Cleveland State Men's basketball played at Dyersburg State on Saturday February 19 and lost 73-63 leaving them percentage points behind Walters State to avoid the play in game for the TJCCAA Basketball tournament.  With an overall record of 10-12 and a conference mark of 7-9 the Cougar men gave first place Dyersburg all they could handle, out scoring them in the second half of the game.

Kobe Pride and point guard Khris Green led the Cougars with 12 and 11 points respectively while Miguel Shaw had 9 and Jo'Vantay Ross had 8.  Shaw also pulled down 7 rebounds as Cleveland State could not overcome a 10-point half time deficit.

Going in to the tournament, K'Jaun Banks ranks 13th in the league in scoring at 13.3 while Shaw rebounds at a 5.8 clip ranking him 21st. Banks shoots a FG% of 43.7 and Marcus Averhart checks in at second in the league shooting 42.0% from 3-point country.  Finally Green comes in with a healthy league ranking of 6th in assists per game.

Coach Rafael Howard's Cougars now wait for the end of the season to see who they will play as they travel back to Dyersburg State who play host for the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Basketball Tournament scheduled for February 25-March 1.