Loyola junior guard J.R. Blount picked the ideal time to pass the 1,000-point mark for his college career.
Blount’s layup with 4.4 seconds to play enabled Loyola to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the Horizon League season, a 65-63 victory over Valparaiso on Saturday night.
Winless in eight of their previous nine road games and playing at Valpo’s Athletics and Recreation Center, the Ramblers (7-13, 3-7) made a clutch comeback after falling behind 63-57 with 1 minute 43 seconds left.
Valparaiso (14-7, 5-4) let Loyola back in the game by turning the ball over and fouling down the stretch. Tracy Robinson made four free throws and Ross Forman made two to set the stage for Blount’s game-winning shot, which was only the Ramblers’ second basket in the final 8 minutes 31 seconds.
“I got a half-step on the defender and I was able to convert,” said Blount, who finished with a game-high 19 points, giving him 1,001 in his career. “We worked on executing and time management all week, and it paid off.”
The Ramblers dominated much of the game, but Valparaiso kept counterattacking. Led by freshman sub Howard Little and junior guard Brandon McPherson, the Crusaders overcame a 50-37 deficit to take their late six-point lead.
“We showed some heart,” said Loyola coach Jim Whitesell, citing Justin Cerasoli’s steal when the Ramblers trailed by four and Robinson’s free throws toward the end.
The three-point shot, which has been stone cold most of the season, was the Ramblers’ main weapon in the first half when they gained a 41-34 lead. They had 11 attempts and converted seven, equaling their season high for an entire game.
In the second half Valparaiso tightened its perimeter defense. The Ramblers attempted only three shots from beyond the arc and didn’t make any.
“In the second half we played great defense and held them to 24 points,” Valpo coach Homer Drew said. “They shot the ball extremely well. They came in shooting 28 percent [on three-pointers], and they hit 50 percent. We matched their energy. We just didn’t make as many shots.”
For almost the entire second half, the Crusaders were without their top scorer, Shawn Huff. The senior forward sprained his right ankle late in the first half, tried to play in the second half but soon left for good.
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nmilbert@tribune.com
