By Matthew Poshedley
On Jan. 25, Coach Kate Peterson Abiad achieved her 200th victory as head coach of the Cleveland State University women’s basketball team.
Entering her 15th season as head coach, Peterson Abiad had 187 career wins and was already the all-time winningest coach in program history.
Peterson Abiad is responsible for making this Vikings team a contender to win the Horizon League every year.
Her dedication and effort towards this basketball team helped lead them to their first NCAA Tournament bid in school history during the 2007-08 season.
Two years later in the 2009-10 season, the Vikings were right back at it again with their second NCAA Tournament bid under Peterson Abiad.
The overtime victory over Wright State University gave head coach Peterson Abiad her 200th win.
Down by 11 at halftime to a Wright State team that was sitting in third place in the Horizon League, the Vikings battled back.
Stepping up their defense, the Vikings were able to contain the strong Raider offense in the third quarter by allowing only three field goals.
Cleveland State battled back and forth with Wright State. It was the Vikings’ ball with only seconds to go in overtime.
Junior guard Ashanti Abshaw received the ball on an inbounds play and made the game-winning shot just inside the three-point line as time expired.
“The game itself was one of my favorite victories in my Cleveland State coaching career,” Peterson Abiad said.
“The number of games that come down to a buzzer-beater in the final seconds are minimal, and the swing of emotions over the course of the last 20 seconds was exhilarating.”
“I distinctly remember my first career win against Western Illinois. It was a very low scoring game and it was a close game,” Peterson Abiad said.
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