Last crusade

Valpo beats T-Birds in home finale

By ANNALISA BANKS
UNIVERSITY JOURNAL

Rebounds win games, and Valparaiso proved that when it outrebounded SUU 52-29 and beat SUU 69-61 Saturday night at the T-Birds’ last home game of the season.
“The biggest part was rebounding,” junior Robbie Warren said. “That is what hurt us.”
Twenty of the Crusaders rebounds came from the offensive end.
The T-Birds played hard for 40 minutes, but their lack of energy left them short.
“We did play hard,” assistant coach Brian Dolan said. “We played hard for 40 minutes, but energy is what misses those little shots, energy is what keeps you from getting those 50/50 balls, energy is what makes you give up 20 offensive rebounds. We just didn’t have it.”
Junior David Palmer led SUU in scoring with 11 and senior Donnie Jackson had 9.
SUU missed four free throws in the last five minutes, including three by junior Al Williams in the last 1:26. Williams made a layup and was fouled but missed the foul shot and the opportunity to cut the lead to three.
SUU made a defensive stop when Warren stripped the ball from a Valpo player. Williams drove to the basket and was fouled. He missed both free throws that would have tied the score with 51 seconds left.
Valpo led 47-39 after Antii Nikkila made a layup in the second half, but SUU came back on a 13-5 run and tied the score at 52 with 6:50 remaining.
Valpo increased the lead by five and kept the lead for the rest of the game when Raitis Grafs made both foul shots with 2:17 left.
“It came down to a couple of shots and free throws that we missed,” Jackson said. “We played good in the first half but didn’t come out with enough energy and emotion to play in the second half.”
Neither team had much success shooting the ball. SUU shot 33 percent in the second half and 36 percent for the game.
The ’Birds went 21-58 from the field, 7-20
from the three-point line and 12-21 from the line.
Valpo shot 40 percent with 23-57 from the field, 4-19 from the three-point line, and 19-28 from the foul line.
Valpo’s biggest success came from rebounds.
“Valpo did what they needed to do to win the game,” Dolan said.
The ’Birds led 33-30 at halftime, but the Crusaders came back with more momentum in the second half.
“We always have a couple ups and downs, especially in the second half,” Palmer said. “We always let them creep away or let them catch up, one of the two. It seems to happen to us every game. It is something we have to overcome.”
SUU dropped to 9-14 overall and 4-7 in the Mid-Con. Valpo improved to 15-8 overall and leads the Mid-Con with a 9-1 record.
“You have to have energy to beat the best team in your league,” Dolan said. “And there is no question about it — we didn’t have it.”
Valparaiso 69, SUU Men 61
Valpo (69) — Nieves 2-8 0-0 5, Berdiel 1-6 1-2 4, Grafs 6-10 0-0 19, Gomes 2-5 1-2 5, Tonagel 1-4 5-6 8, Colclasure 0-1 0-0 0, Ortiz 7-15 3-6 18, Oppland 2-5 9-3 4, Nikkila 2-3 2-2 6. Totals—23-57 19-28 69.SUU (61) — Henry 1-6 2-2 4, Jackson 4-9 0-2 9, Miles 1-2 0-0 2, Mulford 1-4 0-0 2, Collins 2-11 2-2 7, Olsovsky 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 3-6 1-5 7, Ball 2-4 3-4 8, Janes 1-3 0-0 3, Palmer 3-8 2-2 11, Warren 3-5 2-4 8. Totals—21-58 12-21 61.
Halftime—SUU 33, Valpo 30. 3-Point goals—Valpo 4-19 (Berdiel 1-3, Tonagel 1-4, Ortiz 1-5, Nieves 1-6, Colclasure 0-1), SUU 7-20 (Palmer 3-6, Ball 1-1, Jackson 1-2, Janes 1-3, Collins 1-5, Miles 0-1, Mulford 0-2). Fouled out—Jackson, Warren.