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The Cleveland State Vikings are the men's basketball team representing Cleveland State University. They have appeared in three NCAA Division I tournaments, six National Invitation Tournaments, and two CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments. The Vikings have a rich history in college basketball, with nine alumni having played in the NBA. The team has also won six regular-season championships and three conference tournaments. With such a successful basketball programme, who will be the next coach to lead the Cleveland State Vikings to victory?
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What You'll Learn
Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball team history
The Cleveland State Vikings are the men's college basketball team that represents Cleveland State University. Prior to rebranding from Fenn College, they were known as the Fenn College Foxes. Cleveland State has been in Division I since 1972 and is a member of the Horizon League (1994–present). Before 1994, Cleveland State was in the Mid-Continent Conference (1982–1994) and prior to 1982, it was an independent program.
The Vikings have appeared in three NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments, with a record of 3-3. They have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament six times, with a record of 3-6. In addition, they have received three College Basketball Invitational berths, with a combined record of 3-3. Cleveland State has appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament twice, with a combined record of 1-2.
The 1985–86 season is arguably the most memorable in Vikings history. They became the first-ever 14th-seeded team to make it to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1986 NCAA tournament. Coach Kevin Mackey's squad, led by Ken 'Mouse' McFadden and Eric Mudd, upset Bobby Knight's 3rd-seeded Indiana Hoosiers by a final score of 83-79. Cleveland State has won six regular-season championships (1985, 1986, 1993, 2011, 2021, 2022) and three conference tournaments (1986, 2009, 2021).
In more recent years, the Vikings have continued to find success on the court. On December 15, 2008, Cleveland State had their biggest regular-season victory in school history, upsetting the #11 Syracuse Orange 72-69 on a last-second, three-quarter-court shot from senior guard Cedric Jackson. This was their third-ever win over a Top 25 ranked opponent and their first on the road. In the 2020-2021 school year, the Vikings had notable wins over Horizon League opponents, including a 68-63 victory over Northern Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Tournament.
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Cleveland State's NCAA Tournament appearances
Cleveland State University's men's basketball team, the Vikings, has made three appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They have a record of 3-3 in the tournament.
The Vikings first appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 1986, where they advanced to the Sweet 16. This was an impressive feat, as they were the first-ever 14th-seeded team to make it to this stage. Coach Kevin Mackey's squad, led by Ken 'Mouse' McFadden and Eric Mudd, defeated Bobby Knight's 3rd-seeded Indiana Hoosiers 83-79.
After their successful 1985-86 season, the Vikings would go on a 23-season drought before returning to the NCAA Tournament in 2009. As the 13th-seeded team in the Midwest bracket, they defeated the 4th-seeded and 12th-ranked Wake Forest team by a score of 84-69.
The Vikings' most recent NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2021. This was their third appearance in the tournament, and it came after they won the Horizon League Tournament in 2021 as well.
In addition to their three NCAA Tournament appearances, the Cleveland State Vikings have also had success in other postseason tournaments. They have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament six times, the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) three times, and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament twice. They have also won six regular-season championships and three conference tournaments.
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Cleveland State's NIT Tournament appearances
Cleveland State University's men's basketball team, the Cleveland State Vikings, have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) six times, with a record of 3-6.
The Vikings first made it to the NIT Tournament in 1987 and 1988, qualifying in successive seasons. They then had to wait 23 seasons before returning to the NIT in 2009.
In 2022, the Vikings travelled to Cincinnati to face the No. 2 seed Musketeers in the opening round of the NIT.
In addition to their NIT appearances, the Vikings have also competed in three NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournaments, most recently in 2021. They have a record of 3-3 in these tournaments. The 1985-86 season is considered the most memorable in Vikings history, as they became the first-ever 14th-seeded team to make it to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1986 NCAA Tournament.
Cleveland State has also received three College Basketball Invitational berths, appearing twice in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, and winning six regular-season championships.
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Cleveland State's CBI berths
Cleveland State University's men's basketball team, the Vikings, has had a successful history, including three appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and six appearances in the National Invitation Tournament. They have also received three College Basketball Invitational (CBI) berths.
The Vikings have a proud history in basketball, with nine alumni making it to the NBA. They have won six regular-season championships and three conference tournaments. The 1985-86 season is considered the most memorable, as they became the first 14th-seeded team to make it to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1986 NCAA tournament.
The Vikings have continued to perform well in recent years, making it to the CBI championship game in 2025, where they faced Illinois State. Tevin Smith led the Vikings in scoring, finishing with 16 points, but it wasn't enough to secure the win, as they lost 79-68.
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Cleveland State's notable wins
Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball team has had several notable wins throughout its history. The team has made three appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, with a record of 3-3. They have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament six times and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) thrice.
The 1985-86 season is considered the most memorable in the team's history. Coach Kevin Mackey led the Vikings to the NCAA Sweet 16, becoming the first-ever 14th-seeded team to reach this stage. They upset Bobby Knight's 3rd-seeded Indiana Hoosiers 83-79. This was followed by a 75-69 second-round win against the 6th-seeded St. Joseph's, before they were finally defeated by Navy 71-70, with future Hall of Famer David Robinson making a clutch basket in the waning seconds.
On December 15, 2008, Cleveland State achieved its biggest regular-season victory, upsetting the #11 Syracuse Orange 72-69 with a last-second, three-quarter-court shot from senior guard Cedric Jackson. This was their third-ever win over a Top 25 ranked opponent and their first on the road. In the same season, they won their fourth and fifth games against Top 25 opponents, beating #17 Butler in the Horizon League Tournament championship game 57-54, and then in the first round of the 2009 NCAA tournament, they routed the 4th-seeded and #12 Wake Forest 84-69.
The Vikings have won six regular-season championships (1985, 1986, 1993, 2011, 2021, and 2022) and three conference tournaments (1986, 2009, and 2021). They have also had recent notable wins, such as Dylan Arnett's 16-point performance in their 68-63 victory over Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League Tournament quarterfinals.
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Frequently asked questions
Cleveland State has made three appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
Cleveland State Vikings.
Nine Cleveland State alumni have played in the NBA.
Cleveland State beat Northern Kentucky by a score of 68-63.
