Valparaiso Trounces SIUE, 80-58; Evansville Beats EIU

VALPARAISO, Ind. – Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville turned the ball over 25 times Wednesday, fell behind early and couldn't catch up as Valparaiso ran away with an 80-58 victory over the Cougars at the Athletics Recreation Center.

The loss is the second straight for SIUE, which fell to 2-4. Valpo improved to 2-4.

For the second consecutive game, the Cougars started woefully slow, turning the ball over on each of their first three possessions and missing their first nine shots from the field. Valpo, also struggled to a slow start. Sidney Wilson picked up SIUE's first bucket with 13:20 to play in the first half to make the score 4-2.

"We had good opportunities developing and then we gave the ball away," SIUE Head Coach Brian Barone said. "That really set the tone. It gave (Valpo) the confidence to come out and be the aggressors on us. You can't give a veteran, Missouri Valley squad that chance. You have to hit them first. But we were on our heels from the get-go. It took us 14-14 minutes to get into the mix."

The Crusaders led 11-8 before going on a 12-0 run to build a 23-8 advantage. An SIUE 9-0 run closed the gap to 27-22, but a 6-0 run to end the half capped by a running layup from Goodnews Kpegeol gave Valpo an 11-point (33-22) at halftime.

"We cut it to five and then we got lost in transition," Barone added. "That hurt us. Valpo is a good transition team and that hurt us going into halftime."
SIUE was able to trim the lead to nine a couple of times early in the second half, but each time Valpo stretched it out. The Crusaders had as big as a 28-point lead with just over four minutes left.

SIUE shot 44 percent (25-57) from the field for the game, after shooting just 32 percent (10-31) in the first half. The Cougars, who averaged 8.0 three-pointers per game coming in, managed just two in 17 tries.

"We need to go to the film and see the shots," Barone said. "We haven't shared the ball the way we did, especially going back to that LSU game. A lot of our shots today were forced, especially to start the game, because we didn't create the movement we needed.

"I have to go to the drawing board and create a little bit more movement, so we can give our guys better opportunities to knock down the shots they're capable of making," Barone continued.

The 25 turnovers tied a season-worst. The Cougars also turned the ball over 25 times at Saint Louis.

"They were physical," Barone said of Valparaiso. "We didn't hold on to the ball in areas where we had openings. Valpo was physical and they got the gap help, but when our ball doesn't move the way it needs to move it is really hard for us to score."
SIUE finished with just 11 assists.

Sidney Wilson scored 15 points to lead SIUE. Mike Adewunmi added 11 points. Wilson has scored in double figures in four of the Cougars' six games this year. Adewunmi has scored in double figures in five straight games.

Lamar Wright scored eight points whole Shamar Wright and Carlos Curtis chipped in seven point apiece.

Sheldon Edwards led Valparaiso with 20 points.

SIUE next will face Northwestern Sunday in a nationally televised game on ESPNU. Tipoffis set for 3 p.m.

Evansville 68, EIU 65

EVANSVILLE, Ind.  – Evansville hit several clutch shots on Wednesday night including four as time expired on the shot clock that proved valuable in a 68-65 win over Eastern Illinois at the Ford Center. 

EIU fell to 2-4 on the year while Evansville improved to 1-3 snapping a 22-game losing streak. 

Evansville took advantage of some timely shooting in the first half as the Purple Aces sank two 3-pointers as the shot clock expired including one by Evan Kulhman that capped a 9-0 run. 

Evansville extended its lead to 21-8 before Josiah Wallace snapped the run.  Kuhlman led Evansville with 12 points in the first half, finishing the game with 15.  Evansville led 34-19 at the half. 

EIU shot just 33 percent in the first half with Marvin Johnson leading the offense with five first half points.  Mack Smith sank a 3-pointer four minutes into the contest to extend his consecutive games streak with a made 3-pointer to 87 straight.  He can tie the NCAA Division I record on Saturday afternoon when the Panthers host Western Illinois at 4 p.m. on ESPN+. 

The Panthers warmed up in the second half knocking down their first six shots from the floor as an 8-0 run closed the gap to 39-34 with 15:54 to play.  Johnson hit a jumper to cap the run as he was one of two EIU players to finish with 17 points.   Wallace was the other as he hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the EIU run. 

For every EIU run, Evansville was able to provide an answer with Jax Levitch hitting one shot as the shot clock expired and Noah Frederking sinking another.  Levitch (11 pts) and Frederking (11 pts) were two of five Purple Aces in double figures led by Jawaun Newton’s 19 points, including a 11-of-12 effort at the foul line. 

Smith drained a 3-pointer with 11:26 to play to make it 46-42 and Kashawn Charles 3-pointer with 7:25 tied the contest at 50-50.  A Levitch 3-pointer put Evansville back in front as the Panthers could never take a second half lead.   Johnson’s bucket with 1:10 to play brought EIU to within 62-60 and EIU had a potential game tying shot fall short as time expired.  

Smith added 12 points for the Panthers on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.