Fired up by Fazekas
Marquette grad paces balanced effort as Valparaiso routs Missouri State
There was no letdown for Valparaiso on Saturday at Missouri State.
The Crusaders used a balanced performance to post a dominant 82-66 Missouri Valley Conference win against the Bears.
Riding high after Wednesday’s comeback against Illinois State, Valparaiso (9-6, 2-0) never trailed against Missouri State (6-9, 0-2).
Crusaders coach Matt Lottich liked the focus of his team, which lost three times last season to Missouri State.
“I was pleased with our effort to start the game,” Lottich said. “We were as locked in defensively as we’ve been. Every basket they got was a really tough one — I was proud of that.
“Offense comes and goes, but defense is what we want to hang our hat on.”
Valparaiso flourished on both ends of the court.
The Crusaders shot 50.9 percent (29-for-57), including 12for-24 from 3-point range. They limited Missouri State to 36.5 percent (23-for-63), including 6for-29 from three.
Valparaiso also outrebounded the Bears 43-32.
Four players scored in double figures for the Crusaders, and seven had at least seven points.
Marquette graduate Ryan Fazekas led the way with 18 points as the junior guard/forward shot 6-for-11 from 3-point range.
“It makes coaching a lot more fun,” Lottich said. “Ryan shot the heck out of it and he shot the right ones. The ball moved and his teammates got him the ball.”
Bakari Evelyn scored 13 points, and Markus Golder added 11. Derrik Smits had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Graduate transfer guard Deion Lavender had a career-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven points and five assists.
Freshman guard Javon Freeman and Jaume Sorolla added nine points each, with the junior center also grabbing six rebounds.
Valparaiso ran off 11 straight points to snap a 16-16 tie. Sorolla scored six points during that stretch to give the Crusaders a 27-16 edge with 6:47 left in the first half. They opened a 46-22 cushion when Evelyn hit a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left in the half.
In the second half, Missouri State twice cut the deficit to 13 points. The second time, Fazekas and Evelyn sank back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 64-45 with 10-plus minutes left.
Fazekas nailed his sixth 3pointer with 3:47 left to give the Crusaders their largest lead at 81-56.
“I know coach (Dana) Ford well, I respect him, and his team was never going to quit,” Lottich said. “They made it a game.”
Valparaiso handed Missouri
State its first home loss of the season, after the Bears had been 6-0. The Crusaders also matched their total for conference road wins from last season, when they won at Drake in their ninth and final attempt.
Valparaiso plays Bradley on Tuesday at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
“We have 16 more hard games,” Lottich said. “We understand this league is a day-to-day league. We have a long way to go with our team. They know that and we know that as coaches.”