Valparaiso’s 77-71 victory Thursday night at Chicago State demonstrated the type of game the Crusaders would need to play if they hope to earn their sixth straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
It was not easy, even though the Cougars (3-15, 0-7 Mid-Continent Conference) lost their 10th straight game and their 14th in 15 meetings against Valparaiso (13-6, 4-2).
“This is one of the hardest places to win,” said Valpo coach Homer Drew. “Chicago State played very well and is going to win some games.”
The Cougars had the two most dangerous scorers in the gym. Darrell Johns, 7-foot-1-inch, 285-pound pivot man, scored 22 points, hit 10-of-16 shots and was almost unstoppable when Chicago State got the ball on the low block. Tony Jones also scored 22 on 8-of-15 shooting.
Valpo’s answer to the Cougars’ Johns-Jones scoring punch was sixth man Milo Stovall. He packed 12 of his 22 points into the final nine minutes, when the Crusaders successfully fought to hold the lead in front of 1,237 fans.
“My teammates recognized that I was shooting well so they got me the ball,” said Stovall, who hit two three-point baskets, two two-pointers and two free throws in the final minutes.
“That’s the kind of team we have,” Drew said. “Players recognize who has the hot hand and they work to set screens for him and get him the ball.”
Junior Lubos Barton, who scored 12 points and hit the 1,000 mark for his career, said last year’s loss at Chicago State motivated the Crusaders.
“We talked about that game all week,” Barton said. “We were determined it wasn’t going to happen again.”
Western Ill. 121, Youngstown 116: It took three overtimes but Cory Fosdyck scored 27 points as the host Leathernecks (1-16, 1-5) beat the Penguins (13-8, 6-3) in the Mid-Con game for their first victory.
Eastern Ill. 88, Morehead St. 85: Matt Britton’s four-point play with 17 seconds left gave Eastern Illinois a one-point lead and the Panthers (12-6, 5-2) held on for the Ohio Valley Conference win over the host Eagles (9-9, 3-4).
Butler 76, Ill.-Chicago 69: Thomas Jackson scored 21 points and was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line as the host Bulldogs (12-6, 4-2) defeated the Flames (9-9, 3-2) in the Midwestern Collegiate contest.
Wright St. 93, Loyola 76: Kevin Melson scored 31 points, including 18 in the first half, and the host Raiders (12-4, 4-2) defeated the Ramblers (6-13, 1-5) in the MCC game.
