Crusaders Come Up Just Short In MVC Tournament Opener

Crusaders Come Up Just Short In MVC Tournament Opener

Making its first appearance at Arch Madness, the Valparaiso University men’s basketball team battled back from a 14-point second-half deficit to make it a one-possession game with less than two minutes to play, but could not get over the hump, as the Crusaders fell in the first-round State Farm MVC Tournament matchup to Missouri State by an 83-79 final.

How It Happened

–          Missouri State scored 11 of the first 15 points in the first five minutes, but 3-pointers from sophomores Bakari Evelyn (Detroit, Mich./Hillcrest Academy/Southfield Christian [Nebraska]) and Markus Golder (Portland, Ore./Clackamas [North Idaho]) kept the Bears from pushing the lead past seven points in the early going.

–          The Bears again led by seven points with 10:37 to play before the Crusaders put together a quick 7-1 spurt over a span of 72 seconds to cut the Missouri State lead to 23-22. Senior Max Joseph (Montreal, Quebec/Vanier College) finished twice at the rim, while fellow senior Tevonn Walker (Montreal, Quebec/Vanier College) knocked down a 3-pointer to cap the brief run.

–          Two 3-pointers from sophomore Micah Bradford (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) kept Valpo within 34-30 with 2:47 to play, but the Bears scored five points over their next two possessions.

–          The Crusaders would head into halftime trailing 39-33 as Evelyn connected on a runner in the final seconds of the first half.

–          A big swing came within seconds of the start of the second half, as after forcing a Missouri State miss and grabbing the rebound, Valpo was deemed to have committed a flagrant foul as the ball was being advanced up the court. The ensuing free throws were both made by the Bears, who followed with a 3-pointer to push their lead into double figures for the first time.

–          Missouri State pushed its advantage to a peak of 14 points at 52-38 with 15:11 to play, and again would match that lead a couple minutes later.

–          The Bears’ advantage was 59-46 nearing the midway point of the second half before Walker scored six points in just over one minute to bring the Crusaders within 60-53 with 9:23 to play. Missouri State responded with baskets on its next three possessions to again go up by 13 points, 66-53 with 7:49 to go.

–          Evelyn came down and hit a 3-pointer to stop the Bears’ momentum, and after a missed front end of a 1-and-1, Walker converted a layup to make it an eight-point game.

–          The Bears would push their lead back to 72-61with 5:19 to go, but again Evelyn connected on a big 3-pointer to make it an eight-point game, and after an empty Missouri State possession, Walker was fouled while grabbing the rebound and hit two free throws to cut the deficit to 72-66 with 4:23 to play.

–          Missouri State’s Jarrid Rhodes hit a 3-pointer which looked to slow Valpo’s momentum, but Golder came down and hit a triple of his own to bring the Crusaders within 75-69.

–          Valpo forced three consecutive empty possessions by the Bears – two turnovers and a missed shot – and after failing to convert on either of the first two opportunities, Bradford found sophomore Jaume Sorolla (Tortosa, Spain/Sunrise Christian [Kan.] Academy) for an old-fashioned 3-point play to make it a three-point game with 1:46 to play.

–          Sorolla came up with a blocked shot on the defensive end, giving Valpo a shot to tie the game, and the Crusaders actually had three attempts at a tying triple, but could get none of them to fall.

–          The Bears hit all eight of their free throw attempts in the final minute, and while a 3-pointer from Walker with six seconds to go cut MSU’s lead to 81-79, Ryan Kreklow stepped up for the Bears and connected on his pair of free throws with 3.3 seconds remaining to ice the game.

Inside the Game

–          Valpo lost on Thursday despite committing just six turnovers, a season-low in the category by four – its previous low came at UNI, where the Crusaders committed 10 turnovers.

–          The Crusaders connected on 10-of-18 of their 3-point attempts, their fifth game of the year with at least 10 3-pointers and matching their second-best 3-point percentage of the year (55.6%).

–          After having just three points at halftime, Walker exploded for 22 second-half points to finish with a game-high 25 points – just one off his career high.

–          Evelyn and Golder added 13 points apiece as well, with Evelyn adding a team-high six rebounds. Golder, who needed just five field goal attempts for his 13 points, closed the year scoring in double figures in eight consecutive games off the bench.

–          Bradford chipped in eight points and a team-high five assists off the bench, leading the way as Valpo handed out 16 assists on its 25 baskets.

–          Valpo suffered its worst deficit on the boards of the season, as the Crusaders were out-rebounded 45-29 by Missouri State (18-14). Valpo had outrebounded its opposition in each of the final five games of the regular season.

–          The Bears grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and turned them into 18 second-chance points.

–          MSU’s Alize Johnson led the way, finishing with 22 points, 19 rebounds and six assists.

–          The loss was the third for Valpo against Missouri State in their first season as MVC foes after the Crusaders had won four consecutive non-conference matchups against the Bears this decade.

–          Valpo dropped its conference tournament opener for the third consecutive year.

Inside the Careers

–          Should Valpo not participate in postseason play, Thursday’s game marked the end of the four-year careers of Walker and Joseph.

–          Walker moved into 14th place on Valpo’s career scoring chart on Thursday and has scored 1,405 career points to go with 529 rebounds and 196 assists.

–          He also ranks eighth in program history with 342 career free throws made, and is tied for eighth all-time with 150 steals.

–          Joseph surpassed the 500-point mark for his career on Thursday and ended the night with 501 points, 279 rebounds, 172 assists and 95 steals.

–          The duo has been part of 97 victories over the last four years.