YSU MEN’s preview | Today’s game

Matchup: No. 9 YSU (9-20, 2-16) vs. No. 4 Valparaiso (21-10, 12-6), first round, Horizon League tournament.

Tip-off: 8 p.m. at Athletics-Recreation Center, Valparaiso, Ind.

Radio: WKBN-AM (570).

Coaches: YSU — Jerry Slocum 58-120 at YSU, 638-445 career; Valpo — Homer Drew 369-303 at Valpo, 638-425 career.

YSU starters: Blake Allen (6.9 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, 2.5 assists per game), 6-1 sophomore guard; Kendrick Perry (8.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4 apg), 6-0 freshman guard; Ashen Ward (9 ppg, 3.3 rpg), 6-3 junior small forward; Vytas Sulskis (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rebounds per game), 6-7 senior forward; Damian Eargle (11 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3 blocks per game), 6-7 sophomore center.

Valpo starters: Brandon Wood (16.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 4.3 rpg), 6-2 junior guard; Cory Johnson (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg), 6-7 senior forward; Ryan Broekhoff (10.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-6 sophomore guard; Howard Little (9.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-3 senior guard; Erik Buggs (2.6 ppg, 0 apg), 5-10 sophomore guard.

Series history: Valpo leads 24-7. Last meeting: Valpo won 86-78 in OT on Feb. 5.

Notebook: Eargle’s 86 blocks led the Horizon. It’s the second-highest total in school history, behind Ricky Tunstall’s 138 in 1982-83. ... Sulskis will tie John Barber for most games played in school history with 120. ... Sulskis has scored 1,300 points, 16th most in school history. He’s also second in 3-pointers made (169) and fouls committed (368). ... The Penguins have not won a tournament game since beating Detroit on March 2, 2007. They are 2-9 all-time in the tournament.

Next game: If YSU wins, the Penguins would play the winner of Detroit-Loyola on Friday.

Vindicator staff report