Raiders Fall To Valparaiso

March 7, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)--Jarryd Loyd hit four free throws in the final 12 seconds as Valparaiso beat Wright State 72-67 Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Horizon League tournament.

Shawn Huff led the Crusaders with 21 points, Urule Igbavboa had 17, Brandon McPherson had 16 and Loyd finished with 14 for Valparaiso (21-12).

The Crusaders will face Illinois-Chicago or Loyola of Chicago in Saturday's semifinals.

Scottie Wilson and Jordan Pleiman each had 15 points and Todd Brown and Vaughn Duggins had 13 each for Wright State (21-10). Pleiman also had a game-high nine rebounds and Brown and Wilson had eight boards each.

The game went through 14 ties and 16 lead changes and the final margin was the largest of the second half, which began with Wright State ahead 38-37.

Duggins hit a shot to give the Raiders their last lead, 63-62, with 4:10 remaining, but Huff immediately answered after a timeout with a 3-pointer. Pleiman's layup, the last field goal of the game, tied it one last time with 2:53 left before Igbavboa hit one of two free throws to put the Crusaders up for good.

Wilson then missed two free throws while McPherson hit two more to give Valparaiso a 68-65 lead with 37 seconds left. Troy Tabler then hit two for Wright State before Loyd clinched the Valparaiso victory.