(Updated: Fixes halftime score in 3rd graph Changes “made” to “to make” in 5th graph Changes “3” to “3-pointer” in GAME NOTEBOOK)
Valparaiso 62, Wright State 54: Erik Buggs scored a career-high 22 points as the host Crusaders used a 16-0 run in the closing minutes to win the Horizon League championship game and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004.
Buggs finished 9-of-13 as top-seeded Valparaiso (26-7) answered an 18-4 Raiders’ run by holding third-seeded Wright State (21-12) scoreless over 5:29 of the final 5:42. Will Bogan added 14 points while Kevin Van Wijk had 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Crusaders, who overcame 14 second-half turnovers.
Reggie Arceneaux led the Raiders with 14 points. Wright State came back from a 36-25 halftime deficit to take the lead despite shooting 27.3 percent from 3-point range.
Arceneaux scored five points in Wright Stateâ??s 18-4 run as the Raiders took a 50-44 lead with 5:42 to go. After Van Wijk and Buggs made layups, Buggs went 3-for-4 at the foul line to give the Crusaders a 51-50 lead.
Ryan Broekhoff, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave Valparaiso a 70-69 semifinal win over Green Bay, made another big 3 before Buggs and Matt Kennedy combined to make six consecutive free throws to push the cushion to 60-50 with 15 seconds left. Tavares Sledge ended the drought, making a layup with 13 seconds left.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Buggsâ?? previous career high was 15 points, coming against Kent State on Nov. 8. â? Broekhoff was 0-for-5 from beyond the arc before the late 3-pointer. … The Crusadersâ?? 26 wins set a program record.
