Men’s Basketball Scoreboard (Dec. 2)
St. Louis 62, Valparaiso 49
St. Louis 62, Valparaiso 49
Suffocated under a stifling defensive effort, Valparaiso could not get on track in a 62-49 loss to St. Louis at Chaifetz Arena.
Valparaiso (5-2) shot just 32.6 percent for the game, going 15-for-46 from the field under relentless defense from St. Louis. The Crusaders, who entered the game with a 41.4-percent mark from three-point range, hit just 5-of-21 attempts.
In its two losses, Valpo is 7-for-36 (19.4 percent) from three-point range.
Through five games, Valparaiso built an effective field-goal percentage of 55.8 percent, while the Billikens were allowing opponents a 51.6 mark. Saint Louis had entered the game allowing its opponents to shoot 50.8 percent from three-point range, but on an emotional afternoon in which St. Louis honored the late Rick Majerues, summoned an excellent defensive effort.
Trailing 35-31 early in the second half, Valparaiso held the ball with a chance to draw within a single possession. However, a turnover gave the ball back to St. Louis, where Dwayne Evans got loose on the inside for a layup. Jake Barnett ignited the run with a three and by the end of the run, the Billikens held a 47-33 advantage with 11:35 remaining.
Valpo would make the fans nervous, drawing within 53-45 with 3:22 to play, but could draw no closer.
Valparaiso started well, getting buckets on its first two possessions of the game, but scored just 11 points in the final 12 minutes of the half as St. Louis slowly took control.
The Crusaders had the Chaifetz Arena crowd upset midway through the half, as an offensive rebound and dunk by Vashil Fernandez came ahead of a fastbreak layup by Jordan Coleman, staking Valpo to a 19-15 lead with 8:03 to go in the half.
However, Valpo would hit just two field goals the rest of the half, as St. Louis began to impose its will on both ends of the court. Slips to the basket led to a series of dunks and free throws for the Billikens, as they opened their largest lead of the half on a Jordair Jett jumper with 1:18 to go before the intermission.
A trio of Crusaders finished with 10 points, none of which came easy. Ryan Broekhoff was 4-of-12 from the floor, while Kevin Van Wijk had just five field-goal attempts, but went 6-of-6 at the line to reach 10. Matt Kenney was the lone Crusader to shoot well, hitting both of his three-point field goal attempts as Valpo tried to claw back in the game.
