Second-half rally comes up short at Valparaiso, 70-66

The YSU men played poorly in the first half, trailing 41-29 at the intermission.

STAFF/WIRE REPORT

VALPARAISO, Ind. — Brandon McPherson scored 22 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer, to carry Valparaiso to a 70-66 win over Youngstown State on Thursday night.

McPherson sank a career-high nine shots from the field, including the 3-pointer that put the Crusaders (7-11, 2-4 Horizon) ahead for good with about 61‚Ñ2 minutes left.

Brandon Wood finished with 20 points and Cory Johnson added 10 to help the Crusaders snap a three-game losing streak.

The Penguins’ DeAndre Mays returned from scoring a career-high 30 points against Loyola of Chicago on Saturday to pick up a team-high 21 points versus the Crusaders.

The Penguins (7-9, 2-5) held a 19-11 scoring advantage from the bench, thanks in part to 11 points from Vytas Sulskis. Starter Sirlester Martin finished the game with 10 points.

“The game was lost in the first half,” said Youngstown State coach Jerry Slocum. “We came out and played absolutely horrific.”

Slocum said the slow start continues a disturbing trend.

“This group’s always had a tough time handling success or staying hungry,” he said.

“It was a tale of two halves. We had an opportunity to put the game away if we played better in the first half.”

Valparaiso seized the lead from the opening of the game, building a double-digit lead (20-9) lead with less than six minutes elapsed.

The Crusaders led by as many as 12 points (23-11) before Youngstown State scored seven unanswered points to get within five, 23-18, with 9:55 remaining.

But Valparaiso slowly rebuilt its advantage to double figures and took a 41-29 lead at halftime.

The margin was 13 early in the second half before the Penguins mounted their next comeback.

They went on an 11-2 run, started by a Martin jumper and finished on a basket by Mays, to close to within 46-42 with 13:09 remaining in the game.

A Howard Little free throw put the Crusaders on top by five, but Youngstown State scored nine of the next 13 points, and two free throws by Sulskis tied the score at 51 with 9:40 to play.

Sulskis then hit a 3-pointer with 9:01 to go, giving the Penguins their first lead of the game, 54-53.

Another 3-pointer by Vance Cooksey with 7:55 gave YSU a 57-54 lead, but Wood answered with a 3 for Valpo, starting a 11-1 run for the Crusaders that put them in control, 65-58, with 3:31 remaining.

Youngstown State couldn’t get any closer than four points the remainder of the game.

The Penguins stay in Indiana to face Butler on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.