Game 10- @Indiana State

When the second-largest home crowd of the season enters the ARC, and the only giveaway is a winter hat to the first 500 fans, you just know that the opponent for Valparaiso warrants attending. Thursday night was one of those games. The Belmont Bruins entered town, ranked 9th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, as the first of a home-and-home series between the Bruins and Crusaders. It turned out to be the high-quality game everyone expected, but not the shootout, high scoring, break-the-scoreboard game that has been common for Belmont. Instead, it was a close, tense, defensive affair, just the way that Valpo likes to play. The Crusaders certainly didn't play perfect, hitting just 35.4% from the floor and 6-25 (24%) on threes, but were able to grind out a 61-57 win, coming back from being four down at the under-eight timeout and scraping out the victory. Valpo was, as usual, led by Alec Peters, who put up a quiet 17 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Keith Carter was also strong, with 14 points, four rebounds, an assist, and a steal on the day. As has become a Bryce Drew custom in close games, the Crusaders only played eight players total, with David Skara, Shane Hammink, and Jubril Adekoya combining for 15 points off the bench. Skara had perhaps the biggest possession of the game with under four minutes to go, rebounding a missed free throw, then a missed runner in the lane, and finally hitting the and-one layup to help keep Valpo on top. The Crusaders defense held Belmont under 70 for the first time on the season, which looks more impressive considering the Bruins had scored 105 just two days before. Belmont was led Craig Bradshaw's 12-5-4-2-1 line, and Evan Bradds added 11 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. For the Crusaders, Tevonn Walker sat out with injury, joining Derrik Smits in the tracksuits for the day.

Next up for Valpo will be a Wednesday night fixture in Terre Haute against Indiana State. These two teams have met 79 times in their history, with ISU holding a 50-29 all-time advantage. The Crusaders and Sycamores last met in 2004, a meeting won 70-68 in OT by Indiana State. The Sycamores enter 3-4 (0-0 MVC) on the season. The Sycamores most notably beat Wyoming in the MVC-MW Challenge and went 2-1 at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. However, they have since lost their last two games, falling to Eastern Illinois, and then on the road at nationally ranked Butler on Saturday by a 85-71 score. Indiana State is led by guard Devonte Brown (14.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and guard/forward Khristian Smith (12.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg). The Sycamores do give up height in the middle, as their tallest player is just 6'9". The tallest player to have started a game for the Sycamores is Brandon Murphy (6'7", 5.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.14 bpg), who has started all seven games. The game will be at the Hulman Center, seating 10,200; the largest crowd to see a game in the arena this season, however, was just 4131. This will be Indiana State's first home game since November 16, a span of 23 days. The game can be streamed on ESPN3 and will be on the radio in Valparaiso on WVUR 95.1 FM. Todd Ickow and Aaron Leavitt will have the radio call, while the live stream will be called by Jason Pensky and Jim Waugh of WTWO in Terre Haute.