad Williams had 15 and Zion Young added 14.
Cleveland State outscored Oakland 64-18 in the paint and held the Golden Grizzlies to just 34.4 percent shooting from the floor. The Vikings committed just seven turnovers in the game.
Cleveland State gets huge games from Patton, Gomillion to seal NCAA bid
The Vikings came out attacking the paint and pushing the pace in transition, shooting 17-25 on two-point field goals in the first half while outscoring the Golden Grizzlies 12-0 on fast breaks.
After falling behind 10-5 early, Cleveland State retook the lead on a transition layup by Gomillion with 13:32 left. Similar to their semifinal against Milwaukee, Patton and Gomillion started hot, combining for 10 of the first 12 points for Cleveland State.
The Vikings ended the half on a 17-8 run to take a 40-28 edge at the intermission. Cleveland State got great balance with eight players scoring at least once, including a team-high nine points from Patton.
Gomillion found the opening points of the second half on a transition layup. Later, Patton canned a pair of free throws for a 16-point, the Vikings' largest of the night, with 13:45 remaining.
Oakland drew back within single digits at 51-42 on a second-chance corner three by Micah Parish midway through the second half. Back-to-back buckets by Gomillion paired with a steal-and-score from Patton gave Cleveland State a 57-42 cushion with 8:14 left to play.
Oakland didn't quit and a three-pointer with just over four minutes to go to cut it to 66-58. A straight-on three-pointer from Craig Beaudion with 2:53 to play put Cleveland State up by 13 and essentially closed the door on a comeback for the Golden Grizzlies.
Patton, who has been clutch down the stretch in the tournament, scored nine of 12 points for Cleveland State within a stretch during the final five minutes before D'Moi Hodge finished twice at the rim within the last minute of play for an 80-69 final.