Morse scores 27, but Valpo tops YSU

Staff and wire reports

VALPARAISO, Ind.

Alec Peters scored 18 points, and Vashil Fernandez added 11 points and 13 rebounds as the Valparaiso men’s basketball team defeated Youngstown State 97-68 Saturday night.

Jubril Adekoya chipped in 16 points for Valparaiso (19-4, 9-1 Horizon League), which dominated despite a game-high 27 points from Penguins sophomore guard Cameron Morse.

Fernandez’s 13 boards were half as many as YSU (9-14, 4-6) collected all night. Fernandez was one shy of tying his career high for rebounds, and it marked the third time in the 6-foot-10 senior’s career that he’ had 13 boards in a game.

Fernandez had 10 rebounds compared to the Penguins 11 at the break, and Valparaiso outrebounded YSU 47-26. The Crusaders never trailed.

Keith Carter started the game with a 3, Fernandez made a dunk and Carter followed with a layup and Valparaiso was on its way. The lead grew to 23-10 on a dunk by E. Victor Nickerson and a layup by Adekoya. Morse connected on eight of 15 shots from the floor and was nine of 10 at the foul line. It was his 10th game of the season with at least 20 points and his seventh against Horizon League opponents.

Junior Matt Donlan scored 12 points with two 3-pointers and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

The Penguins return home for the first of four straight games at Beeghly Center when they host Oakland at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.

The YSU women host Oakland at 5:15 p.m. the same day.