Seven Beacons Finish in Double Figures as Valpo Rolls to Victory
The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team received a balanced effort with seven players scoring in double figures in a 98-58 victory over CCSJ on Saturday afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Rev. Brian Konkol, who was named the 20th President of Valparaiso University effective Jan. 1 earlier in the week, was in attendance to see the Beacons move to 6-3, their best record through nine games since 2017-18. Senior walk-on Joe Vick (Kouts, Ind., / Kouts) drove to the basket for an impressive hoop, the first points of his collegiate career.
How It Happened
- The game was tight early with Valpo leading 9-7, then the Beacons reeled off the next six including four points from Owen Dease (Evansville, Ind. / Evansville Reitz) to lift the lead to eight with 14:14 left in the first half.
- The lead fluctuated between five and nine for a stretch in the first half. JT Pettigrew (Lisle, Ill. / Bolingbrook) drained a second-chance triple to up the edge to nine, then Sader Servilus (Montreal, Quebec, Canada / Fort Erie International Academy) made a free throw with 8:24 left in the opening half to give Valpo its first double-figure advantage.
- A dunk by Carter Hopoi (Tauranga, New Zealand / Mount Maunganui College NZ) built the lead to 12 with 5:29 on the first-half clock, then Valpo scored nine straight to open the gap from 13 to 21, a run that culminated with a fastbreak dunk by Isaiah Barnes (Chicago, Ill. / Simeon Career Academy [Tulsa/Michigan]) with 59 seconds to go in the opening half.
- Valpo went into the intermission ahead 53-30, thanks in part to Dease posting an opening half of 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
- Valpo continued to pour it on early in the second half, building the lead to 28 when Brody Whitaker (Greencastle, Ind. / Greencastle [University of Indianapolis / Marian]) sank a 3 with 17:44 on the clock. Dease drilled one from distance with 13:22 to play to make it 71-39.
- Vick checked in coming out of the final media timeout, and made his layup with 25 seconds to play to push the lead to 42. The bench and crowd erupted in celebration.
Inside the Game
- The 40-point margin of victory was Valpo’s largest since last year’s matchup between these two teams, a 50-point win on Dec. 22.
- The 98 points marked Valpo’s highest since a 101-86 win over Belmont on Feb. 12 of last season.
- The last time Valpo had even five players in double figures was Feb. 22, 2025 at Southern Illinois.
- Dease led the balanced effort with his third straight game of 17 points or more, scoring 17 on 7-of-10 shooting and 2-of-4 from 3. He also brought down four rebounds.
- Hopoi had 12 points, Pettigrew tallied 11 and the quartet of Tucker Tornatta (Evansville, Ind. / Reitz Memorial [University of Indianapolis]), Justus McNair (Joliet, Ill. / Joliet West]), Barnes and Shon Tupuola (Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg [Saint Mary-of-the-Woods]) had 10 apiece.
- Hopoi and Tornatta both enjoyed season highs. Tornatta’s came on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting, the first Valpo player to go perfect from the field with at least five attempts since Devon Ellis on Dec. 22, 2024 vs. CCSJ.
- Fifth-year senior Kyonte Thomas (Chicago, Ill. / Bolingbrook [Southeastern]) played a season-high 18 minutes and tied Dease for the team’s best plus-minus at +27.
- Tupuola and Servilus had six rebounds apiece to lead the team. For Servilus, that marked a season high.
- Vick added two assists and two rebounds to his two points.
- Valpo moved the ball to the tune of 25 assists against 10 turnovers. This was the seventh time in nine games this season that the Beacons committed 10 turnovers or fewer. The 25 assists were the team’s most since Nov. 8, 2024 vs. Concordia Ann Arbor (28).
- Valpo outrebounded CCSJ 42-27, held a 26-4 edge in points off turnovers, outscored the Crimson Wave in the paint 46-18 and owned a 61-8 edge in bench points.
- Valpo shot 58.6 percent from the field, the team’s best since Dec. 22, 2024 vs. CCSJ (.597).
- The Beacons held the Crimson Wave to 38.6 percent, Valpo’s fourth straight game holding an opponent under 40 percent.
- Valpo slammed home 11 dunks in the win.
Postgame Press Conference
Click here for postgame press conference.
Up Next
Valpo (6-3) will have some time off from game action for final exams before hosting UNC Wilmington on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m