The 2017–18 Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball team represented Cleveland State University in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were coached by first-year head coach Dennis Felton. The Vikings played their home games at the Wolstein Center as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 12–23, 6–12 in Horizon League play to finish in a tie for eighth place. As the No. 8 seed at the Horizon League tournament, they defeated Youngstown State and upset No. 1 seed Northern Kentucky and No. 4 seed Oakland to advance to the championship game, where they lost to Wright State.
Previous season The Vikings finished the 2016–17 season 9–22, 5–13 in Horizon League play to finish in ninth place. They lost in the first round of the Horizon League tournament to Youngstown State.
On March 7, 2017, head coach Gary Waters retired. He finished at Cleveland State with an 11-year record of 194–172. On March 24, the school hired former Georgia and Western Kentucky head coach Dennis Felton.
Offseason Departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure Gavin Peppers 2 G 6'2" 190 Junior Brookeville, MD Graduate transferred to Central Michigan Rob Edwards 3 G 6'4" 200 Sophomore Detroit, MI Transferred to Arizona State Jibri Blount 5 F 6'7" 220 Sophomore Pittsburgh, PA Transferred to North Carolina Central Nelson Maxwell 13 G 6'0" 170 Sophomore Orange Village, OH Transferred to Mercyhurst Tim Hasbargen 21 G 6'4" 200 Junior Munich, Germany Graduate transferred to Babson College Demonte Flannigan 33 F 6'8" 240 Senior Richmond Heights, OH Graduated P. J. Posey 35 C 6'8" 275 Senior Milwaukee, WI Graduate transferred to William Jessup Andy Lucien 41 F 6'7" 190 Freshman North Olmsted, OH Transferred to Walsh Daniel Levitt 55 G 6'1" 170 Sophomore Montreal, QE Walk-on; left the team for personal reasons
Incoming transfers Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous school Dontel Highsmith 3 G 6'2" 200 RS Senior Dowagiac, MI Transferred from Northern Illinois. Will eligible to play since Highsmith graduated from Northern Illinois. Al Eichelberger 24 F 6'7" 251 Sophomore Saginaw, MI Transferred from DePaul. Under NCAA transfer rules, Eichelberger will have to sit out the 2017–18 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
2017 recruiting class
Roster
Schedule and results
!colspan=9 style=| Exhibition
!colspan=9 style=| Non-Conference regular season
!colspan=9 style=| Horizon League regular season
!colspan=9 style=|Horizon League tournament
Source
References