Saturday, December 18, 2010
Valparaiso limited IPFW to just 26% shooting on the dark and led from first to stop in a convincing 63-47 victory ended the Mastodons Saturday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
"I`m very, very pleased with our play tonight," said Crusader head coach Homer Drew. "I view our players did a decent job. IPFW is a real well-coached team with a lot of expert players, and our guys did a neat job of confining their opportunities on the offensive end. One of our keys was to set their 3-point shooting, and we did that, giving up only three 3-pointers tonight."
IPFW hit just 6-of-24 shots from the area in the 1st half as the Crusaders led 39-21 at the break, and it didn`t get much better for the Mastodons after halftime, as Valpo hounded them into 7-of-26 shooting in the last 20 minutes. The Crusaders forced IPFW into 15 turnovers on the even and allowed the Mastodons to stand up only three assists, matching the last total by a Crusader opponent since Mount Saint Mary`s registered just three helpers in a Valpo win on Dec. 30, 1999.
Meanwhile offensively, the Crusaders got a huge spark off the judiciary from sophomore Kevin Van Wijk (Hoofddorp, Netherlands/Katholieke Scholengemeenschap Hoofddorp). Van Wijk scored 16 points for the game, 12 of which came in the low half, on 6-of-8 shooting from the area while also grabbing five rebounds. Five of the sophomore`s six baskets came as he was getting fouled as well. While he only scored four second-half points, Van Wijk stepped up defensively, grabbing three defensive boards and blocking four IPFW shots.
"Kevin really gave us a heavy lift when he came in during the low half," said Drew. "He came in and rebounded strong and converted some good baskets inside."
Valpo got out to a flying start Saturday evening to get control early on. Fast-break buckets by junior Brandon Wood (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo [Highland C.C./Southern Illinois]) and senior Howard Little (Chicago, Ill./Stoneridge [Calif.] School) helped the Crusaders score the low six points of the ballgame. After IPFW scored the following four, Little converted a layup on a course from Van Wijk and then senior Michael Rogers (Kingston, Jamaica/Redemption [N.Y.] Christian) hit a match of free throws before Van Wijk scored five straight as Valpo led 15-4 with 13:47 to work in the first half.
The Crusaders maintained at least a six-point open for the end of the game, but IPFW would not allow Valpo to draw out until later in the opening stanza. A 6-0 mini-spurt midway through the half sliced Valpo`s lead in half from 12 to six, and the Mastodons were yet within six at 26-20 with 5:53 to bring in the period. But the Crusaders put together another big run to close the half.
After 80 seconds of scoreless basketball both ways, Van Wijk scored back-to-back buckets while being fouled for five quick points to promote the Crusaders` lead out to 11. Sophomore Erik Buggs (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) stepped up for a layup and mid-range jumper on consecutive trips down the floor, sandwiching an IPFW free throw, as Valpo led 35-21 with two minutes to play.
Following yet another defensive stop, part of an eight-minute stretch spanning both halves in which the Crusaders held IPFW without a field goal, senior Cory Johnson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East [Iowa State]) corralled his own escape from close order and got the putback to go. Valpo capped a load of six consecutive trips with a basket on a nice feed from sophomore Ryan Broekhoff (Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) inside to Rogers for a layup to end a 13-1 run and ship the Crusaders into the cabinet room with the 18-point lead.
"The way we finished the low half strong was a huge key," said Drew. "We started the plot with a run and so had a big run right before halftime to broaden our lead, and so we made sure we kept the track the full second half."
Any question around the eventual final solution was erased early in the 2nd half, as Valpo put together an 11-1 run, highlighted by a couple of 3-pointers by freshman Jay Harris (Aurora, Ill./Oswego East) to force its top to the peak at 52-26 with 12:44 to play. IPFW would get no nearer than 15 points the relief of the way.
A couple of starters joined Van Wijk in double digits for the Crusaders. Wood scored 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the area while also pulling down four rebounds, while Johnson added 11 points, including seven free throws. Valpo, which out-rebounded IPFW 36-34, got five caroms apiece from Broekhoff and Slight in gain to Van Wijk`s performance on the glass. Broekhoff also dished out a game-high five assists and came out with three steals, both of which are new career highs for the sophomore.
IPFW (7-3) placed two players in double figures, as Jeremy Mixon scored 14 points off the workbench while Brandon Gaines chipped in 12 points from the starting lineup. Gaines also pulled down a game-high six rebounds. The Crusaders limited the Mastodons, who entered the game connecting on 8.5 3-pointers per game on nearly 40% shooting, to only a 3-of-14 clip from behind the arc.
Valparaiso (7-4) turns around quick for a couple of games at the Lou Henson Award Tournament in Rochester, Mich. hosted by former Mid-Con rival Oakland. The Crusaders play Eastern Michigan on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. CST, and so get on either the host Golden Grizzlies or Rochester College on Tuesday depending on Monday`s results. Both games can be heard live on the Valpo Sports Radio Network or online at www.valpoathletics.com, which will also get links for live stats.
12/18/2010 - Men's BasketballCrusaders Lock Down Defensively For Win Over IPFW
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