The Cleveland State men's basketball team celebrated the new year by continuing its winning ways as the Vikes defeated Illinois-Chicago, 83-59, Saturday afternoon at the Wolstein Center.

With the win CSU improves to 15-1, 4-0 in the Horizon League heading into next Friday's pivotal league game against arch-rival Butler.

"This could have been a trap game," said CSU men's basketball coach Gary Waters. "Last night was a tough night. It was a go out and enjoy yourself night. We didn't allow them to have that, so they understood that this game was very important for you to come out and play your best."

The Vikes ended any possible chance of a let down by jumping out to an early 6-0 lead. CSU never trailed in the game and led by as many as 13 in the first half as the Vikes built a comfortable 40-28 lead at the half.

Junior guard Trevon Harmon scored 13 of his career-high 24 points in the first half and Norris Cole scored 11 of his 21 in the first 20 minutes.

"We wanted to start off well and get things rolling," said Cole who also added six assists, six rebounds and six steals. " When teams have to fight from behind, it's hard. We have the confidence that if we can get them down, we can keep them there."

CSU's ferocious pressure defense took UIC out of the game early, causing the Flames to turn the ball over 24 times, which CSU scored 21 points out of.

The Vikings' defense caused 15 steals and held the Flames to 40.5 percent from the field.

"They played with a tempo and a velocity that I don't think anyone in our league can emulate or can match," said UIC coach Howard Moore. "Coach Waters has the personnel and the players to really turn up the heat and get after people.

How can you simulate that (pressure defense) in practice? They are the so-called Mid-Major version of Purdue. The way they pressure and get up into you. And they do it the whole game and they don't let up."

CSU used a 9-1 run to start the second half to built a 49-29 lead on Jeremy Montgomery's 3-pointer with 18:06 left in the game. The Vikes wouldn't trail by less then 17 the rest of the game.

Harmon finished 7-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point distance.

"When Trey's shooting the ball it's hard for teams to beat us," said Waters.

UIC (5-10, 0-3 Horizon League) were led in scoring by senior guard Robo Kreps with 21 points. Kreps had to work hard for those points, going 10-of-12 from the free throw line, as Harmon was in-his-face the entire game.

"It's my job to try to make his day a living hell," said Harmon.

Next Friday's game at Butler will be televised on ESPNU at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs (10-4, 2-0) have won six straight after defeating Valparaiso at home, 76-59, on Saturday.

"It's going to be a big game," said Waters. "The Butler Invitational (aka The Horizon League Tournament) we got to stop that."

Since Aaron Pogue enrolled at Cleveland State in the fall of the 2008-09 season, CSU men's basketball coach Gary Waters has referred to him as his Top 50 recruit.

So far Pogue hasn't lived up to those high expectations, but he's starting to come along as a force to be reckoned with in the Horizon League.

"(Before the Loyola-Chicago game) I told him we are going into the league and now it's time for them to know who you are and make your presence (felt) out there," said Waters. "And he did."

The Dayton Dunbar High product made his presence felt scoring a career-high 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in Thursday's win over the Ramblers. It was his second career double-double. He was 8-of-11 from the field.

"I work hard everyday in practice to try to reach my full potential. I don't think I have reached it yet, but I'll get there one day." Pogue said after Thursday's game. "I feel there are not many players that can guard me one-on-one. I feel I can destroy any man one-on-one."

The 6-9, 265-pound junior is averaging 8.1 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds (5th in the Horizon League) this season. He's shooting 50 percent (47-94) from the field.

Those numbers are up from a year ago when Pogue averaged 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game.

"Aaron is in the best shape he's been (at CSU). When you get in shape you move a step quicker and anticipate better," said Waters. "Aaron is now realizing how strong he is. He can bench press 400 pounds not many people in (college) basketball can do that. He's starting to realize that I have strength here and when I hit somebody they fly out of the way."

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CLEVELAND - The Cleveland State men's basketball team ended the 2010 year with a win easily defeating Loyola-Chicago, 73-55, Thursday night at the Wolstein Center.

With the win CSU improves to 14-1, 3-0 in the Horizon League. The Vikes join Syracuse as the only other 14-game winner in the country.

"I thought our guys played extremely hard on the defensive end today and I thought they really shared the basketball," said CSU head coach Gary Waters. "Those are the kind of things you have to do to have a good team."

Loyola (9-5, 0-3 HL) took an early 5-0 lead, but after that is was all CSU. The Vikes would score on 13 of their next 14 possessions to take a 13-6 lead with 11:48 left in the first half. CSU would lead by as many as 18 in the first half and had a comfortable 41-24 lead at the half.

It was on cruise control after that as the Vikes never trailed by less than 14 in the second half.

CSU's stingy pressure defense played a key roll in the victory. The Vikings caused the Ramblers to turn the ball over 18 times, which CSU had a 28-12 advantage in points of turnovers.

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The Cleveland State men's basketball team (13-1, 2-0 Horizon League) returns to Horizon League play this weekend with two tough home games against Loyola-Chicago (today) and Illinois-Chicago (Saturday).

How important are these two home games this week?

"These two games are vital for us because we have to hold serve at home. If we don't do well in these next two games it really puts the whole league in a spin for us," said CSU men's basketball coach Gary Waters. "Now we got to go someplace where we are not expected to win (and steal a) win."

Loyola (9-4, 0-2) have been a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type of team this season with two different split personalities. The Ramblers got off to a fast start, like a year ago, winning their first seven games, then went on a stretch where they lost four of their next five games.

In Loyola's four losses (Butler, Valparaiso, Kansas State and DePaul) they have come by a combined 27 points, for an average of 6.7 points per defeat.

So which team will CSU face tonight?

"I think they have learned how to play now. I always thought this is a team you got to worry about in our league," said Waters, who predicted Loyola as his sleeper team to watch in the league before the season started. "This game Thursday will be a war."

The Ramblers have a balance scoring attack with five players who average in double-figures. They are senior guard Geoff McCammon (14.3 points), junior guard/forward Jordan Hicks (11.7), senior guard Terrance Hill (11.2), sophomore forward Ben Averkamp (11.2), and junior forward Walt Gibler (11).

UIC (5-8, 0-1) have been a much improved team from a year ago because of the addition of Minnesota transfer Paul Carter (14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds). The Flames recently upset then (No. 12 AP, No. 14 ESPN/USA Today) Illinois, 57-54, on Dec. 18.

"I think the key (to UIC's recent success) was that transfer (Paul Carter) brought them together," said Waters.

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