Butler, Valparaiso Create Logjam at Top of Horizon League

Victories by Butler and Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon created a four-way tie atop the Horizon League standings after three weekends of play.  The Bulldogs knocked off Youngstown State, while the Crusaders held off a late Cleveland State charge.  The wins created a four-way tie atop the Horizon League between 4-1 Butler, Valparaiso, Detroit and Wright State.

Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard carried Butler (12-5, 4-1 Horizon) past a feisty Youngstown State (6-9, 1-5 Horizon) squads, scoring 28 and 26 points, respectively, in an 84-79 triumph.

The contest featured 14 lead changes and 12 ties, the final one coming with 84 seconds left on a Devonte Maymon three-point play.  Tied at 79, it was Andrew Smith who came through for the Bulldogs, collecting a tip-in to put Butler ahead for good.

Three different Youngstown State chances to tie or take the lead fell short, and the Bulldogs knocked down free throws to seal the game.

The Penguins hit 14 three-pointers in the contest, 10 of them coming in the second half as YSU took an eight-point lead at the 12-minute mark of the second half before a 9-0 Butler run erased the deficit and set the stage for the closing minutes.

Blake Allen led Youngstown State with 17 points, while Ashen Ward and Devonte Maymon finished with 15 and 13, respectively.  Vytas Sulskis chipped in 10 for the Penguins.

Valparaiso (12-5, 4-1 Horizon) claimed its best win in terms of RPI in over six years, holding off Cleveland State (15-3, 4-2 Horizon), 64-58, at the ARC.  Fifth-year senior Cory Johnson led the Crusaders with 20 points, helping Valpo overcome a double-digit deficit in the first half.

With the Vikings holding a 19-8 lead midway through the first half, the Crusaders worked their deficit down to three by the intermission, closing the half on a 10-2 spurt.  Trevon Harmon picked up the first points of the second half, but six straight Valpo points, including back-to-back layups from Johnson, gave the squad its first lead since early in the first half.

Two runs midway through the second half gave Valparaiso a 60-45 lead before Cleveland State mounted a furious comeback, scoring 12 straight points to close within a single possession with just under a minute to play.  However, a Ryan Broekhoff triple in the left corner sealed the contest for the Crusaders.

Harmon matched Johnson with a game-high 20 points, while Aaron Pogue and Norris Cole added 12 and 10, respectively.

After the weekend, the Vikings sit one-half game behind the quartet at the top of the League with a 4-2 mark.