This is starting to become a trend, isn't it. Once again, against a decidedly weaker opponent (this time Northern Kentucky), it took Valpo a while to hit stride, as the Crusaders didn't make a field goal for the first four-plus minutes and made just two shots inside of the first 10 minutes. As it has been most of the season, Valpo got going past that point, pulling away from the Norse in the second half for a 71-46 victory. Northern Kentucky would post their worst offensive efficiency of the season, making just 30% (15-50) shots from the floor and only 4-15 (.267) from behind the three point line. In contrast, Valpo made 23-57 (.404) shots and shot 18-23 (.783) from the free throw line. The Crusaders only led by 12 points, 34-22 at halftime, but pushed the lead to 25 at the final whistle. Every Crusader played, led by 16 points from Keith Carter and 14 off the bench from Shane Hammink. Vashil Fernandez pulled down 11 rebounds, although he scored just four points. Jalen Billups scored 17 for the Norse, but Valpo held just one other player to more than seven points (Lavone Holland II, with 10). Valpo still hasn't lost back-to-back games since 2014, when they fell in the HL Tournament and lost in the first round of the CIT to Columbia. The Crusaders improved to 17-4 on the season, dropping NKU to 7-12.
STANDINGS
| Conference | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | |
| 1 | Wright State | 7 | 1 | 13 | 8 |
| 2 | Valparaiso | 7 | 1 | 17 | 4 |
| 3 | Oakland | 5 | 3 | 13 | 8 |
| 4 | Milwaukee | 5 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
| 5 | Green Bay | 5 | 3 | 13 | 8 |
| 6 | Detroit | 3 | 5 | 9 | 10 |
| 7 | Northern Kentucky | 3 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| 8 | Youngstown State | 3 | 5 | 8 | 13 |
| 9 | Cleveland State | 2 | 6 | 7 | 14 |
| 10 | UIC | 0 | 8 | 2 | 17 |
UP NEXT
Valpo will return to the ARC on Thursday night, their first home game in 12 days, as the Crusaders host 9th-placed Cleveland State in Horizon League action. It will be Crusader Classic Night (1986-1995), the fifth of eight themed nights to celebrate 100 years of Valparaiso athletics.
-The Vikings enter at 7-14, 2-6 in the Horizon League.
-CSU is coming off of a home game against Youngstown State (played at Quicken Loans Arena) on Sunday. The Vikings were defeated 70-55, their first loss in three games.
-Cleveland St. took part in the Cancun Challenge in November, going 1-2. They split a pair of games in Mexico, beating Rider and losing to South Dakota State, before falling at Maryland in a Challenge game.
-Vikings freshman guard Daniel Levitt is from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the same city as Tevonn and Darien Walker of Valparaiso. Levitt attended New Hampton Prep (in New Jersey), while Tevonn and Darien went to Vanier College in Montreal.
-Freshman Rob Edwards leads the Vikings at 12.5 ppg while starting 19 of 21 games. Junior Andre Yates averages 10.5 ppg and is one of four Cleveland State players to have started every game (Yates, Terrell Hales, Demonte Flannigan,Vinny Zollo).
-The game can be viewed on ESPN3 and will be on the radio at 95.1 FM (WVUR).
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