Written by Tom Mieskoski

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For the Cleveland State men's basketball team the Wisconsin trip has been a nightmare in recent years.

The Vikings have lost nine of their past 10 games at Wisconsin-Green Bay and 10 in a roll at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

CSU (8-0) will try to end the losing streak this week as the Vikes open Horizon League play tonight at Green Bay (8 p.m.) and are at Milwaukee on Saturday (8 p.m).

"We are going to break that curse and go in there and get some wins in Wisconsin," said Norris Cole, who leads the Horizon League in scoring at 21.5 points per game.

In order to change CSU's luck, Vikings head coach Gary Waters has changed the way CSU travels to Wisconsin. Instead of flying into Milwaukee then taking a 2 ½-hour bus trip to Green Bay, CSU will take a charter plane directly to Green Bay.

"I thought we came closer (to winning a game) last year," said Waters, who has never beaten either Wisconsin school on the road in his five seasons at CSU. "I think one of the reasons why we came so close (to winning a game last year) was because we chartered there and were well rested when we went there to play."

So what makes it so tough to get a win there?

"It's a hostile environment," said Trevon Harmon.

Cole added, "It's cold (in Cleveland), but it's a different kind of cold (in Wisconsin). Everything is uncomfortable. It's like an ice rink in there. The floor level is freezing."

Waters thinks winning on the road at Louisiana and Akron earlier this season should help the Vikes deal with the tough atmosphere in Wisconsin.

"The team knows they can go on the road and win now," said Waters. "Louisiana fans called us every name in the book and we fought through it and Akron is a tough place to play. The next two games they'll have to play even harder (if they want to get a win)."

8-0: CSU are one of three teams in the nation that are 8-0. The others are Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, both from the Big East Conference.

"It feels good (to have the best record in the country), but you have to stay humble and take it every game at a time," said Harmon. "You can never relax on any game because any team can win on any given night. So you have to maintain the same mindset and make sure you are well prepared."

Brown update: Waters said he doesn't know when D'Aundray Brown (right index finger) will come back. There is still a chance he could be red-shirted if he doesn't return soon.

"If he gets below 15 games (left in the season) then I have to reevaluate the situation," Waters said.

That would put the deadline for Brown to return by Jan. 7 at Butler.

Wells update: Backup point guard Anthony Wells, who returned against St. Bonaventure on Saturday after missing the first six games following knee surgery, missed Monday's game against Robert Morris with a swollen knee.

"I was disappointed in Anthony," said Waters. "He hasn't been to (the trainer's room) in five days for treatment (and his knee swelled up)."

Minute men: Despite, LeBron James complaining that he plays too many minutes with the Miami Heat, Cole is okay with playing 34.5 minutes per game (third most in the Horizon League).

"I'm conditioned that's what the offseason is for. Physically, I feel good. Players play and I'm a player," he said, admitting he's still a James fan. "I get an ice bath a couple of times a week to keep my legs fresh."

Extra practices pays off: A new women's college basketball rule allows the women to start practice 40 days before their first game, and they are allowed to practice 30 times in those 40 days.

The extra practices have paid off for the CSU women's basketball team who are 5-1 heading into Friday's 7 p.m. home game against Western Michigan (2-5).

"(The extra practices have helped us) especially this year with such a different team (and) having so many players without (game) experience," CSU women's basketball coach Kate Peterson Abiad said.

Waters is hopeful that the men will decide to come up with a similar rule. Currently, the men are allowed to practice three weeks before the season starts.

"I don't think we get it right," Waters said. "I don't think we understand it."

More women's basketball: The CSU women are coming off their first loss of the season at Indiana, 66-56, last Sunday. Peterson Abiad is looking forward to seeing how her team responds to WMU.

"I don't know how this group of women will bounce back from a loss," she said. "I asked them on the bus (trip back from Indiana) why they were so quiet? They said the food was good. It's important to learn (from this experience) put it behind you and move on."

Mid-Major Top 25: Both CSU basketball programs were ranked in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 coaches' polls.

The CSU men were ranked No. 5 and the CSU women debuted at No. 23.

News and Notes: The CSU men received a vote in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll. Steve Deshazo of the Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance-Star voted CSU No. 25 on his ballot.... Former CSU standout J'Nathan Bullock's season is over with Optima Gent, a Division I team in Belgium, after developing tendinitis in his knee. Bullock averaged 10.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in eight games.